Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-17
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERS.
They Ditch Cars to Garry
Out Their Purposes.
EXPRESS CAR BLOWN OPEN.
Bandits Garry of Sacks Containing a
Large Amount OF Gold.

Los ANGELES, Feb. IA Southern Pa
slc passenger train was wrecked at Ros-
zoe, near here, by three masked men. The
engine and two fruit cars were ditched.
The express car was blown open by dyna-
mite and looted. Engineer Thomas and
the fireman and the express messenger
were badly hurt. The robbers escaped.
The wrecked engine went down the
bank, 10 feet Engineer Thomas Jumped
and ran, but Fireman Masters was
pinioned between the ca % aud the tender
aud died ~ he Was taken ont. Harry
Edgar, the express messenger in charge
OF the Wells Fargo car, ami the only per
son In 10, gave a version of the affair rs
follows,
The first thing knew was p terriI!,
shock, and at once knew there yEs =,
wreck, but, Of course, did not know wbar
was the matter. The explosion Of dyna-
mite bomb was the next thing. heard
at the right hand door a noise. l war
standing in the center Of the car when the
bomb was exploded. IL blew the door
into splinters, and the whole car was soon
filled with smoke
"The robbers then began shooting,
warning me in time TO open the door
quickly. They showed rife ia through
the door. / obeyed them under the pen
atty OF death. The robbers came in and
got all they could. ! opened the Wells
Fargo box and they took what little sill
yer there was. saw only two men"
Besides Arthur Masters, the fireman, an
unknown tramp, who was stealing a ride,
was killed. The WellsFargo express car
was rified OF its entire contents.
Tho job Well Planned.
1t was the boldest holdup ever perpe-
trated In this state. Ever since the train
robbery and wreck at Roscoe few weeks
ago the trainmen on the overland train
appear to have expected repetition Of
that outrage. AS the train approaches
the switch uLis side Of Roscoe, Engineer
Thomas discovered a man standing be-
side the switch with q faring torch, and
his face paled when he saw that the
switch had been left open. He put on
the airbrake and whistled for brakes, but
IL was Of no avail.
The sharp cracking Of rsvolvers was
heard, and bullets whistlsd past him,
breaking the windows Of the cab. The next
instant the train fell over into the ditch.
Thomas Jumped and ran, escaping injury.
Fireman Masters was pinned between the
cab and tender, and. was horribly burnt
and crushed. There Is some doubt
as to the number OF the robbers but
they commenced a furious fusilade from
Psvolvers. After this Wild firing they
went TO the express oar and blew IL open.
Then the robbers. as the point of re-
volver, compelled the extva fireman who
had been riding on the engine TO get into
the car, while one robber followed him.
This was done in order to protect the rob-
bers In case the messenger fred. Under
command Of the robber the extra fireman
carried the contents Of the locked box
which contained many sacks Of gold. out
side the car, where the other robbers were
standing and keeping up furious fu-
silade.
Surprising Goodness.
After gathering into portable shape the
valuables the highwaymen turned their
attention to the overland safe, but were
unable TO open IL and vented their di
appointment by a volley from their re-
volvers. After gathering together their
booty the robbers placed 1t in gunny sacks
and mounting their horses galloped Off in
the direction OF the mountains.
1t Is not known how much the robbery
Of Wells Fargo a Co. netted the rob
bers, but It is supposed to be very large
amount.
Fireman Arthur Masters Jared q terri
BILE fate. He lived about en- hour, and al.
though the tralnhands worked hard to ex-
tricate him, he died about 10 minutes be-
fore they could get him out. In the midst
Of his sufferings, he begged for pistol
that he might kill himself.
Upon the person Of the tramp killed
was found letter addressed to Harry
DAILY, 125 Wall street