Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-02-17
DITCHEDTHETRAI
Railway Robbers Do a Most
Oiabolical Deed.
MANY LIVES PUT IN JEOPARDY

In Order That the sIiscrranss May Rob the
clls-rargo Express Mcrscnger-Ffre-
man Pinned In the Wreck That Resulted
and Left There by the Ficndis While They
Hunt for ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Brought
Into Play-Eireman Killed.
= Los ANGELES, Cal, Feb 1.-THE bold
est train robbery that ever occurred in
southern California--or for that matter in
the state-took place Mt Roscoe, small
station thirteen miles north of this city.
The train on the Southern Pacific bound
north was scheduled to leave Arcade sta
ton at l0:40 p. m, but was slightly de-
layed. Owing to the delay most Of the
passengers settled themselves comfortably
Cor the night. Many of them We're fast
asleep before Burbank was reached. Ever
since the train robbery and wrecking at
Roscoe few weeks ago the train hands
on the overland trains have had species
of apprehensive dream about the place
and appeared to expect repetition of that
outrage.
Engineer Discovers the Peril.
Engineer Thomas gave long blast of
the whistle as the train approached the
switch this side of. Roscoe His face
blanched as he discovered a man standing
beside the switch with faring torch, and
his face assumed n whittier hue when he
discovered that the switch had been left
open. He tried to put on all the brakes
and whistled for down brakes, but it was
of no avail. The train was going at an I'M
al fl,<. -
quired precluded the possibility of imme-
diateiy bringing il to "A s.andstiil to avoid
disaster. About the same time that the
engineer Eoted the man with the torch he
heard the sharp crackins, of n revolver and
many bullets whistled past him, breaking
the windows of the cab.
Appearance of the Masked Dastnr,is.
Almost instantaneously the engine
crashed over into the ditch. At this point
there is "a fill over which the switch rams
nearly fifteen feet high. knowing the
character of the place Engineer Thomas
jumped and ran. and miraculously escaped
| injury. Fireman Masters was not so
lucky, however. He was pinioned in be-
tween the cab and tender, horribly mu-
tilated and crushed. At the moment of
the ove-turninc of the train two men wear
ing siouch hats and black masks leapei
from the heavy bushes alongside the track
They took positions on either side of the
train and commenced a furious fusilIade
| from revoivers.
Blown Open with Dynamite.
After this wild and seemingly purposeless
| firing one of the men went 10 the express
car, pounded on the door and demanded
that it he opened. Upon refusal Of the
messenger to comply the robber placed
three or foar dynamite bombs ON the sill.
Then ensued a terrific explosion. Nearly
the whole side of the car was torn into
! splinters. Harry Edgar, who had expected
this procedure, had got into the further
corner of the car. and even then narrowly
escaped death or iniury from flying spin
tiers OF wood. Everything in the car was
shaken up CONSERVATION prevailed among
those on board the train. Frightened men
and women jumped from their berths
Capture Many Sacks of Gold.
Just after the blowing in of the express
car the robbers, ut the point of revolvers
compelled the extra fireman, who was
riding on the engine. to get into the car
while a robber followed him. This was
done in order to protect the robber in case
the messenger fired. Under command OF
the masked robber the extra fireman car
ried the contents of the local box. which
contained many sacks Of gold. outside the
car, where the other robbers were whiting