Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-10-17
THREE BAGS OF GOLD.
This is the Booty Secured by Two
Bold California Train
Robbers.

Sacramento, Cal, Oct. PA train rob-
berry was committed last night about sew
en- miles beyond Davisville at a crossing
known as Sheep Camp. Four sacks of
coin were secured from the express car.
and Messenger Jack Paige barely escaped
with his life. The booty amounted to
about $500. Engineer Bill Scott of the
Oregon overland that left San Francisco
at 8 p. N. and his fireman were forced
at the muzzle Of a revolver to carry coin
sacks from the express car to the en-
CINE. The robbers uncoupled the engine
and rode off with their booty.
1t was q Well-planned and SSillful rob-
berry. The track-Walker was Waylaid and
lied hand and foot and robbed of $50 and
lett helpless at the side of the track
The track walker was just pulling out of
Sheep Camp and the overland was al
ready in sight. With the track walkers
lantern the robbers signaIed No. 3 to
stop. Engineer Scott slowed up, but did
not come to a full stop until the explosion
of dynamite bombs under the engine
warned him that it was useless to pro-
coed further. BY this time the two rob-
bers were on the engine. They sprang
on from opposite sides of the track and
began shooting at once. The passengers
and train hands say quite a number of
shots were fired before anybody knew
what it was all about The robbers
made the engineer and fireman dismOunt
and walked them back with rifles at
their heads to the rear of the express car,
where the victims were ordered to I'M
couple the train. This was speedily done,
and before the eXpreSsman, mail clerk
or any of the train hands knew what was
going on the engine was speeding ahead
and drawing only the two forward mail
cars and the Wells, Fargo & Co. express
(.nJ' oh hon
with the robbers, the engineer and fire
man on the engine. The rest of the
train remained at Sheep Camp in immi-
nent peril of being telescoped by the Ore
gon train in the rear.
When the captured cars were halted
Engineer Scott and the fireman were
marched back to the express car where
the robbers made a demand on Messen-
ger Paige to open his door He refused.
BY =. We'll shoot the engineer and fire
man if you don't open in hurry" said
one of the robbers, the taller of the two
While the other masked man held two
dynamite bombs up to the view in the
clear moonlight and threatened to blow
the express car to pieces unless it was
opened at once. Still Paige hesitated
and some shots were fired through the
glass door at him, one of which grazed
his temple and filled it with broken bits
of glass. Then the engineer called out
cred with guns and they'll kill us if you
don't OPEN" said Scott Still Paige de-
sisted and began firing through the door.
but his aim was wild. Again Scott, in
fear of his life, called on the messenger
TO open, saying that the robbers would
surely blow him up unless he gave up.
The messenger finally opened the door
One robber then covered the messenger
and the engineer and fireman with his
rifle, while the other searched for coin
He found three sacks one containing
$500 i'll silver and small change and two
small sacks of gold. There was a good
deal of treasure on the train. however
which the robbers did not secure. 81
was about out of ammunition" said Mes
senger Paige. and Scott was so badly
frightened that | opened the door then
to save his life. | am sure they would
have killed him if I had held back q
moment longer" When the door opened
the engineer and fireman were ordered
to jump into the car. The robbers fol
lowed them. Train No 10 was close be-
hind them and the bandits evidently knew
that their time was limited and precious.
The engineer and fireman were made to
carry the booty to the engine and de-
post where directed. The robbers mount
ed the engine and rode off, leaving the en-
gineer and fireman behind. They went
down the road toward Sacramento and
then reversed the lever and sent it back
to the stalled train. Luckily the steam
was low and when the locomotive came in
contact with the forward mail car but
little damage was done. Train No. 10,
the Oregon express, came along and
pushed the three detached sections Of
train No. 3 together and then into Sacra-
mento, where they arrived at 1870 this