The Springfield herald., 1897-11-12
A TRAIN ROBBERY.
SANTA FE ls THE SUFFERER
Safe Blown Open at Point Near Grant,
New Mexico. by IA Party Thought to BE
Black Jacks Gang.

Albuquerque, n. NJ, Nov. The No
passenger train of the Santa Fe Pa
cific, which was held up at Grants
station last night, reached this city al
IL 80 o'clock this morning. Conductor
Aldrich states that Just aS the train
came to n halt mt Grants, II fusilade of
shots rang out in the air. and as far
as he could see several men boarded
the train, one on the engine. He and
the engineer, ii. ID. McCarty. We're oh
the platform. but ran and caught the
train rs II was moving out, the fire
man, Henry Abel. being compelled at
the point of cooked revolver to pull
the train up at the stock yards, about
two miles distant. The conductor, full
ly realizing that something was wrong,
left the train at the stock yards. where
the robbers had ordered the train
stopped, and ran back to the station,
telegraphing the news to Division Su-
perintendent Hubbard at Gallup and
Sheriff Hubbell.
In the meantime, however, the rob
bers. who wore false boards and We're
unmasked. cut the mail coach. day and
chair coaches and the Pullman sleeper
from the engine and express car, and
the fireman was again ordered to pull
the latter further up the road. They
commenced dynnmiting the express car,
and the third explosion blew out one
end of the car. Abel being forced TO as
sist the robbers. Once inside they
picked out n safe, which they surmised
contained considerable money and val
uables. and placed on it stick of dy-
Mantle, n few Jumps of coal on the
dynamite, and then attached fuse,
which they lit, and blew hole in the
safe. They helped themselves TO "A
number of packages containing gold
and silver coin. which they placed in
sack, and then left the car, going in
the direction of the Malpoi rocks.
where their horses We're picketed. The
express car was on fire. and Abel.
thoroughly frightened, and after seeing
the robbers AT safe distance, backed
the engine and express car into the
other portion of the train left standing
nj the stock yards, and in consequence
the express ear. day coach and chair
car We're telescoped and all three de-
stroyed by fire.
Express Route Agents Bay and Tice
who went out TO the scene last night
returned this morning. and they state
that the robbers did not get into the
most valuable safe, which, with two
Others, We're badly warped and dam
aged by fire. They think. however,
that the robbers secured several hun
drcd dollars. bur the exact amount will
not he known for some time, as all the
papers and records of the car and safe
were burned in the fire. The baggage
was all removed before the fire got un-
der headway and saved, and the pas
sengers. some of whom were badly
frightened. We're moi disturbed
The robbers are thought to be several
desperate cowboys who are familiar
with that section of the road A posse
of officers is still in pursuit.
Santa Fc. y. NJ. Nov. Tinted
States Marshal Foraker left tonight
for the scene of last nights train rob
berry on the Santa Fe x Pacific road
Immediately upon being apprised of
the robbery he wired the attorney gen
eral. requesting authority to place five
picked men on the trail of the robbers.
but had received no response up to the
time of his departure
Marshal Foraker says the robbery
was undoubtedly the work of the Black
Jack gang. who last week returned TO
Arizona from the Sierra Madre noun
tains in Mexico. and who were heard
of n few days ago at Solomonvillc. on
the New MeXico-Arizonn line There
are eight men in the band.