Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-10-31
DROVE THEM AWAY
AN Express Messenger Prevents
a Train Robbery.
Tvs Bandits Attack an Express Car on
the Southern Pacific Road, but are
Put TO Flight After n Battle
of Almost One Hours
Duration.

Eugene, Ore, Oct. 24.-The north
bound Southern Pacific overland eX-
press was held up by robbers near
Walkers station, Is miles south of
here, at 3 a. m. Wednesday and the
express car badly damaged, but the
robbers secured little booty. Two
men boarded the train at Cottage
Grove as the train pulled out. After
passing Walkers, which is four miles
from Cottage Grove, they climbed
.sover the tender and covered Engineer
Burt Lucas and the T1reman and his
helper with revolvers. The robbers
,ordered the brain stopped, after
which the fireman and helper were
compelled to uncouple the train be-
tween the express ear and the first
coach.
Engineer Lucas was then ordered
to pull ahead, the fireman and helper
being left behind. After going a
short distance the train was stopped
and the robbers proceeded to the ex-
press car, taking with them the en-
gineer. The express car was blown
open with dynamite and Express Mes
.senger Charles was ordered out, but
he refused to go and with his shotgun
commanded the situation inside the
car. The robbers told him to come
out or he would be blown up with the
car, but he replied BLOW ahead" \
fusillade of bullets followed, riddling
the ear. but the messenger who was
uniniured, kept up "A continuous fire
from the inside which held the rob
bers at bay.
A charge of dynamite was then
thrown into the car with a burning
fuse, but Charles grabbed ii and
threw it outside, where il exploded.
Next the robbers compelled the en-
.gineer to crawl up to the opening in
side-of the car, hoping to use him as
a protection from the messengers
shots, but the messenger kept up u
steady fire over the engineers head
and still held the robbers at bay. The
robbers then gave up their efforts to
secure the express treasure and went
for the mail. They secured the reg
istered mail, then cut off the engine
from the rest of the train and or
.slered Engineer Lucas to pull ahead.
They ran to Judkins Point. in the
outskirts of Eugene, where they dis
embarked and ordered the engineer
to return and get his train. The
train arrived here. about four hours
late. The news was wired from Sag
inaw and officers were sent out in
search of the robbers, but secured no
trace of them.
Portland. Ore, Oct. 24.-The South
ern Pacific train which was held up
near Eugene, arrived here Wednesday
afternoon. The express car is badly
shattered, but it was brought in with
the train.
THE first intimation I had of any
thing wrong" said c. F. Charles, the
express messenger, twas when the
train began to slow up near Walkers
Station. The train came to a stand
still and / was ordered to open the
door. ! refused to move. Open up
this car or we will blow you to hell!
commanded one of the robbers
made no response and was given a
salute with dynamite. The first
charge blew open one of the doocs
and knocked me down. Ny overalls
were blown into shreds and my legs
scratched some what, but otherwise
was unhurt.
threats followed, but without avail
/ made no reply, knowing that the
object of the robbers was to locate
me in the car and then try to put me
out of the way, either by dynamit,
or bullets. | changed my station tt
The other end OF the car. The third
shot failed to go off, as / had re
moved my shoes and walked over tC
the dynamite and detached the fuse
Two more shots exploded, each o
them blowing a hole in the car. Al
told, four shots went off in the car
Two failed to explode and one | pre-
vented from exploding by removing
the fuse. All efforts to compel mC
to open up or leave the car failing
the engineer was sent in through
the opening blown into the side
ordered him to get out, and fred ;
shot over his head with my shotgun
The entire ceremony lasted about Al
minutes. The engineer retired afte.
! fired the shot and ordered him t,
leave, and | was not moested fur
ther."