Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-03
DYNAMITE ON THETRACK
Train Robbers In Oregon Do the
 Job Up Thoroughly.
THE PASSENGERS WERE HELD UP.
A Cheerful Fusillade of Dynamite ExpIo- sions Kept Up as the Robbers Made Their Way Through the Cars-Express and Mail Cars Robbed.

sions Kept Up as the Robbers Made Their
 Way Through the Cars-Express and
 Mail Cars Robbed.
 GRANTS PASS, Or, July 3.-Three ban dits stopped and plundered the north bound Southern Pacific overland train last night near Riddles, about 30 miles south of Roseburg. Sticks of dynamite were placed on the rails and brought the engine to standstill. Every car was searched. Regis tered sacks of mail were rified and the passengers robbed
 The train was held up at the north end of a canyon just south of Riddles station. When the dynamite explosion brought the train to q standstill, Conductor T. J: Kcarney, who was ill charge of the train; ran out, but was met by one of the ban dits who fired at him with pistol, the bullet grazing the conductors head.
 The bandit then ordered the conductor to get inside and stay thcre-an order which he was not slow in obcying, hiding himself in Pullman closet, from which he saw one man patrolling the bank which overlooked the train. Another ban dit made Engineer Waffle and Fireman Gray get off the engine and go to the ex- press car and order it opened.
 Express Messenger Donohue had taken out his way treasure at the first alarm and locked his box. This he rcOpcned at tho order of the robbers. The robbers then or derrd the engineer, fireman and express man to enter the mail car. Postal Clerk Herman gave up all the registered pouch es, which the robbers ordered cut open.
 He then ordered the railroad employees to go to the passenger coaches and assist him in relieving the passengers of their Valuables. They passed all who had the appearance of Workingmcn, but made the others hold up their hands while they went through their pockets, the robbers leaning over them with their pistols. The sheriff of Klamath county was on board with prisoner. The robbers appropriated the shcritf's pistol. None of the ladies in the car was mOleStCd.
 During the time the train was hcld-an hour and 4o minutCS-the robbers outside kept firing sticks of dynamite to intimi- date the passengers. After the chief rob Der had secured his booty he ordered tho engineer to proceed north.
 He then shot out the headlight, fired five additional shots as signal to his companions and disappeared in the dark ness.
 F. Plotner. a Western Union lincman who was on the train, had $50 or $60 in his pocket but he talked the robber out of searching him. He describes the robber
 
 man about six feet tall. He wore a white silk handkerchief as n mask, blue over allS and jumper. He had a large bag slung over his shoulder and carried a com mon grain sack in his hand. His hands were rough and cracked. He had deep, coarse voice, which could be easily recog- ni2Cd if again heard It was too dark to sec the other robbers. The engine was so badly disabled that it took three hours to reach Riddles, four miles distant,
 Some HumOrs of the Holdup.
 It is estimated that the robbers secured from S2 900 to S4, 900 altogether One passenger ill the Pullman gave up $4OO. Others contributed in amounts ranging from $50 to 800. As soon as the cause of stoppage of the train was known the pas sCngers began hiding money and valua- blcs, throwing them under seats, in hat racks and stutfing boots and shoes, many nftcrward digging it up and giving it away at the robbers request.
 A bridal couple in the day coach were the first passengers held up. All their money was taken. Both sat with hands up for an hour after the robbers left the car.
 R. k. smith, special agent of the Phoe- nix of Hartford Insurance company, with two friends, was in the Pullman smoking 4ONllI NllNIl lIl'N tIlc DOIlD. They looked out the window and were told by the robbers with many oaths to pull their heads inside, whcrcupon they piled over each other i'll the middle of tho room to get away from shots. They told the Pullman conductor the train was held up. Soon aftcrward they ran to their bcrths and rolled in. After a long sus- pCnsc a robbcr, with the engineer, fireman, express messenger, porter and tramp, came along and told them to dig up. The robbcr asked the porter at every berth, ''Iady or gentleman"
 Lower bcrths only were inspected. La- dies were not disturbed. X Bcrklcy stu dent, sound asleep in the Pullman, knew nothing of the holdup until punched in the ribs with a pistol and told to dig up. He gave up everything, including gold watch. The rnhbcr laughed and talked with the passengers while taking their valuableS.
 The Express Messengers Story. J. NJ. Donohue, messenger for Wells Fargo, told the following story: | As soon as I heard the explosion and | felt tho train slow up knew that a rob- bcry had occurred. The leader of the gang | took the engineer and fireman, and com I ing up to the express car ordered me to | open the door, I refused and took the money packages in the express box and | hid them under a box of goods. The rob- bcrs finally threatened to blow me to 1 pieces, when the fireman asked me to open the door. I did so, and the fellow jumped in and told mo to throw up my hands, at the same time pointing revolver at mo- l Then he told the engineer and fireman to come inside, which they did. He made me open the local express box. F.
 ''When the fellow saw there was nothing inside, he was disgustcd. He then threat l cncd to shoot mo if I did not open tho | safe.
 "Thcn explained to him that could not open it and showed him why He proceeded to the mail car, where he secur- ed at least $1,000 from the registered mail"
 | Nelson Bennett, proprietor of the Taco I ma Ledger and one of the wealthiest men | in the northwest, was among the passcn- | gers.
 "I got off rather lucky" said MT. Ben | nett. They came through our car, and the man who was carrying the sack ap- preached me and sized me up pretty thor. oughly. I saw I would have to begin to hunt up my spare change. I felt in my pockets for silver and pulled out few dollars. The robber was in hurry, and he seemed to think I would have hard game to satisfy him because he said: Well, you Ire a poor devil. Here's $2 for you to cat on awhile. I'll keep the rest. Then he passed on, and despite the excite. ment some of the passengers had the laugh | on me-
 A detailed statement of the losses of the | passengers shows that the personal losses aggregated $32O. The losses include two gold watches and n revolver. l A poaaa Sent Out | PORTLAND, Or, July 3. - Immediately upon the receipt here of the news of tho train robbery the Southern Pacific sent three detectives to the scene. These, with 1 the nosSe. that went out from RoSehurr