Arizona republican., 1897-12-11
STEMS PASS FLUKE
The Cowboy Bandits Made a
 Bungle Of the Affair
NOT THE BLACKJACK GANG
A Lot of Cow PuncherS From
 tho San Simon Ranges
story of the Battle by the Bonfire Told by Passengers on the Train Who Reached Phoenix Yester- day Morning.

Deming, N M, Dec. 10.-An attempt to rob the westbound Southern Pacific passenger train at Sltein's Pass, ninety miles west cf this place, at g o'clock last night, was foiIed by the prompi action of armed guards in the ex- press car, who succeeded in killing one of the hold-ups. Four men rode up to the station short time before the train was due and after robbing Agent St. John and Section Foreman MoMul- len, they cut the telegraph wires and waited fer the train. When the pas sengsr train pulled into the station one of the bandits covered the en- gineer and fireman with a Winchester rifle, while the others prepared to at tack the express car.
 Express Guards Thatcher and Jem nings, who were on board the car, at once opened fire and the leader of the robbers fell with bullet in his brain. His companions mounted their horses and rode away. The body of the dead robber was placed on the train, which proceeded to Tucson. The name of the dead robber has been ascertained to be Sandy Collins, who has until re- gently been employed as a cowboy in the San Simon valley ranges in eastern Arizona, and his companions instead of being the Black Jack" gang, as originally supposed, are now known to have been a band of cowboys organized for the purpose of the robbery which was attempted. A United States mar shal and posse were in the immediat; vicinity of Stein's Pass yesterday pur- suing the Black Jack gang and they were at once notified and started in pursuit.. The chances of the capture of the remaining three robbers is therefore good. But little money was secured from the station agent and sec tiOn foreman.
 The original Black Jack gang is still thought to be in hiding in their re- treat in the Sierra Madres in Old Mexico. The railroad company has been expecting trouble and had been employing extra guards for some time past.
 A LOCAL STORY. Little of additional interest has been learned of the attempted South ern Pacific hold-up near Stein's Pass on Thursday night, of which The Re publican contained an account yes TIuyn sengers who were on the train came in yesterday. Their accounts are vary ing as to details.
 The express car of the westbound No. 20 is supposed to have bee1 carry 1 ing large amount of treasure be- sides lot of silver taken on at Ell Paso. AS the train approached the station at Steim's Pass 1t was sig naled and came to a stop. Three men boarded the engine, two others pass ing along the express ear discharging shots. The engineer, acting u-der in- structions from the robbers, began tC, cut the train in two back of the ex press car. Having unfastened one Of
 
 cab, the robbers not knowing that the work was only half finished. The e . glneer was ordered to go ahead and did so, pulling the whole train. Af CT running about three miles the train was ordered stopped beside a big ben fire along the track, so that it lighted up the outside of the express car Then the robbsrs began getting box of dynamite ready for operations on the express car, which was dark with h. It contained, however, two detectives, one of whom was Detective Jennings The robbers, began firing at the car, foolishly standing in the glare of the bonfire
 express car was pushed back, a flame burst out of the darkness of the car and a robber fell dead Another standing in the light fell wounded inn mediately after. He called to his companions that the game was up and they ceased firing. They ran past him, picked him up and carried him out into the darkness. The dead rob Der and the box of dynamite were taken aboard and the train proceeded, having been detained for more than an hour. From a letter found in a pocket of the dead robber addressed to his mother it was learned that his name was Ed Cullen and that he for merly worked at Bisbee. Posses are in pursuit of the rest of the band, who are believed to be part of the Black Jack gang. That, however, is pure conjecture. While the fight was going on at the bonfire the limited wsstbound pulled up at Stein's Pass.