The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-04-14
BANDIT PLANS FAILED.
Bold Conspiracy to Hold Up the Wander
bilt Party.


SAN Francisco, April 6 George E.
Gard, late chief OF the Southern P@Cific
COmpany'S detec tive service came Up
from Los Angels last night, end gave
publicity to an interesting story. Ac-
cordiDg to Mr.. Gard, there was on foot
o conspiracy to hold Up the Vanderbilt
special tram and abduct Cornelius Van
derDIlt, and il has tralsDlred that the
officials OF the Southern Pacific Com
pany, who were informed ny NJ. Gard
before the Vanderbilt party reached Et
PasO, have betn taking all possible pre-
cautions to prevent the carrying out Ct
the plot.
"Sa0rfly before the Vanderbilt party
reached Fl PasO," SAID Mr Gard. Ire
celved e letter which detailed n some
degree the plans Of q gang OF extremists
Tor making money cut Of the kidnap
ping Of Cornelius Vanderbilt. AS to
my informant | do not think il ls nPce8
sary to say any more than that he IS IN
San Francisco. the letter was written
from here, and tie mel who were
working out the Elot, s. it was given to
US, we're making San Francisco their
base of operations. The letter went on
t. soy that the men had been C0nDiV-
ing for some time. but he'd not been
abie 10 agree on any plan for making
a maui until the announcement ep-
paarPd IN the papers that Vanderbilt
and - peY were OF their way IT, Cali
tornla. They Immediately picked Out
Vanderbilt for a Ginning mark, and
proceeded to l&y plans for a hoidup.
ACTfDN lie OF CONsPIRAT0R.
"Iy Informant was one Of the gang
and ii his letter to me ne said wruld
continued to act iutFe roleOt cOnspjra;Or
Gad keep ne informed Cf their move
mCnts and any further developments
IN their pl.ns. TIE letter was tue moss
startling epistle J ever received, but
/ wAs convinced Immediately OF its
genulneCGSs, for | kne y the person that
wrote IS rs we'll aa his history and as
soCjatiC@s. | l08G no time in going to
}. A Muir, superintendent OF the
southern Pac hc At LIS Angeles and
ilyI1g The whole case before hun. We
deemed the communication Of RUCn
starting importance we Immediate
II entered into Geographic cOmuunlca~
ton with the officials Of the general
CtlicO OF the Southern Pacific in this
city. Mr. Muir telegraphed the facts
contained in the letter, so that the eff
Gals in the general off 3e might have
RANAAtS VI III W LStAS I'LL pLECL+NLkOA-
aTy measures as the occasion de-
mGndCd
From what l could Judge by the
letter the con~spirators had at that time
perfected no plans further than to
agree among themselves to hold up the
Vanderbilt PpeCi8l tram at some point
III the San Joaquin Valley, and make
the best haul that was possible. If nc
money was 70 be had any other way,
Cornelius Vanderbilt was to be kid
mapped and every one else in the party
was to be killed # nee s3ary IN the &C
cOmplisnment of the end IL view.
TRAIN RAN n DAY TINE ONLY.
gust what steps were taken by the
railroad company TO prevent the hold
up after being warned by telegraph
from L)s Angelica, Ih&va not been fully
advised. 1t was suggested that q pilot
engine should be sent Il ahead OF the
special train, but IS far Is I know. this
was no5 done. TAe plotCers had laid
their plans t. hold up the train at some
c~0nVeEIenU point in the San Joaquin
Valley, and it, therefore, was unneCes-
sarY 10 fear shy violence below Bakers
lord. This side OF Bakersfield the
special train was run GLly during the
day time, and 1t IS baCejg possible that
this preCaution' upset the plans Of the
COnSpiratoEs.
AS every one who kept track of the
Fanderb,It party will remember, ire
visitors remained over night in their
train &t Bakersfield, after visiting
Santa Barbara, end came up through
the San Joaquin Valley by daylight
on Tuesday last. This, or some other
cause, upset tie plans e the robbers.
The train was not held up and CoTnel
JUS Vanderbilt was not abducted. [
an rather inclined to think that the
men who ~concocted the plot became
frighted into an abandon m 9nt of their
plans"
Detective Gard enjoyethe distinction
Of being probably as we'll acquainted
with train robbers, stage robbers, and
crooks of other stripes as any other
man In California, and the statement
that he knows the person who assisted
IN the conspiracy and then divulged
the plans of the ConapiratOrs to him
can hardly be doubted.
Neither Mr.. Vanderbilt, Mr.. Depew,
nor any of the members OF the visiting
parry were informed of the anticipated
hold up and left the city last evening
on their way East without learning
that they had been made the Objects Of
q conspiracy by q gang OF desperad0ts.
~
RACE WAR IN LOUISIANA
Two Negroes Killed, Seven Wounded