The San Francisco call., 1898-03-24

sS Ellis and Smith were at the ranch S sa a.:::::s: 3. 5. 8. % 8 5. 5. 8 8 g. 2. 8 ont of the car. The men withdrew some distance and waited tor mo ment for the explosion Ihefe
 terrific explosion and parts or the eA press car went flying in all directions. The sides and top of the car were colhc pletelv demolished. A large piece or roof landed on a telegraph poIe. | le contents of the car were conVerleo lillo @ a pile of rubbish. The coiiCu oaI. Cu,9iol1 to on caused the lights in the mai! car to So out. number of lights in the passeh- ger cars were eXtingulShed ana lhe passengers were panic strlcken.
 One of the outlaws climbed upon the wrecked car and leisurely filled two sacks with money that was loullo a +ha na the safe The top of the safe ana the door were demolished by the explosion hut the golden treasure was at the bottom. After filling his sacks with gold the robber handed them to the engineer and fireman. Y.
 The mail car was then visited IL contained George w. Nickell and Bert Iamkfn. mail agents, and J. F. MIC Donald. weigher They were compeii- ed to open the door of the car. me lights that had been extingulshed hao cot been relfghted. The excited mes SPn2PrS were OTu6leu lO llSAAN NANN Iamns After the request had been com nIied with one of the bandits entered the ear. The three men were lined against the wall and compelled to hold uD their hands. A robber Searcneu through the mail pouches ana nhaliy took possession of the registered poucn' This contained several thousand uol- lars in greenbacks.
 The desperadoes then compelled the engineer and fireman to carry the booty from the express and malI cars to a clump of willows some ulSlduce away. Engineer Moore was lnstructeu not to leave the treStle with the train until 12:3O o'clock, and was allowed to return to the engine with his fireman.
 The robbery was completed at Il 5o, within forty-fve minutes after the train was stopped. Only two men were seen. but it is believed that thlrd man remained in the bushes to hoid tha bandits team The men loaded the stolen gold into a buggy and droVe away rapidly. They went north, ana persons in Traver heard the buggy passing through the town about 1z o'clock. It is four miles from cross Creek to Traver, and this would glVe just sufficient time for the trlp aIter leaving the scene of the robbery.
 E D Morton heard the rig passing through Traver He said that the noise awakened him. From the sounds he judged two men were on horseqach and were followed by a double rig Fer sons in a saloon also heard the TIE passing, and it was being driven raplu
 lv north. A buggy passed tnroush Selma at about 1 o'clock, and 1t IS sus, nected it was the one that was heard at Traver.
 Sheriff Scott and his posse arrived at the scene of the holdup at about o'clock. The wreck had just been cleared away so that the north-bonnd train could proceed on its journey. me ruins of the demolished express ca were hauled onto the Cross Creek slu, slu, ing and this required nearly four l.ours
 work The sheriff and posse boarded the train and interviewed the conduc- tor. engineer and others in regard to the robbery. The engineer describes the robbery as follows: .o
 we left Goshen Junction at lU' 41 and were about two miles out when Tho rCbhers came over the tender and without warning called for us to throw mn C1r hands. We looked around and We're facing the robbers, who had us covered. It was a thrilling sensation looking down those guns anu eHpectih}; t1,e-n to go off at any moment. l ,,,,itfG the lever to stop the engine, but one of the bandits told me to keep on nntil the Cross Creek treste was reach- ad We could make no resistance anu therefore quietly obeyed the orders given by the robbers. eYo11 shall not be hurt if you ODey us said one of them.
 ..The robbers wore black masks oyer over their faces. They were medium-slzed rnen. but owing to the darkness they could not be seen distinctly.
 IT is reported that the train contalned
 bullion from the Randsburg mines, worth s3O, 900, besides heavy shipments Us of money from Los Angeles. IL canlloC be ascertained how much wealth llie registered letters contained
 Tn one of the passenger cars was J. [ T McElvain, an officer from san Der nardino County, who was taxing d prisoner to San Quentin. The prlSoleI sat on the inside of the seat ana was handcuffed. A bullet struck the car inst above the seat. Had it been shot
 ot 2 IittIe greater angle it would nave entered the car, and, perhaps, Killed tbe prisoner. or more likely the person who sat back of him. ;,
 "As soon as the train slowed down, said the officer and heard the three shots which Meade fired, l knew we
 had been held up. There was hoinllls -LLs to do but to keep our seats, Whlcn W 7 did Soon Meade came back into tne
 car and asked If any one had plstols- I told him that had, but that l want ed if myself. None of the passengers would venture out of the car: TWO rel lows who were sitting opposite rile di.u who were under the influence or nqu"1
 rushed out to the platform, but soon came back into the cars
 One of the hobos who were on the train rode to this city. He said there was a tramp on the express car Wher the safe was blown up. He was told tt
 get off, but would not do so. pelns either too afraid to move or half asleep
 The fuse was set to the dynamite ano
 he was hurled from the car. belnf pitched a distance of twenty feet. H' was not injured further than having gash cut in his head.
 While the train remained severa
 went along the sides of the cars LOOK
 ing for bullet holes, and another, be sides that already referred to, wa: 1 found. It was below car window ant | took a chunk out of the wood.
 | Sheriff Scott and Deputy Peck re
 turned at o'clock this evening iron
 the pursuit They drove from Selma tt
 Kingsburg this morning, where thu l Sheriffs of Kings, Tulare and Fresno
 counties held brief consultation at