The record-union., 1898-11-20
Killed While Assisting IN a Hold
Up on the Santa Fe Road.
Shot Dead BY Assistant Express Messenger
Frank BIakeIy.
The Attempted Robbery and Sue
ceeding Tragedy Occurred Six
Miles East of Barstow Shortly
After Twelve O'Clock Yesterday
Morning.

BARSTOW, Nov. 19.-The first sec
lion of train No. 1, of the Santa Fe
road was held up six miles east of Bar
stow at 1920 o'clock this morning by
four masked men, two of whom boarded
the train at Daggett, two miles west.
They forced Engineer Buddell to stop
the train, mistaking the place where
the confederates were concealed, and
told the engineer to pull ahead. The
engineer demurred, saying the second
section of the train was close behind,
and would run into them and kill the
passengers. The robbers forced the en-
gineer to go ahead, saying Let those
d-n trainmen go back and flag; that's
what they are paid for"
The train was then pulled about
mile further.
Messenger Hutchinson and Assistant
Frank Blakely suspected what was up,
and put out the lights. Hutchinson
jumped to the ground to make fight,
but could not fire on the robbers on ac-
count Of the engineer being in range,
the robbers having forced the engineer
to carry a bag of dynamite, accom-
panying them to the express car.
The leader of the robbers catching
sight of Helper Frank Blakely, who
stood in the door of the express car,
opened fire. The first shot missed the
messenger about two inches. Blakely
then returned the fire with a Win
chester rifle, the first shot striking the
robber in te left eye, killing him in
stantly The other robbers then fed.
Two shots We're fired by the messen-
ger and six by the robbers.
The dead robber was brought to Bar
stow. He was about 80 years old, dark
complexion, roughly dressed, weight
13G. No letters or papers are on the
body to identify it. He is supposed from
appearances to have been a. miner or
laborer. A posse is in pursuit of the
others.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE
HOLD-UP.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19.-The Santa
Fe overland train that was held up ar
Barstow last night pulled into La
Grande station this morning about
thirty minutes late. The only members
of the crew on board who were at the
hold-up were Conductor G. r. Perry,
Express Messenger Tom Hutchinson,
Mail Agent Putnam and Brakeman
Wilde. The Pullman people knew moth
ing of the affair, as it occurred at an
hour when everyone was asleep, and
they being at the extreme rear, were
not disturbed. Engineer Dave Bunnell
and his fireman, who were on the en-
gine, stopped at Barstow, as also did
Express Messenger Hutchinson's
helper, Fred Blakely, who only runs
between that place and Barstow, and it
was he who fired the one shot that got
The robber.
Conductor Perry said his train pulled
out of Daggett promptly on time at
1926 o'clock this morning, when just
after clearing the switches a couple of
men, who had evidently boarded the
train at that place, crawled over the
tender, and covering the engineer, Dave
BUnnell, and his fireman with their re-
volyers ordered them to throw up their
hands, which they lost no time in doing.
The men then climbed down into the
cab and told Bunnell that they wanted
him to stop the train at the 140-mile
post. Bunnell replied that he did not
know where that point was, when one
of the men replied that that was all
right, as they would tell him when
they came to it. After going some little
distance the engineer was ordered to
stop, which he did The two men on
the cab looked about evidently expect
ing someone They appeared to be con-
siderably disappointed, and one of them
remarked that they must have gone too
far, and passed their two partners.
AS the train had stopped by this time,
the men ordered the engineer to get
out, saying that it was all right, as the
men they were looking for would be
along in a few minutes, and gathering
up a sack containing about twenty
pounds of dynamite or giant powder,
they followed him to the ground.
The men were evidently ratified at
the failure of their confederates TO show
up. and seemed undecided how to act
After looking around for a few minutes
they started toward the express ear,
passing the mail car on the way, but
making no demonstration against 1t,
and just as they reached the express,
Bunnell, taking advantage Of their con-
fusion, ducked under the car and made
his escape.
Just as the engineer came up on the
other side of the car he saw Express
Messenger Hutchinson standing in The
door with his shotgun in his hand, and
covering him. Bunnell threw up both
hands and yelled, For Gods sake don't
shoot; I'm Bunnell."
After Bunnell had got in the car the
messengers helper, Frank Blakely.
Went to the door Of the car with q rife,
and getting sight of the robbers. fired
twice. The robbers fed. One Of them
was seen TO fall. The train pulled on
TO Barstow.
The story told by Express Messenger
Hutchinson is that the train was
hagged by four, men. When the train
came to stop the engineer and fire.
hanas and get off the engine. Then
one man carrying a sack of dynamite
ana TWO others covering the engineer
ana hreman went TO the south door of
The express car. At that instant Hut
chlnson opened the door and was con-
frented by the two robbers, who be-
gan shooting at him. Assistant Mes
senger f. B. Blakely grabbed a rifle
ana began shooting One Of the rob-
bers threw up his hands and fell to
the ground. The other three fed. The
engineer and fireman returned to the
engine, and in less than a minute the
train was under way. The whole af-
fair did not take over seven minutes.
When the train arrived at Barstow a
Stranger was seen running from the
front platform of the express car, and
was captured and held. It is not