The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-20
SOUTHERN PACIFIC WEST BOUND
HELD UP A MILE WEST
OF LOZIER.
BOOTY AMOUNTED 70. ABOUT $4,000
The Work Was Done by Three
Masked Men, Experts I'm Their
Line-They Held the Train
Over an Hour.


The west bound Southern Pacific train,
No 20, was held up and robbed by three
masked men between and 3 O'Clock this
morning about one mile west of Lozier,
n station about $50 miles west Of San
Antonio. The place selected for the rob-
berry is an ideal one for hold-up.
The daring and skill Of the robbers
have not been exceeded in the history of
modern railroad robberies. The methods
were bold, unique and above all. success
'fnl. That the robbers understood their
business IN shown by the fact that they
succeeded in opening two iron safes of
the Wells Fargo Express company, one
through safe to California and the
other n local safe The contents of both
safes were secured. The amount Of
money secured can not be positively
stated, us the express company officials
il learned that the amount will not fall
below $4,000, and may be more.
As the west bound train pulled out of
Lozier this morning at LOO o'clock the
conductor saw three men run out from
behind the depot building and crawl up
on the engine. When the train was about
n mile west Of town, the three men
crawled over the tender and at the point
Of pistols compelled the engineer to bring
the train TO a stop at wild and noun
famous spot. The fireman and engineer
were ordered to get down out of the en-
..,.t Ill. r.
help the robbers to open the door of the
express car, while one of the robbers kept
up fusillade Of shots along the sides of
the passenger coaches to intimidate the
passengers. The door of the express
car was finally opened and one of the
robbers climbed into the car and dyna-
United the safe. The through safe was
difficult TO open and three attempts were
necessary to effect an entrance, but it
finally gave way and the robbers secured
all Of its contents, amounting to some
$1,000 or $4,000 in money and valuables
The local safe was blown open with one
charge of dynamite and about $4,000 in |
money secured. The explosion Of the |
dynamite completely wrecked the express
car, the top being blown off and the sides
and floor shattered The mail matter
was not molested, but was considerably
damaged by the explosion.
After dumping the contents Of the two
safes INTO three bags, the robbers ordered
the engineer fireman and messenger TO
get onto the engine and the engineer was
Inc a., han hn tpni ont
of bullet range of the robbers who then
mounted their horses, which had been
tied near by, and rode away towards
the north
The train was stopped Mt 1902 o'clock
and was in the custody of the robbers
one hour and twenty-three minutes The
robbers cut the telegraph wires so that
no alarm could be given until the train
reached the next station, and then only
in one direction. The United States mar
shal and his posse left here early this
morning for the scene of the robbery and
the Texas rangers under command of
Capt. Hughes have also gone in pursuit.
Vhe robbery was not wholly unexpect-
ed, as the United States officers and the
railroad officials have been on the lookout
for the robbers for some time. About
six weeks ago the officers received word
that gang of train robbers had left
New Mexico for Texas for the purpose of
robbing Southern Pacific train. The
robbers came around through Old Mexico
and one of them was seen in this city
about ten days ago. An informer kept
she officers here posted on the movements
and plans of the robbers, up to about a
week ago, since which time the officers
have not heard anything from the in
former and it is feared the robbers dis
covered his treachery to them and have
killed him. The officers claim to know
the names and all about who the rob
bers are and are confident of apprehend-
ing them in short time. 1t is believed
they are working their way back to New
Mexico.