The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-12
Driver of an Express Wagon Held Up
by Two Bandits Who wanted a
Ride, and the Pouches Rined.
$4,000 OR MORE STOLEN
THE ROBBERS NOT CAUGHT UP TO A
LATE -FOUR LAST NIGHT.
Two Desperadoes Killed by Deputy
United States MarshaIs in n Des-
perate Fight in Oklahoma.

CRIPPLE CREEK, Col, April S.-The
mail and express wagon which connects
with the Midlard Terminal railroad at
Grassy, was boarded this morning about
two miles from this city by two men, who
overpowered the driver, Robert Smith, Sc
cured an express package containing $4,000
and escaped on horseback.
The hold-up took place about 330 o'clock
on the summit of Tenderfoot hill, on the
highway between Cripple Creek and Gras-
sy, a station on the Midland Terminal rail-
road. The mail and express wagon, drawn
by horses driven by messenger Robert
Smith, was en- route from Grassy to Cripple
Creek with the mails and express matter
received at Grassy on the morning train
from Denver and Colorado Springs. Two
men sitting beside the road accosted Smith,
asking for a ride. He drew UP his team,
and one of the men climbed up to the seat
beside him while the other mounted the
wagon behind. AS soon as Smith started to
drive on the man behind struck him on the
head several times with revolver. The
blow staggered but did not stun him. The
man on the seat with him also drew re-
volver, and, levelng it at him, commanded
him to get down, walk to the heads of the
horses and hold their brides, He complied,
and, while he was covered with their guns,
they ripped open and riaed the mail and
express pouches. After securing $4,000,
which was being shipped to the Cripple
Creek national banks, and several other
valuable packages, they unhitched the two
lead horses, mounted them and rode off
rapidly into the mountains. Smith, who
was very weak and bleeding profusely,
drove into the city as quickly as possible.
When he drew up in front of the Wells
Fargo express office he tainted and fell
from his seat. Smith was revived in a few
minutes and related what had befallen him.
Within twenty minutes from the time the
robbery was committed Deputy Sherins
Sterling and Jackson and two hundred men
started to Scour the hills in search of the
robbers. A message was sent to Canon
City for a bloodhound to be put on the trail
of the robbers. The latter were traced to
the divide road north of town, near Rhyo-
they crossed over Cow mountain and, near
Gillette, they discarded the horses which
they had stolen Iney & resumed a sner lgn5 n
the timber, and drove away, after turning
the stolen horses loose and starting them
men left the regular Cripple Creek and di-
vide road about six fatles north or town
and headed toward Asts4slIEra. AS soon as
their course was determined word was sent
to this place, and a posse of fifty heavily
armed men cut across the country. ON
horseback toward High Park, where they
hoped to intercept the robbers, as it was
believed here they were heading for either
Alhambra or the Arkansas Valiey. over
five hundred men from this place were soon
securing the country, among the volunteers
being men who know every inch of the
ground for miles around.
This was payday at the mines, and the
stolen money package was a consignment
to the Bimetallic Bank, of this city. to be
used in paying miners. 1t had been shipped
from Denver by the Weils-Fargo Express
Company. Another package containing $3.50
is missing
Driver Robert Smith has three bad scalp
wounds, and is very weak from loss of
blood He was not able to give q good de-
scription of the robbers. but they were seen
ALONGSIDE the road shortly before the rob-
berry by Ed Hull, of the Grand Transfer,
who described them as follows: One was
about five feet eight inches in height,
weighing about 155 pounds, and wore a dark
derby hat and dark brown overcoat. He
had a dark nlustache. closely clipped. The
other was about five feet and six inches in
height weighing about 145 pounds, with
brown mustache, and wore blue overalls and
white soft hat.