The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1895-07-11
DYNAMITE USED BY BANDITS
To Stop a Train on the Southern Pacific
Railroad.

train, north-bound, was stopped
lastnight at 10:l5 o'clock BY three
highwaymen, near Riddles, about
thirty miles south of Roseburg,
and robbed.
Sticks Of dynamite were placed
on the rails, which disabled the en-
CINE by blowing the flanges off the
pony trucks and brought the train
to q stop. Taking the fireman,
two of the highwayrnen proceeded
to go through the train, and every
car from the express car to the
rear Pullman, was searched. Moth
ing was obtained from the express
car, for there was no treasure on
board.
In the mail car better success
was met, and the Portland, Taco
ma, Seattelle and Victoria B. C.
registered sacks were rifed. The
passengers were also searched pref
ty thoroughly, but with what sue
cess is not known.
When the dynamite explosion
brought the train to a standstill,
conductor Kearney, who was in
charge of the train, ran out, but
was met by one Of the bandits who
fired at him with a pistol, the bull
let grazing the conductors head.
The bandit then ordered the con-
ductor to get inside and stay there,
an order which he was not slow IN
obeying, hiding himself in a Pull
man closet, from which he saw one
man patrolling the bank which
overlooked the train.
Another bandit made engineer
Waite land fireman Gray get off
the engine and go to the express
car and order it opened. Express
man Donohue had taken out his
way treasure at the first alarm and
relocked his box. This he reopen
ed at the order of the robber. The
robber then ordered the engineer,
fireman and express messenger to
enter the mail car. Postal clerk
Herman gave up all the registered
pouches, which the rObber ordered
the men to cut open. He then or
dered the railroad employees to go
to the passenger coaches and assist
in relieving the passengers of their
valuables. They passed all who
had the appearance of working
men, but made the others hold up
their hands while they searched
their pockets, the robber standing
over them with pistol.
The sheriff of Klamath county
was on board with a prisoner. The
robber appropriated the sheriff's
pistol. None of the women in the
car were molested. During the
time the train was held, which was
an hour and forty-five minutes,
the robbers outside kept firing
sticks Of dynamite to intimidate
the passengers. After the chief
robber had secured his booty, he
ordered the engineer to proceed
north. He then shot out the head
light, and firing five additional
shots as a signal to his compan-
ions, disappeared i'll the darkness.
F. Plohr, Western Union line
man, who was on the train, had
$50 or $50 in his pocket, but he
talked the robber out of searching
him. He describes the robber
who went through the car as a
slender man about six feet tall.
He had large bag slung over his
shoulder, and carried n common
grain sack in his hand. His hands
were rough and cracked. He had
a deep coarse voice which could
be easily recognized if heard again.
1t was too dark to see the other
robbers. The engine was so badly
disabled that it took three hours
to reach Riddles, A miles distant.
Supt. Fields, of the Southern Pa
cific, lost no time, and in an hour
after learning Of the hold-up had
two parties on the way to the scene
of the robbery. 4 posse of Off
GERS was hastily made up ID Rose
burg and started at once, and an
other of rough-and-ready mount
aineers started from here. Every
effort will be made TO capture the
robbers. The men Of the party
starting from here are thoroughly
familiar with every foot Of thf