Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-10-20
OVERLAND TRAIN ROBBED
Four Bags Of Gold Secured by the
Bandits.
Tho Train Was About Half an Hour ol
Sacramento--Two Men Armed with
winchesters Did the job
without any Trouble.

SACRAMENTO, Cal, Oct. 12.-Ths
last bound overland train was held NJ
by two men about six miles below Sac
ramento late last night The TRACK
walker was first robbed and forced to
flag the train. The robbers then COW
cred the engineer and fireman with
guns and compelled them to accompany
them TO the express car.
Messenger Page fred twice at the
robbers and came near losing his life
frem q shot fred In return. The engi|
neer and fireman called upon Page to
open the door, as the robbers were go
ing to shoot them II he did not. aud
also were preparing to blow up the car
with dynamite. Page complied with
their request in order to save
their lives, and the robbers looted
the car Of four bags of gold,
the amount OF which is not known.
They then cut the engine loose, boarded
IL and ran II toward the city a few
miles. The bandits then got of and
the engine was reversed and sent or a
wild run toward the train, but before
IL reached Its destination the steam had
run so low that the collision caused but
little damage. The robbers made good
their escape.
Engineer williams tells the story IS
follows: "We were running on time
and would have been in Sacramento In
about twenty-five minutes The train
ran Owe two torpedoes and / thrust
my head out Of the window
and noticed we were being
Jagged. Everything was properly
done. and l had no suspicion of
anything being wrong until the engine
stopped, when two men armed with
win chester rifles sprsng into the cab.
They told Fireman Lincoln and myself
TO dismount and go with them to the
express car. which they told US TO un-
couple. They accompanied us back TO
the engine and made us pull out about
three fourths Of q mile TO q point be-
tween two tresties.
while uncoupling the car the con-
ductor and brakeman got off tho train
and the robbers shot At them. After
stopping the engine between the
t~restles the men made us go back with
them again TO the express car. They
called to the messenger to open the
door or they would kin the
fireman and myself. knew
the robbers were determined
and pleaded with the messenger to
open the door. The robbers told him
that they would not hurt him il he did
and no opened it. They orderedus TO
GO into the car, n of them following
after us. The messenger gave up the
keys to the boxes and the robbers
opened them, taking out four sacks Of
gold, one of them being SO heavy that
one man couldn't lift IL.
They then ordered us ahead of them
to help carry the sacks of money, and
we walked back to the engine, the rob
bers constantly punching us in the
backs with the muzzles of their guns.
When we got to the engine the robbers
jumped upon it, opened the throttle,
and h engine sprang away down the
track. After they arrived In tho
neighborhood Of Sacramento they
jumped of, reversed the lever and sent
the engine back over the track under a
full head Of steam The engine struck
the train, but did not do much dam
age"
Fireman l.. L. Lincoln, who got q
good view of the robbers, says that
there is no doubt Of their being men
who thoroughly understand railroad
ing. THE signal used in stopping us
complied with the required form. l
think should know either Of the men.
When the robbers ordered the express
messe.- ger to open the car, instead of
complying he fred two shots through
the door. nearly hitting the engineer
and myself. 1t was then that we asked
him to open up or the robbers would
kill u.s."
The backs Of Scott and Lincoln ara
covered with bruises caused by con.
slant proddings from the ends OF the
rifles held by the robbers.
The news of the robbery produced
the greatest excitement and the city
IL alive with men eager TO assist In the
search. Men are already securing the
country in every direction. 1t seems
almost impossible that the robbers
can escape as the descriptions fur
nished of them are good and they must
OF necessity be In or very close to this
city.