Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-02-05
DYNA@|TEO THE CAR
SOUTHERN PACIFIC PAssENGEu
TRAIN HELD UP IN OREGON.
Masked Men Tagged the Enxinee-.
Blew Up the EXPIRES. Compare
ment ana Faded Away.

Portland. Or. Jan. 29.-The north bound
overland train which left San Francisco
wednesday. due here this morning, was
heid up two miles west OF Roseburg. Or.
early this morning. AS soon as possible
Fireman Hendricks slipped out of the
engine, ran to Roseburg and gave the
alarm Aiming himself, he started back
to the scene Of the trouble. Superin-
tendent Fields Of the Southern Pacific
road, who was at Roseburg. took posse
OF armed men and an engine to the scene.
heavy explosion Of dynamite was dis
tinctiy heard at Roseburg. Fireman Hem
bricks stated that the train was first
nagged by highwaymen. the express car
looted and burned, and the safe blown
open. No one was hurt. The highway
men escaped.
Particulars i'm Detail.
San Francisco, JAM 29.-The following
particulars of the train robbery near
Roseburg. Or, were given out by the
Southern Pacific officials here: Train No.
Is. the north bound Oregon express, was
held up this morning at Shady Point, two
miles south Of Roseburg. by two or three
men. The express car was detached from
the train by robbers and the door blown
open with dynamite. Two small safes in
the car were blown open and looted The
express car then took fire. The conduc-
tor and trainmen worked hard to save
the car after the robbers had gone. but
the car and contents were destroyed The
train was on time at Shady Point, where
Engineer Morris saw a man at the side
track waving a flag. He slowed up for
the signal. and as he brought the train
to stop man armed with two revolv-
ers came over the tender and covered
him.
At the same time another armed man.
the one who had tagged, appeared at
the side Of the cab, and presenting a re-
volver, ordered the engineer not to at
tempt to move the train, but come down
at once and go with them to the express
car. The fireman meantime had got down
on the other side. Two robbers and the
engineer then went to the express car
where the robbers ordered the express
messenger to open the door. This the
messenger refused to do. The robbers
then uncoupled the express car. Meantime
the express messenger seized the oppor-
tunity to step out of the car. The rob-
bers returned to the express car, and
with a heavy charge of dynamite blew
the door open. Entering the car, they
attacked two small safes, which they sue
ceeded In entering. The messenger
thought the robbers did not succeed in
getting into the big safe. and consequent
ly could not secure much money. The
mail car was also visited by the robbers
and registered letters taken. The explo-
sions set fire to the express car. The
train crew worked like Trojans. but were
unable to save 1t. The passengers were
considerably shaken up and frightened.
but no one injured. An imperfect de-
scription of one robber was secured.
Mail Clerks story.
Portland. Or, Jan. 29.-The Southern
Pacific train which was held up this
morning near Roseburg arrived this af-
ternoon. Charles Piper. the postal clerk
in charge of the mail car, said:
Two men did all the work of holding
up the train. but 1 think there were five
in the gang. They exploded two dyna-
mite bombs in the express car and half
a dozen on the outside. When the ex-
press car took fire realized that my car,
which was next to the express, was in
danger. One of the robbers drew his re-
volver on me while he went through the
mail. 1 do not believe he took anything
of value. The express car was soon
mass of flames, and 1 set about to save
my car If possible by carrying water from
a stream near at hand. The entire mail
car was mailed out, but only a little dam
aged"
The postoffice officials have a dispatch
concerning the Roseburg robbery stat
ing the registered mail for Seattle, Port
land and Astoria had been taken. Postal
Inspectors Thrall and Munro left this
evening for the scene of the robbery. and
will thoroughly investigate the case