The record-union., 1895-03-04
ROBBERY FRUSTRATED
The Overland Express Held Up
On Saturday Night.
Two Men In Linen Busters, and
Masked, Did the Business.
Failure to UncOuPIo the Express Car, and
tile Approach Of Another Train Com
PEELED Them to Abandon
The Job.

OI Iue peTpSLFdIOfS Oh WHICH no CleW has
been obtained, appears to have embold
oned the rascals engaged in that kind of
business, for again has the attempt been
made to rob train within few miles of
this city.
The eastbound overland train which
left here at 1890 o'clock Saturday night
was brought to standstill about three
miles out on the Rancho Del Paso, by two
would-be train-robbers4 wearing linen
busters and white masks.
The robbers are supposed to havo
boarded the mail car of the train while
it was pulling out of this city, for it was
from that car they crawled over to the
tender, and with their revolvers Ieveled
at Engineer A. L. Brown and Fireman
John Cole ordered them to stop the train.
The train was stopped at the junction OF
the wagon road and railroad track, near
Arcade Creek.
Cole was compelled to accompany the
robbers to where the combination ex-
press and baggage car was standing. and
Brown was admonished not to leave the
engine.
After the robbers took Cole to the bag
gage car they ordered him to uncouple it,
but on account of the "slack" in the train
not having been taken up he was unable
to do so.
The robbers became incensed at this,
and one of them struck the fireman over
the head with his revolver. Although
the blow was a severe one, Cole was not
seriously injured.
While Cole was trying to uncouple the
car the train-rObbers kept up fusillade
from their revolvers for the purpose of
intimidating the passengers.
In the meantime Engineer Brown got
off his engine and concealed himself by
lying down alongside the roadway.
The train had been stopped for some
time, when in the rear was seen head
light, and the rattle was heard Of the ap-
preaching Oregon train, which usually
leaves an hour behind the overland ex-
press, but on this occasion the latter had
left behind time.
Realizing that the train would soon be
upon them, the highwaymen concluded
it would be useless to further attempt to
uncouple the express car, so they broke
for the open prairie west of the railroad
track.
After they had gone Fireman Cole went
back to the engine, and Engineer Brown
got aboard, and the train proceeded to
Roseville junction, twenty miles nom
here, where word was telegraphed to Di-
vision superintendent J. Z. Wright OF
the hoid-up. The train was in charge of
Conductor J. p. IoIter.
superintendent Wright immediately
notified Railroad Detectives Ahern. Lee
and Naghel OF the occurrence, and they
left for the scene Immediately by special
train. Sheriff johnson and Deputies
Schwilk and Alter also went along. and
careful survey Of the locality was made.
Sheriff Conroy OF Auburn, Placer
County, was also notified by telegraph,
and he arrived on the westbound over
land train a, 80 o'clock
Sheriff Johnson found a white felt hat
where the train was stopped. and he
and Deputy SchwiIk discovered the
footprints OF two men, and followed
them in the direction of the city to the
long wagon bridge on the north side of
American River, distance OF between u
mile and a half and two miles, where
further efforts to follow the trail were
futile, on account of the dust and the
multitude Of footprints OF persons who
had travelled over the bridge during the
day.
Yesterday afternoon Sheriff Conroy of
Placer County and the railroad officers
went out again to the scene of the hold
up, but were unable to gain any further
clew to the robbers.
Wells, Fargo & Co.'S detective, James
j. Hume. arrived from San Fran
cisco yesterday afternoon and will direct
the work Of ferreting out the robbers.
The officers have obtained what they
believe to be clew to the men, and will
leave no stone unturned to land them in
Jail. The express and railroad officials
are of the opinion that the robbers are in
this city.
PROBABLY THE ROBBERS.
Yesterday afternoon Fred Gotobed of
the Haggin ranch informed Sheriff John
son by telephone that he had two men in
custody on suspicion of being the train
robbers.
Gotobed had discovered them in an old
outhouse. He asked them what they were
doing there, and one of them replied that
they were taking rest.
When Sheriff Johnson and Deputy
Schwilk arrived at the ranch the men
had disappeared.
Gotobed, after having talked to the
men, went to the telephone, some dis
tance away, to notify the Sheriff, and dur
ing his absence the men left the place.
There was report last night of two
euspects having been arrested in Colusa,