The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-01
COULDN'T CARRY It.
Robbers of the Southern Pacific
Express Car,
Found More Money Than They
Could Get Away With.
BAGS OF GOLD LEFT.
It Took Two Hours to Blow
Open the Safe.

PHOENIX, Ariz., Feb. IA South.
ern Pacific westbound train was held
up six miles this side of Wilcox last
night at s:35 o'clock by a party of
masked men.
The bandits separated the express
car from the train, hauled it five
miles west and, putting six shots of
dynamite on the through safe, blew
it wide open. 1t contained $40, 900 in
Mexican silver, which was removed.
Additional particulars of the rob-
berry received show that five men
were concerned in it. Two of the
bandits boarded the train at Wilcox,
and when two miles west of the town
suddenly appeared in the cab of the
engine with drawn pistols, compell-
ing the engineer to stop the train.
While one of the robbers kept him
covered, the other made the fireman
and brakeman cut the express and
mail cars loose from the rest of the
train. The engineer was then made
to pull the two detached cars on for
about five miles to a culvert, where
two of the bandit gang were found
holding horses for the entire party.
It was here that the safe was blown
open the men with the horses hav-
ing brought the explosives.
Six explosions were effected by the
robbers before they felt satisfied with
their work. The top and sides of the
express car were thoroughly shat
tered and the express company's safe
was blown to pieces.
Besides the $4,000 in Mexican
money, there was good deal of coin
on the train which had been sent to
pay the railroad employees along the
line, and this was also carried off by
the robbers, who rode away in a
southerly direction. Grant Wheeler,
a we'll known Arizona desperate,
who is believed to be the fifth men,
Der of the bandits party, purchased
quantity of giant powder in Wilcox
on the day preceding the robbery.
The Southern Pacific company and
Wells-Fargo Express company offer
Joint reward of $500 for each of the
robbers.
After compelling the engineer to
uncouple the engine, baggage and
express cars from the remainder of
the train and run five miles further
up the road to a desolate spot, the
robbers forced the engineer and fire.
man to leave the train and take to the
plains on peril of their lives. Ex-
press Messenger Mitchell, who had a
similar experience near Maricopa, a
few months ago, made his escape
with all the money in the local safe
and saved several thousand dollars.
The robbers spent over two hours in
blowing open the large safe, which
is closed before leaving Ell Paso and
is not opened until San Francisco is
reached.
The robbers left several bags of
gold and silver in and about the car,
not caring to take it on account of its
weight All are thought to have es-
capped to Mexico. The passengers on
the train were greatly terrified for
several hours. The loss is said to be
between $50, 900 and S75, 600
Four posses, including the sheriff,
the Wells Fargo and Southern Pacific
detectives. are in pursuit of the BAN
dts, who are believed to be Joe
George, who came into Arizona from
Oklahoma about a year ago; Jim
Yates, Grant Wheeler, TAYLOR first
name unknown) and John Woods.
The trail of the robbers is marked
by profuse scatteringin the Sulphur
Springs valley of the Mexican dollars.