The herald., 1897-10-13
CANNON-BALL TRAIN HELD UP
TRAINMEN SHOT, PASSENGERS
ROBBED
The Monotonous Old Bloodhounds Are
on the Trail and the Robbers
Are Safely Hidden
Associated Press Special Wire.

noon at 5:3O O'CLOCK, In broad, open day.
light and within twelve miles Of the cor
porate limits Of the city, the southbound
cannonball train on the International
and Great Northern was held up and
robbed by four men. The conductor Of
the train. Tom Healy, was shot by the
robbers while resisting them. but for
tunately not seriously wounCed. One
of the passengers had his shirt collar
carried away by pistol ball that was
aimed at his neck, and another received
a bullet wound in the hand.
The passengers were robbed of some
5000 in money. The bandits attempted
to rifle the safe in the express car but
were unsuccessful.
When the train reached McNeill, a
small station fourteen miles above this
city, two heavily armed men boarded
the train and took their stand on the
rear platform. After the conductor had
checked up the train he reached the
platform only to find pistol at either
side Of his head. The men demanded
that he stop the train. He declined to
do 50 and began to run through the train
with the two robbers in close pursuit.
He had not gone half the length Of the
first car when the foremost robber shot
at him, bringing him to the floor with
pistol wound in the right arm. AT this
juncture the other robber pulled the
bellcord and the train was brought to
a standstill. 1t was evidently at the
appointed place, for the train had hard
ly stopped before two other men, whose
faces were covered with masks, stepped
out from the trees and began shooting
into the cars. Instantly all was con-
fusion. The two men on the train were
Immediately Joined by those from the
woods and began their work. AS the
train porter sprang from the rear coach
and ran for shelter a robber began
shooting at him and the negro emptied
a revolver In return without effect. The
express messenger looked out Of his car
and taking In the situation left his car
and ran through the woods and was soon
lost to sight. The robbers, In the mean
time, leaving two men to guard the three
coaches which were packed with pas
sengers, proceeded to the express car
and demanded that the baggage man
open the express safe, but upon being as
sured that he could not do so turned
their attention to the passengers They
took only money from them, not over
looking a single cent, and walking two
by two through the cars, so as alwaysto
keep their eyes on all the passengers.
After securing about 5000 In this man
ner, they uncoupled the engine from the
train and started off down the track
After going several miles they set the
lever at a moderate gait and left the
engine, scampering into the surround
ing country. The engine came on to the
flag station at Duval, four miles below
and was there captured and the station
agent returned, to the scene Of the rob-
berry with the engine, secured the train
and came on to this city, arriving here
shortly after dusk. Officers have gone
to the scene with bloodhounds to To-
cate the robbers. The two men who
boarded the train at McNeill were not
lures were concealed.
ROBBERS SENTENCED
PORTLAND, Or, Oct. 12.-George
Jackson and Charles Williams, who
held up the Oregon Railroad and Nava-
gation passenger train seven miles from
this city two weeks ago Saturday night,
were today sentenced to thirty years
each in the penitentiary by Judge Sears.
The records of the train robbers are
as follows: George Jackson, under the
name of Harvey Lee, charged with
was sentenced to San Quentin
for two and a half years from Santa
Clara county, Cal, in August, 1867. H,
was pardoned Aug. IA, 1868. On Nov.
20, 1870, as James Lee, he was sent to
San Quentin from San Bernardino coun-
ty for grand larceny, and was dis
charged on April II, 1874. On Sept. II,
1884, as Milton Harvey Lee, he was
sentenced to twenty years. imprison-
ment for robbery from Fresno county,
and he was discharged Jan. 10, 1897.
Charles Williams was sent to San
Quentin from Los Angeles for six years
on Nov. 21, 1892, for burglary and was
discharged Jan. 21, 1897.
The sheriff and a posse have gone to
the scene of the robbery, and message
at midnight is to the effect that they
have struck the trail of two Of the rob-
bers.
The nigh express bound for st. Louis,
which left here at midnight, was ac-
companied by an armed guard.