The herald., 1898-11-17
LOS ANGELES HERALD: NOVEMBER ~ 1898

the cellar where Bennington confided his
secret to the saloon keeper. Halle said: "It
is a good thing if you can make it stick
Bennington told Halle that neither Jones
nor himself knew anything about holding
up train. Halle replied: "Get the drop
on them, hold them up and make them do
the work; do nothing yourself"
lie did not see Jones until that afternoon,
when witness asked him if he had formed
any plans.
"Yes," Jones replied, "I am going to get
the drop on them, hold them up and make
them do the work"
Jones went away the day following and
remained two or three days He saw
Halle, however, every day and talked the
proposed plan over in general way. Re
turning from a fishing trip to Victor with
Halle and others, witness asked Halle what
he thought of a certain place near the
quarry for the hold-up. "The best place in
the world" replied Halle.
Witness then mentioned i'll Driscolrs
place about mile above Orc Grande, but
Halle said it would not be good place.
Arrangements for the robbery were COM
pleted Sunday evening, intending it to take
place Monday morning. Bennington and
Jones decided the whole thing in the lat
ter's barn and the former went to Halle to
get fuse and powder, which the latter sup
piled. Halle gave him common blasting
powder and one stick of dynamite, but they
did not use it. Halle got the dynamite and
Hercules powder at the quarry. He told
Halle he wanted it to blow up the safe.
WHISKY, BEEIs AND DYNAMITE
Witness next saw Halle at 10 o'clock
Monday morning and told him that he and
Jones had oversight over in Meyers field.
He got quart of whisky and two bottles
OF beer from Halle. Halle said: "Look out
for King, he is going to San Bernardino
on the freight" but who King was was not
brought out.
At 10 o'clock that night he went to Halle
to get his gun. Halle refused, saying, No,
you may drop it over there and they would
get right on to me. Everybody knows the
gun, and it would cost me all i am worth
to get out of it. I want that gun myself"
Halle continued: "You two fellows get
on the blind baggage and III get on be-
hind" Witness then gave Halle his watch
and ring to put in his safe, at his suggestion,
for fear of detection in case they should
get caught. Halle said: "You may get
unTee OF IOuT lnOusdHu OuI VI Iule. l. LAC
horses at this time were tied at the iron
| bridge.
At the request of Attorney Flint, Ben
nington drew diagram on the blackboard
of the railroad, the bridge, the location of
various ranches and the country. An in
tense interest was manifested in the draw
ing by the attorneys and jury. Witness and
Fred oJnes went to the bridge at o'clock
in the evening and then the former walked
back to Haile's at Orc Grande, Jones ac-
companying him as far as the lime kiln.
Witness got whisky, beer, crackers and sar-
dimes at the saloon. The train pulled in at
about a. m. and witness and Jones went
down toward Oro Grande and got on the
front end of the blind baggage; put on
their masks, having changed their clothes
at $3.50 the previous evening at Jones ranch
After putting on the masks they waited
moment or two and then went to the ten
der Witness had rifle and Johnes had
six-shooter. He changed from rifle to a
pistol after the train pulled in, at Jones'
suggestion.
Witness described the uncoupling of the
cars, obtaining the letters from the postal
clerk, and rehearsed the facts related by
other witnesses. He saw the engineer and
Jones fall, and then walked back to the
bridge where the horses had ben tied, united
them and, mounting one, rode to Turner's
ranch, from there to Jones, wher he left
one Of the horses. He got his hat and coat,
! left there the previous evening. Went to
Meyers ranch and then out on the desert to
Galena, wher he left his mask under hole
in the floor. From ther he rode down the
desert to Longs, left his gun and, opening
the mail on the way, buried some of the
letters there and some at Longs.
He left his horse at Davidson's ranch on
the desert, and tore his shirt up. After this
he went home and then to Haile's saloon,
where he found Halle and Casner in bed, it
being IL o'clock at night. He woke them
and Casner called out "You go.' '"Ihis is
fine time to tell man to CO." witness re-
Piled Casner then opened the the door and
placed Bennington under arrest.
The cross-examination was severe, and
the witness was very nervous. The only
important point brought out was that Halle
and Jones had no conversation concerning
the robbery, and nothing was between wit
ness and Haile about sharing the money
with the former that he and Jones hoped
to get out of it. Before the cross-examination
was concluded the hour for closing arrived,
and an adjournment was taken until 1890
this morning.