The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-14
Union Pacific Mail Train Held
Up BY Two Men.
Rifle the q. S. Mail aud Get
Away.
First Time Mail Has Been Rob-
bed For Years.
ENGINEER GETS AWAY.
He Runs His Train to Ogden,
Utah.
Gives the Alarm and Officers
Are In Pursuit

San Francisco, Oct "A special
from Salt Lake City to a morning pa
per says:
The Union Pacific train due here at
3:15 O'Clock this "wednesday morn
ing was held up a short distance east
of Uintah, near the mouth of Weber
canyon and about eight miles east Of
Ogden. It is supposed that two men
did the work, but just how much booty
they got is not known.
The engineer, who left the train, ran
ahead to Uintah and telegraDhed in
the bare facts. He believes. however,
from the conversation of the men as
they went through the train that they
intended to blow up the express car
with dynamite. A train was made up
at Ogden and despatched to the scene
Of the robbery, and orders were given
to organize a posse and run the robbers
down
THE y. s. MAIL RIFLED.
Chicago, Oct. 1.-THE Union Pacific
fast mail train held up at Uintah, Utah,
this morning, was carrying the Chica-
go and other eastern mail from the
coast, due in Chicago tomorrow morn
ing. Superintendent Troy Of the rail-
way mail service was wired this morn
ing by the postal messengers on the
train that the postal cars were entered
by the bandits and all of the registered
mail thoroughly rified. The fast mail
carries the registered mail from the
coast, and as great proportion OF
such mail is correspondence between
banks, inclOsing exchanges and rc-
nittances and always a good proper
tiOn of cash, the loss is supposed by
Mr.. Troy to be of consequence.
This is the first time in many years
that the mail cars have been held up
said Mr.. Troy THE bandits in the past
have contented themselves with riai g
express boxes and have left the mail
cars alone, fearing the reIen1lessuEs SIS
with which the governments secret
! agents pursue mail robbers 1t was am
exceptionally bold act to attack the
fast mail of the Union Pacific railroad,
one of the largest in the country. The
government cannot AFFORD to leave uu-
found the men who did the act"
TWO MEN DID IF.
ogden, Utah Oct. 1.-THE train held
up near Uintah arrived here this morn
ing. No passengers were m0lested, the
| robbers conhning operations to the mail
and express cars The robbers, two in
number. boarded the train at Patter-
son, a small station in the heart of
Weber canon The robbers surprised
the engineer by suddenly appearing
from behind the tank and covering him
with a gun. They ordered the fireman
to cover his head with a cotton sack
which they handed him. The engineer
was ordered to stop the train and indi-
cate the express car, which he did
While the attention of the robbers
was distracted the engineer ran away
and escaped to Uintah. where superln-
tendent O'Neil was notified. Mean
while the baggage and express cars
were uncOupled by the robbers and run
ahead of the train a few hundred yards
and both cars broken open The rob
bers failed to open the safe in The ex-
press car. The railway officials say
that the booty secured was a few mail
bags the value of their contents being
unknown. A special train in charge OF
superintendent O'Neil may catch the
robbers, a the latter cannot get out of
the canon except by the eastern route,
and all station agents have been noti-
fed and are awaiting the appearance Of
the bandits.