The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-15
STORY OF FIREMAN
AND MESSENGER

WINNEMUCCA, New, July 14.-Fire-
man McDermott. who was on the en-
CINE Of No. l when the train was held
up near Humboldt, gives the following
account:
"A mile east of the Humboldt House
heard noise at the back end Of the
tank and, looking UP, saw two men
climbing over the coal. One had rifle
which he pointed at me, and the other
covered the engineer with a pistol
They kept US covered until they
reached the gangway. One of them
told the engineer to stop the engine
and he did so. The man then told us
to get off the engine and to go with
them. 1 asked if I could put on the
injector, so that the engine would not
burn up, and 1 was told l could They
kept the guns on US while they waited.
They then ordered us to leave the en-
CINE and followed us to the express
car. After firing a few shots in the
ground they told us to knock on the
door of the car and to tell the mes
senger who we We're and not to shoot
we did so and the one with the pis-
toll knocked on the door, called to the
messenger to open. Instead of opening
the door the messenger put out his
lights. The robber then put a small
stick Of giant powder under the door
and touched 1t of saying:
" I guess that will fetch him
THE door was partly blown open and
they called the mess niger again. This
time he came to the door, but they sent
him back to light lamp. He was then
told to climb out OF the car and be
good fellow. After the messenger came
out OF the car the robber climbed in and
placed a large dynamite cartridge near
the door of the safe. After lighting the
fuse he jumped out and we went ahead
as far as the engine. where we waited
for the explosion. The report was ter
rife, and we could see the side of the
car burst out and the roof raise.
After few moments all went back.
While one Of the men kept US covered
the other went in the car and placed
what valuables he could find in a sack
After ransacking the treasure boxes he
came out. The engineer, messenger
and myself were told to join hands and
walk ahead. After walking away from
the train a little ways we We're told TO
halt. The robbers shook hands with US
and saying 'AdiOs,' disappeared in the
darkness, while we went back to the
train.
"One Of the men was of medium
height, with reddish beard and hair,
and the other was shorter and very
DARK. 1ney were DOtn cool ana seemed
10 know what they were about
Messenger Hughes said:
The train stopped so suddenly that
I paused in my work to listen and soon
heard the engineer and fireman knock
ing at the door of the car and telling
me who 1t was and not to shoot and
some one then spoke in a gruff voice
demanding that l open the door. In
stead OF doing so l took up a rife and
putting out the lights, laid down by the
safe
I'm minute there was an explosion
and the door was blown open. 1t was
very dark and I realized that If I shot
I might hit one of the trainmen.
concluded the best thing to do was to
give myself up. 1 walked to the door,
but was told to light O lamp and get
out Of the car, which I did l asked
If I could fix my papers and was told
that they would be fixed all right. One
Of the robbers then got into the car
and blew open the safe. He broke
open the treasure boxes, placing what
he could find in a sack. do not know
how much was in the safe, as we do
not carry keys. There was not much
In the treasure boxes"
The rest Of tt messengers story was.
IN substance, the same as that Of Fire
man McDermott.