The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-30
SOUTHERN PACIFIC OVERLAND In
THE HANDS OF DESPERATE
TRAIN ROBBERS.
EXPRESS CAR DESTROYED.
THOUGH LITTLE BOOTY WAS
SECURED.
REGISTERED MAIL MATTER GONE.
Early Alarm Given by the Fireman,
Who Made His Escape During
the Trouble.

PORTLAND, Ore, Jan. 29.-The
Southern Pacific overland train from
San Francisco, which was held up and
robbed near Roseburg, Ore, early this
morning, arrived here tonight. Charles
Piper, the postal clerk in charge of
the mail car, said: 1.-TWO men did all
the work Of holding up the train, but
L think there were five in the gang.
They exploded two dynamite bombs in
the express car and half a dozen on
the outside. When the express car took
fire, I realized that my car, which was
next to the express, was in danger.
One Of the robbers drew his revolver
on me while he went through the mail.
/ don't believe he took any thing Of
value. The express car was soon
mass Of flames, and I set about to save
my car if possible by carrying water
from a pond near at hand. The entire
end Of the mail car was burned out,
but only a small part Of the mail was
damaged
AS soon as possible after the hold-up
began Fireman Hendricks, of the train
crew. slipped out of the engine and
ran on to Roseburg and gave the alarm.
Aiming himself quickly, he started
OOCh " IIS SCSIS VI lIIS IIOuU10. OupL.
Fields, Of the Southern Pacific road,
who was at Roseburg, quickly took a
posse of a dozen armed men and an
engine and started for the scene. Heavy
explosions Of dynamite or powder were
distinctly heard at Roseburg. During
the progress of the hold-up the light
of either a fire or a torch was seen.
Fireman Hendricks stated that the
train was first tagged by the highway
men. The express car was then looted
and burned and the safe blown open.
No one was hurt, and the highwaymen
succeeded in making their escape.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Jan. 29.-The
postoffice authorities here have received
a brief dispatch from the postmaster at
Roseburg, stating that the registered
mail for Seattle, Portland and Astoria
was taken. Postal Inspectors Thrall
and Munro left this evening for the
scene of the robbery and will thor
oughly investigate the case.
The following particulars of the rob-
berry were given out by Southern Pa
cific officials:
Train No. Is, no;+thbolnd, Oregon ex-
press, was held up this morning at
Shady Point, two miles south of Rose
burg, by two or three men. The ex-
press car was detached from the train
by the robbers, and the door blown
open with dynamite. Two small safes
in the car were then blow open and
looted. The express car then took fire
The conductor 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 Nor
ris saw a man at the side of the track
waving a flag. He slowed up for
the signal, and as he brought the train
to a stop, a man armed with two re-
volvers came over the back Of the ten
der and covered him. AT the same
time another armed man, the one who
had tagged the train, appeared at the
side of the cab, and pointing a revolver
ordered the engineer not to attempt
to move the train, but to come down
at once, and go with him to the express
car. The fireman in the meantime had
gotten down on the other side.
Two robbers and the engineer then
went to the express car where the rob-
bers ordered the messenger to open the
door. This he refused to do. The rob-
bers then uncoupled the express car
returned to the engine and backed the
train, leaving the express car separ-
ated Meantime the express messenger
had seized the opportunity to step out
of the car After breaking the train
in two, the robbers returned to the
express car and with heavy charges
Of dynamite blew the door open. En-
tering the can, attacked two small
safes which they succeeded In enter
ing. The messenger thought the rob-