St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-17
BOLD WORK OF BANDITS.
THEY WRECK A SOUTHERN PACIFIC
EXPRESS TRAIN
NEAR ROSCOE. CALIFORNIA.

The Messenger Refusing to Open
the Express Car, Ii Is Blown
Into Spiinters by Dynamite
acknowledgements Terrorized
and the Train Robbed of Its
Entire Contents.
Los ANGELES. CAL, Feb. 16.-The
boldest train Robbery that ever occurred
III Southern California, or for that mat
ter in the state, took place little after
midnight at Roscoe, small station
thirteen miles north of this city. The
train was the Southern Pacific Over
land No. 20. bound north. The train was
scheduled to leave Arcade depot at 1890
O'Clock. but was slightly delayed. Owing
to the delay most or the passengers
settled themselves comfortably for the
night. Many of them were fast asleep
before Burbank was reached.
The express messenger. postal clerks
and ttaininen were busily arranging
matters for the night. Ever since the
train robbery and wrecking at Roscoe
few weeks ago the train hands On the
overland train have species of appre-
hension about the place, and appear to
expect repetition of that outrage.
Engineer Thomas gave long blast of
the whistle as the train approached the
switch this side of Roscoe. His face
blanched as he discovered man stand
ing beside the switch with a haring
torch, and his face assumed more liyid
hue when he discovered that the switch
had been left open. He put on the air
brake and whistled for brakes, but it
was of no avail. The train was going
at all unusual rate, and the momentum
1t had acquired precluded the possibility
of Immediately bringing it TO stand
still to avoid disaster. About the same
time the engineer noted the man with
the torch he heard the sharp
CRACKING OF REvoLvERs
and many bullets whistled past him,
breaking the windows of the cab. AL
most inStantaneously the engine crashed
over into the ditch. At this point there
is a fill which runs nearly fifteen feet
high. Knowing the character of the
place, Engineer Thomas jumped and
ran, mlraculously escaping injury. Fire
man Masters was not so lu cky, how
ever, being pinioned between the cab
and tender, and was horribly mutilated
and crushed.
At the moment of overturning the
train two men wearing SLOUGH hats and
| black masks leaped from the heavy
bushes alongside the track. There are
some differences of opinion among
those who were on the train as to the
number of men composing the robber
gang. AT all events the two men took
positions ON either side Of the train and
commenced furious fusilade from re-
volvers. After this wild and seemingly
purposeiess firing, one of the men went
to the express car, pounded on the door,
demanding that it be opened.
I -t-Upon the refusal of the messenger to
comply, the r0bber placed three or four
dynamite bombs on the sill. Then EN-
sued terrific explosion, nearly the
| whole side of the car being torn into
splinters. Harry Edgar, who had ex-
pected this procedure. got into the fur
Their corner Of the car, and even then
the flying splinters. Everything in the
car was. shaken up and the defamation
I WAS MOST TERRIFIC.
CONSERVATION prevailed among those
Oh board the train. frightened men and
women jumped from their berths. Con-
ductor OdeI1 and Brakeman Foster
thought the wreck due merely to acct
dent at first. but when the pistol shots
rang out and bullets began whistling
: through the car they immediately
Changed their opinion. r
Two tramps had gotten on the pilot
of the engine and were stealing a rid
when the locomotive jumped the track.
One OF them was hurled fifty feet and
miraculOusly escaped injury. The other
was caught and buried beneath the
debris of the engine and was instantly
killed. His body was horribly mangled
and lacerated. His name. is Harry
Daily.
Just after blowing up the express car
the robbers at The point of a revolver
compelled the extra fireman, who had
been riding Cn the engine, to get into
the car, while one robber followed him.
This was done in order to protect the
rObber in case the messenger fired.
Under the command of the masked rob-
| Der the extra fireman carried the con-
tents of the local box, which contained
many sacks of gold, outside the car,
where the other robbers were waiting.
All this time the robbers kept up a
furious fusilade, firing into the train
and into the car.
After gathering into portable shape
the supposed valuables the highwaymen
turned their attention to the overland
safe. These safes are so constructed
that it requires much time and patience
to open them, and the
ROBBERS REALIZED
the futility of attempting it, so they left
it intact and vented their dsapproval
of their inability to take even that by
vOlley from their revolverS. After
gathering together their booty, the rob-
moi nj in ~,
mounting horses, rode off In the direc-
tion of the mountains. 1t is not known
how much treasure of Wells, Fargo
q Co. the robbers made off with, but it
is supposed to be very large amount.
Brakeman Foster when he Jumped
from the train eSpied house near by,
a light in one of the windows. He
ran toward it with all speed, got
horse, and at once rode back to Bur-
bank at furious speed, waxing up the
telegraph operator and Informing the
authorities what had taken place. Sher-
if Cline and three deputies at once
started at 2 o'clock this morning, in a
furious rain storm, for the scene. A
wrecking train followed, and DR.. F. K.
AinSwOrth went out on a light engine
to give care to the injured. The wreck
was soon cleared. and today trains are
running as usual.
NO better place could be secured for
the preparation of the deInoniacaI deed
than Roscoe. Just before reaching the
station there is a short spur which runs
out few hundred feet and terminates
abfuptly,a as the roadbed here is soft and
insecure. 1t follows that train sud-
defly running ON it with great speed
would be overturned and wrecked.
David w. Thomas, engineer OF the
train, tells the following story. He was
fortunate enough to escape with his
life and looking none the worse for hay
ing passed through the terrible ex-
perienee.
Off last night. He said: sWe were
about seven minutes late as we ap-
preached Roscoe siding. 1t was bright
moonlight as we approached that point.
leSaW two men sitting ON the Station