The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-13
AN EXPRESS CAR ROBBED.
Two Bandits Of the Rail Secure
$4,000.

wv 3N"N'
An Express Train Held Up Within Six
Miles of Sacramento-The Bandits
Stop It by Placing a Torpedo on the
Track and Waving 1t Down With
Lanterns-The Express Messenger
Fires at the Robbers but Fails to Hit
Them.
Sacramento. Cal. Oct .12-An east
bound overland train. due here at 8
O'Clock last night, was held up by two
masked men about six miles below this
city. The robbers armed with revolvers,
compelled the engineer and fireman to ac-
company them to the Express car, where
Messenger Page was told that if he did
not open the doors the engineer and fire.
man would be shot. Page, however, at
first attempted resistance and fired twice,
but, fearing that the trainmen would be
killed, let the bandits into the car where
they secured four bags of gold contain
ing about SOL, 900 The robbers then un-
coupled the engine, and, after running II
toward the city without resistance re-
versed it and jumped Off, making their
escape. The engine ran into the un-
no damage was done. Before holding up
the train the men robbed the track
walker
James Cotton, who was beating his way
TO Sacramento from Suisun, probably saw
more of the robbery than any one else
His story is as follows: THE first thing
l knew about any trouble was when the
torpedo went off. 1t seemed to light the
car. l said to Hanley, tramp who was
riding on the forward platform Of the
blind baggage, where l was riding, There
goes torpedo; something is wrong |
swung out on the step and looked ahead
and saw two figures on the track, swing
ing lanterns.
"One had a red and the other a white
lantern AS the train slowed up
climbed up in the back end OF the tender
and lay down, while Hanley went in
side the storm doors. The next thing
saw, the two robbers run up on each side
of the engine. They We're dressed in
close-itting white suits and wore high
peaked caps, exactly like the pictures l
have seen of the white caps in the east.
They looked like clowns in a circus. They
had Winchester rifles, but not pistols or
cartridge belts. that could see. The big
one fired his rifle off and said to the en-
gineer, Get down out of that and be
quick about it, The engineer replied, I
WELL l will. DO not kill me. III mind
YOU The engineer and fireman accom-
panied the rODDerS, VINO kept pOklng
them with their guns
The tall one said get a move on you
They went back and unCoupled the four
forward cars from the passenger coaches
and brought the fireman and en-
glneer back to the engine. The tall man
stood on the platform of the first car
and said to the engineer, Pull out now
id lively, and go till tell you to stop
One of the robbers kept his gun aimed at
the engineer and rested it on my leg with
out seeing me. 1t was an old gun with so
large a bore that 1 thought 1t was a
musket at first. After we had gone about
mile the big man told the engineer to
stop. Tho big man climbed on the ten
der and saw me for the first time He
pointed his rifle at me and said who
in HI IS thisY / said, Don't shoot, I'm
only tramp He told me to keep quiet,
and / would be all right Then the men
compelled the engineer and fireman to
go back to the express car and call the
messenger. The messenger began TO shoot
at once, but was implored to stop by
| the engineer. ! saw the four come back
presently bearing a sack each, and heard
the large man say the sacks weighed
seventy-flve pounds each, though the two
carried by the railroad men were larger
than the other two. They put the sacks
on the engine, told us to get away from
the machine and then they pulled out
As they were bringing the sacks to the
engine, the messenger fired two shots at
them and the engineer said, That id
fool will kill us yet The big robber
laughed and said, No he won't he can't
hit the side Of a house They were the
coolest men ] ever saw The mouth OPEN
ing in the big fellows mask was very
large and l could see that he had a dark
moustache."
Hanley, the other tramp, tells a story
similar to Colton's, though his opportuni-
seeing CO
was behind the storm doors most Of the
time.
Engineer Scott in his account of the
robbery says the robbers put the sacks
containing the money on the engine, ran
Il to the suburbs of Sacramento. where
they got off with their plunder, reversed
the lever and sent the engine back over
the track under fun head of steam The
engine struck the train. but did not do
/ much damage.
Fireman Lincoln, who got a good view
Of the robbers, says that there Is no
doubt Of their being men who thoroughly
understand railroading. "rhe sig
nal used in stopping us compiled per-
| fectly with the required FORM" he said
II think ] should know either of the men
| If / were ever to see them. When the rob
bers ordered the express messenger 10
open the car instead Of complying nc fred
two shots through the door, nearly hit
ting Engineer Scott and myself II was
then that we asked him to open up or
the robbers would kin US"
The backs Of Scott and Lincoln are COW
cred with bruises caused by the constant
prOddinEs from the ends OF the rifles held
by the robbers to make them carry the
plumber
The news of the robbery produced the
! greatest excitement, and the city is alive
with men eager to assist in the search.
Men are already securing the country In
! every direction. To seems almost impos-
/ sible that the robbers can escape, as the
/ descriptions furnished Of them are good.
| and they must Of necessity be either In
or very close TO this city.
The Southern Pacific has issued a cir
! culdr Offering o. reward Of $4,000 for the
| arrest Of the two robbers ana the rocov-
| cry of the plunder. In this circular II is
| stated the bandits piunderod tho express
/ car Of over $50 900 I'm gold.
A HOLD UP an oUANTICo.