Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-02-23
BOLD BANDITS.
MurderOus Work Of Train Wreck
ers in California. 4
FIREMAN SHOT and KILLED.
Not Content with Ditchlng 1ne Ell"
CINE. Three Masked hOO
bers Fire Upon Wound
ed and Help
less Men.

.aDo of train robbers wrecked pa5sen-
ar 9rain No 20 on the Southern Paclhc
railroad at Roscoe Station, twelve miles
rortb Of Los Angeles, Cal, at O'Clock tne
other morning. The highwaymen Diew
omen the express car with dynamite anu
orad several shots at the trainmen VINO al
,onnted TO escape. Those shot W the TOD
hers or iniurel in the wreck are
Fireman Arthur Masters shot and killed
while exsrcating himself from tue "recAeu
locomotive
John Granger. who was stealing ride on
the train. shot and killed by the ROBBERS
Fngipeer David Thomas probably fatally
injured by falling off his locomotive.
brakeman Foster, cut on head anu pauy
bruised. .,xoo,
THE robbers escaped with several strong
boxes belonging to the Wes-Eargo EXPRESS
Co,nronv but the total am cunt OF cash 1here-
in contained is believed to amount 10 no'
more than 81 ,t0O
None or the passengers, so far as KNOWN
with the exception Of the tramp Uranee'
was injured Toe robbery was the most u"'
,ro and cool piece Of work done III the west
foT wars and it is believed that Chris Eyars
and MoreH, the outlaws for whom Oan'oin'"
oe7.ors has been searching for mon'ns'
MANNED and executed the crime.
The train WAS late In leaving Los Angeies'
Beside the baggage, express and three pas
senOer cars. there were two cars ioaueu VIZ"
fruit for San Francisco. At BuroanA' SIN
miles north of Los Angeles, Conductor oIe"
,elayranhed back indicating that at that ume
ovarvthins was all right. Several rough
looking men boarded the train at Burbank,
and if is believed, they were the accom-, ,
nlices of the robbers, who were ~aH'Ds
farther north 10 throw the switch aud di'en
the train.
Al Roscoe, six miles north Of Burbank, n
n short spur of track leading from the nam
line 70 n side track used for switching. As
the locomotive neared the Junction Eoglneer
Thomas SAW by the glare of the heaongn'
that the switch was open. He reversed the
engine and tried to stop the train, but the
heavy load behind was too much 10 DC su'y0t
in the ( tort distance and the locomotive ana
trofreipht cars let the rails and fell wreck
into the ditch.
Refore the passengers and Conductor
n ,all could realized what had happened
three masked men jumped into view from
the woods adjoining the track with rlhes III
their hands A volley OF shots was hred az
the engineer and fireman, who we're s'rug-
cling to escape from the tangled wrecE' anu
then the gang kept up lusade OF bui1etS
to terriIy the passengers and prevent them
from leaving the cars. Fireman Masters was
instantly killed at the first fire. The tramp,
who WAS a'so struck by bullet, diel Oh
,besp.t. The engineer was badly hurt but
managed to crawl into the brush out oI slgnt
Of the robbers.
When the shock Of the accident was ielt
tho occomplices who boarded the train at
Burbank. left the rear coach and hurried 10
the express car, which stood on the rails un
harmed. They placed bombs under the car
and the explosion tore of the doors' Tx
press Messenger Harry Edgar was unlDJu'-
o. The robbers tLen ri6ed the car OF all lis
contents aud mounting horses, whicn "eie
tod in the woods near the railroad, gallopeu
north.
Foster the brakeman, was in one OF the
nasseneer coaches at the time OF the aeci-
dent and realized that robbers were at "orA
"a eoon as he heard the rifle shots. de
quietly slipped from the train and mace n'S
2 yyov towart the light he saw across the
country. which proved 10 be farmhouse
Eoster rot a team at the ranch after ar us
inc the neishborhood, drove 10 Burbank an'
, notified the deputy sheriff OF that place. The
o southern Pacific and Wells Fargo oihcial'
we're notified of the robbery, and train was
a sent at once 10 the scene. DR.. Ainswoilpi
the railroad companys surgeon was sent 'e
: Roscoe Int found no one to care Tor Tut En'
pipeer Thomas. The DO lies Of fireman Mas
. ters and Granger we're bought back 10 'n'
! city.
@ The belief that Evans and Morell who es
caned from the Fresno jail several mon'n'
AGO participated in the robbery, is shared By
MANY raiI oad and express officials.
The lob is such cold-blooded and desper
> ate niece # work that officers familiar VIII
a tbe two S; eradoes agree that i bears the'
= trademark. 1t is not over six weeks as'
q that a previous attempt was made 10 no'
nm = southern Pacific train al Roscoe 81"
,io, r, n mere accident the plan wa
frustrated.