Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14
IT SAVED HIS LIFE
The Book of Rules Did Malonev a
Good Turn
WHEN ROBBERS ATTACKED THE TRAIN
Some Lively Incidents Connected
With Western Railroads.
RUNNING BY STOP SIGNALS
Written for The Eve ming Star by Cy warman

Written for The Evening Star by Cy Warman.
Copyright, 1897, 10y jy warman)
When the Denver and Rio Grande rail-
read was extended through the black canyon
of the Gunnson, over Soldier summit and
across the Utah desert to the city of Salt
Lake, 1t opened a new and fruitful field
1or enterprising train robbers. 1t brought
business to the very door, so to speak, of
band of bandits who had been driven from
Purgatory range In Colorado and were now
living rather monotonous life in the
Wahsatch mountains in Utah. BY chang
ing their names and whiskers as often as
they changed their post office address, and
by receiving their mail anonymously, these
hunted criminals were able for a time to
keep clear Of the officers of the law, and to
make occasional sorties into the desert for
the purpose of tagging the midnight OK
press. This new and enterprising railroad
being the most direct route, enjoyed the
privilege of carrying the gold from the San
francisco mint to the treasurer at Wash
lngton or the subtreasury at New York,
and this fact was among the many things
known to the half-breed leader of the
Wahsatch band. These bandits were well
mounted. having the pick of the thousands
OF splendid horses that Craze in the broad
and beautiful plain that begins at Fruit
Nille anu tlluS dl oSCen. ne AlOrmOnS mad
organized and hunted the gang, but with
poor success When they We're in need of
meat the outlaws would ride into the val
ley, rope and slaughter a steer or sheep,
and long before daylight be sleeping in
their mountain caves again.
If they wanted something from q grocer
they would enter one of the quiet Mormon
villages, disguised as cowboys, or Indians,
play drunk, shoot up the town and in the
excitement help themselves and ride away,
While the people DeereQ after them only
too glad to let them go.
An Indian chief, who had been warrior
of some note in his time, offered, for a con-
siderable reward, to capture or kill the out
laws. With a dozen men, well mounted
this Indian started for the hills to hunt the
bandits. All the people of the valley gave
aid to the Indians, thinking perhaps that
whatever the result might be, the loss to
the church would be trifiing.
AT the last little town near the foot of
the range the red chief and his band were
given an ovation, with red liquor on the
side. Nothing can be worse for a COM
munity than the mixing of firewater, fire.
arms and Indians.
Ready Reception.
The outlaws heard of the coming of the
red sheriff, and arranged a reception for
him.
They had their hiding place in a narrow
canyon. that pinched out at the top So that
a horseman could ride so far and no
farther.
The trail to this canyon led over a sweep
of barren rock, so that 1t was difficult to
follow. But now, being anxious to have
the Indians find Them the bandits rode
down the canyon to the valley turned and
came back again, making a new, plain
trail. Then, carrying their horses end
other chattels out over the blind trail they
established themselves at a point above
the old camp and beyond where the canyon
walls came together
The Indians soon found the trail and
flushed with firewater, they gave chase
In few hours, and much sooner than
they expected, they came upon the old
camp, and before they could raise their
rifles the outlaws were pouring lead into
them from the crags above.
Three or four of the Indians fell at the
first fire, and what added to the horror
of the situation was that they were I'M
able to return the fire. so completely were
the outlaws hidden in the Jagged rock.
Panic stricken the Indians dashed down
the canyon, but the bandits continued to
shower the lead after them. The leader
and two more of his men fell in the re-
treat. ano that was the last time the In
dians of Utah undertook to arrest the BAN
dts
1t was shortly after this fight that the
railroad was opened, and the gang de-
teimined to enter upon the more romantic
business of train robbing.
The first two or three attempts made by
the Utah gang to hold up the midnight
express had resulted to their embarrass-
ment.~
Once the air had failed to work. and at
another time a desperate cowboy, who hap
pened to be among the passengers. disputed
the territory, and put the band to fight.
Another such water haul would bring
about the leaders Impeachment. and that
distinguished individual determined to re-
establish himself in the confidence and
esteem Of his companions.
Solitude, about as desolate spot as there
Is the American continent, was select-
ed as the proper place to rob the train.
There wss not a house at that station;
only solitary switch target at either end
of long and lonely side track. red cot
ton handkerchief soaked in bears oil was
set ablaze as the long train, with two en-
gines. came roaring down the desert. In
stead of swinging the torch steadily back
and forth across the track, the amateur
hagman allowed the light to bob about in
al awkward, unseemly manner that caused
the man on the leading locomotive to mis-
trust the token"
.On Brakes" ),
He blew his whistle long and loud end
ing with the two familiar ''toot-toots," In
answer to the signal and shut of. The
waiting robbers hastily put out the torch
as the trair came on, but instead of ap-
plying the air. which was his business. the
Leading engineer (sotto voce) sounded ''On
brakes" and opened up again. Before the
bewildered robbers could realize what had
happened, the train, the speed of which
had scarcely slackened, went laundering
by.
Just what had been avoided by the sa-
gacity of the daring engineer might have
remained a secret had not the baff1ed BAN
dts been so indiscreet as to send a shower
of bullets into the rear car of the flying
train.
1t is a dangerous thing TO run by a stop
signal but whatever succeeds is success
full. and the wisdom of the engineers ac-
ton was not questioned, SO far we
know, by any Of the railway officials. In
deed, the same trick has been worked more
than once since. 1t Was done very success
fully In the lone cut on the Lake Shore
read only year or two ago. but 1t Is not