The San Francisco call., 1897-01-30
Fire Started by the Explosion
Protects the WelIS-Fargo
Company'S Safe.
BULLETS SPED TOWARD CREW
AND PASSENGERS.
Engineer Morris Slightly Wounded by
Flying Lead-But Little Loot
Secured,

ROSEBURG, Or, Jan. ,29.-The South
ern Pacific northbound Shasta express, of
which trusty Sam Veatch was conductor
and Richard Morris engineer, was tagged
two miles north of this city last night by
three masked highwaymen, who boarded
the engine, covered Engineer Morris and
Fireman Hendricks with revolvers and
assumed possession of the train.
As Morris showed trace of hesitation
in complying with the orders given him
by the highwaymen he was induced to
change his mind by bullet, which burned
the side OF his cheek and caused him to
reverse the lever without further formal
ity. Firemen Hendricks took in the sit
uation and jumped as the train was slow
ing down. A bullet whizzed by his ear as
he STUN bled down the dump, but he rolled
to the bottom in safety and fastened to
Rose burg with the news OF the holdup.
After Engineer Morris had been fright
ened into submission he was relieved by
one of the robbers who displayed consid-
erable skill in manipulating the locomo-
tive. The baggage and express cars were
uncoupied from the coaches and the latter
. shUnted backward with considerable
energy. Running the baggage and ex-
press forward some distance the robbers
stopped, uncoupled the enrine and in
p vited the express messenger TO open his
doors. This he refused to do and dyna-
mite was quickly applied
Suspecting what was being done Mes
senger Butler opened the door on the OPP
poste side from which the robbers were
operating and jun ped from the car just as
the explosion took place. He held re-
volver in his hand and discharged it at
the robbers without effect as he FED down
the track. The explosion wrecked one
side of the car and overturned the oil
lamps, setting fire to the woodwork
The robbers succeeded in opening the
two small safes in the burning car, but
were Unable to reach the large or
Through" safe. which. with its valuable
contents, soon dropped through the burn
ing floor and settled between The rails, in
position where it could not be touched
until the flames were extinguisbed. The
little safes were broken open with dyna-
mite cartridges and looted, but it is not
believed that they contained any currency
or valuables.
Meanwhile the mailcar caught fire and
one end of it was badly charred. The rob-
Ders Hndlng tnat they conId OBTAIN moth
ing more worth fighting for, slipped away
in the darkness and disappeared down the
banks of the Umpqua River, where it is
supposed they had concealed boat, on
which they made their escape.
1t was shortly after II :35 O'Clock that
the overland, on time, reached point
two miles south of Roseburg known as
Sheridans farm. The train was in charge
of Conductor Veatch, with Rear Brake
man Lobe. Engineer Morris and Fire
man Hendricks had charge of the engine
and Frank K. Butler the express-car.
On reaching Sheridan Field, or Shady
Point, as the stretch of track is sometimes
called, Morris noticed on the track ahead a
man with lantern, which was being waved
violently. The engineer al once shut off
his steam, bringing the locomotive to a
stop almost opposite the man with the
flag.
No sooner had the train come to stand
still than a masked man climbed over the
tender, and, Ieveling two revolvers at the
engineer, ordered him to do as told in
handling the train. Hendricks, the quick