The morning call., 1894-10-13
TRACING BANDITS.
Pursuit of the Daring
Thieves.
OFF WITH THEIR PLUMBER,
Fifty-three Thousand Dollars the
Amonnt Taken.
THE DETAILS OF THE HOLD.UP.
)FF WITH THEIR PLUMBER.
THE DETAILS OF THE HoLD.Up.
Although Heavy Rewards Are
Offered, the Two Train-Robbers
Are Still at Liberty.

SACRAMENTO, Oct 12.-Officers are still
on the trail of the two daring robbers who
held up the eastbound overland express
six miles west of this city last night.
There is still considerable guessing here as
to the exact sum in the four sacks of coin
taken from the express-car. The robbers
we're cool hands. and it is said that they
are ex-railroad men.
That they were men of nerve is shown
by the manner in which they compelled
Track-walker Kelly to stop the train and
subsequently Engineer Scott and Fireman
Lincoln to assist in entering the express
car and removing the four sacks of coin to
the engine.
Messenger Paige, who surrendered after
firing shot at the robbers and being sh OF
at twice in consequence. was forced to
open the treasure safe. There were four
bags of coin, and the bandits obliged the
engineer, fireman and messenger to carry
them back to the cab of the engine. When
Scott complained of the weight of his bur-
den the robbers poked him in the back
with the muZzles of their rifles. Lincoln
received similar treatment, and now both
the engineer and fireman complain of very
sore backs.
After the sacks of treasure had been
placed in the cab, the robbers uncoupled
the engine from the mailcar, went into the
cab. and with the remark, "WeIl take
care Of this engine" pulled out in the di-
rection of Sacramento. leaving the engi-
neer, fireman and messenger standing on
the track alongside the mail and express
cars, with three-Quarters of mile of open
trestle separating them from the rest of
the train.
After waiting long enough for the engine
to have reached Washington, Engineer
Scott. Fireman Lincoln and Messenger
Paige walked up the track toward this city
for the purpose of giving the alarm. They
had gone about a mile when they heard the
"chuck! chuck!" of an engine approach
ing.
''SOme one is coming to our aid from
Sacramento" remarked one of the party.
''No; by -" said Scott, "that's the
noise of runaway engine. No engineer
| would drive like that"
They looked up the track in the direction
Of Sacramento, and saw a dark object
coming along. 1t was the engine whose
headlight had been extinguished by the
robbers, and it was alone on its way to
| wreck the mail and express cars that were
standing just east of the trestle. Luckily
steam had gone down aud the engine was
going at the rate only of seven or eight
miles an hour when it struck the mailcar.
smashing its platform and the tender of
the engine.
Transfer Agent G. Harlan was one of
those brought on to this city from the
stalled train. According to Mr.. Harlan's
story, the first thing the robbers did
toward their bold deed was to hold up the
track walker and cause him to deliver all
he had in his pockets, So o.. Then they
went to shed near by and took out his
velocipede and handcar. They broke the
wheel off so as to render it useless, and
then threw it far away into a ditch, thus
doing away with one agency for the carry
ing of news or the work they had planned.
They then placed some old ties on the
track and set lantern in the center of the
obstruction. AS the train approached it
struck couple of torpedoes the robbers
had affixed TO the rails, and needing this
signal and seeing the obstruction ahead,
the engineer stopped the train.
81 was in one of the Pullman cars at the
time," said tue transfer agent, land going
out to the platform l poked my head out
| 10 see what was the trouble, when two