Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1894-02-22

OF train robbers wrecked passenger
/ train No. - On the Southern Pscif,.
railroad at Roscoe station. twelve miles
north ~ here, at o'clock Yesterday
morning. The highwsymen blew omen
the express ear with dynamite and
rre'i several shots at the trainmen
who attempted to escape.
The robbers escaped with several
strong boxes belonging 10 the Wells
/ Fargo Express 60. but the total
amount Of cash l. believed To amour.
20 not more than $1,000.
/ A Most Daring and Cool rtee- Of work
None OF the passengers. A. far As
known. with the exception 80 = tramp
named t'raugcr. were injured The
robbery was the most daring and cool
piece Of work done in the vv.s, in
YEAR. and IL j. believed that Chris
| Evaus and Norrclf. the outlaws fr-
whom California officers have been
searching Tor weeks. planned and *
ecutsd the crime
The train vas late in leaving Los
Angeles. Besides the baggage sv
pres anil three passenger cars. there
were two cars loaded with fruit for San
trsncisc". NJ Burbank. ux miles
north of this city. CONDUCTOR OEetl
telegraphet hack indicating that at
that time everything vas all right.
s~sr'E~sf ~ . gsax VI rsaxh..
Several r0H<h-loolSiu- men h-rarsFe4
the train az Burbank. and IL i bel5-vr,I
they were aec,mrlh-gS % tho rabh~rs.
who were waiting further unrth -
thro-v the switch and ditch thu train
Ne Eps.-us. sax miles north q Bur
hank. l. a short spur leading froul the
main line ta sbis-trarx u,-d fsr
svsttchiu-- Is shs io,a1unotf-e n..are,i
Tn. Junction Engineer Thorua. saw BY
the glare - the headlight that
The >~ttsh -. op-a-
Tie reversed che euEiur and tried ~
stop the tr1iu- bat the heavy load h.-
bind was ton much "a ~ STAYED in the
short distance and the locomotive and
svro fruit cars left the rails and fell
wreck into the di.-A
t'efors the passs.n xvrs aud Coudu.-sr-
fsiell could rvaIizs ~ hat had happened.
three m1-lss't men jumped into view
tr"m the wopsis adjoining the tracks.
Htth rIfes in their hauds.
Nsti~r % shots
Ma hrs'i az the engineer AMI fireman.
who were struggling 20 eseap. from
the tangled wreck. and then tine gang
kept mp a fusiIlade Of bullets ~ terrifv
the passengers and prevent them from
having the ears Fireman Masters
was instantly killed at th- first IRE.
tramp named Granger was also
struck BIZ a bullet and died on the
spot The engineer vas badly hurt.
but managed To crawl into the brush
out Of sight Of the robbers
Wrecked nth q ss.nh.
When the shock # tn. accident ryas
felt the aceomplices who boarded the
train AT Burbank left the rear coach
and hurried TO the express car. which
stood on the rails unframed They
placed bomhS under the ear. and the
explosion tore the doors from the car
Express Messenger Harry Edgar was
uninjured- The thieves then rfAsd the
ear Of all is contents. and mounting
horses. which were tied in the woods
near the railroad. gaIloped north
Escaped to Give an Alarm
Poster the brakeman, was in one OF
the passenger coaches at the time Of
the accident. and realized that robbers
were at work as soon as he heard the
rife shots. He quietly slipped from
the train and made his wav toward a
light he saw across the country. which
proved To b. farm house. Poster xos
team at the ranch and after arousinr
the ueighborhond. drove to Burbank
and notified the deputy sheriff at that
place
Relief Train sent to the Scene.
The Southern Pacific sndWells-Fargo
officials in this city were notified Of the
robbery. and a train was sent AZ once
to the scene DIR. Aiusworth. the rail-
road 5 surgeon. was sent to Roscoe. but
found no one to care for hut Engineer
Thomas
The bodies Of Fireman Masters and
Granger were brought hack To this
city. None Of the passengers ventured
o. move outside 20 see what caused the
stop. a the highwaymen KEEP, up
continual fusllade Of shots
Bear the stamp Of Evans WORT.
The belief that Evans and NorrelI.
who escaped from the Fresno Jail sew
eral weeks ago, participated in the
robbery i shared by many railroad and
express officials
The job was such cold bIoosted and
desperate piece If work that officers
familiar with the two desperadoes.
agreed that Il hears their trade mark
a Previous Att=mps Frustrated
10 ! not over six weeks ago that a
previOu, attempt was made 70 hold up
a Southern Pacific train at Roscoe sta
ton BY mere accident the plan was
frustrated. The fact that the train
which left Los Angeles Thursday nigh,
was late proved 20 be of value to the
robbers, for the engineer, in trying to
make up the lost time, was running a
fast rate. and could not therefore
stop his train when he came in sight of
the open switch Engineer Thomas
prompt action in reversing his engine
however. saved many lives, for had the
heavily-loaded passenger coaches fol-
lowed the locomotive into the ditch.
many people would have been killed or
exposed TO the shots of the Highway
men.
Those who do not accept the theory
that Evans aud NOrrell had hand in
the robbery point TO the fact that there
were FIVE or six men in the gang and |
claim that these desperadoes do not
hunt in 50 large company; but the |
detectives Of the express company are
OF the opinion that the two had some
thing to do with the affair
The san Francisco authoritie. wer. I
notified OF the affair. and both the :
Southern Pacific company aad the /
Wells-FargO Express Co. sent men
south to work on the case A wreck I