Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-24
One of the Robbers Shot By the
 Express Messenger
OTHERS FLED WITHOUT BOOTY

Barrett Was Hit With the Same Bull
 let That Killed the Robber-Plans
 for the Robbery Were Carefully
 Laid.
 Portland, Ore, Sept 24.-The Allan tic express on the Oregon Railroad and Navigation line, which left here at s:15 o'clock last night, was held up by -four masked men an hour later near Corbett station, twenty one miles east of this city. One of the robbers was shot and killed by Express Messenger Fred Kerner, another badly wounded, and Engineer Barrett was seriously wounded by the same bullet. After the shooting the robbers fled without securing any booty. Two of the high Waymen boarded the train at Trout dale, a station eighteen miles east of here, and after the train got under way they craWled over the tender and covering the engineer and fireman with TevoIyers, told them to stop at mile post 21, which is near Gorbett station. When the train slowed down, two more men appeared. Two of the rob- bers compelled the engineer and fire
  pany them to the express car. The men carried several sticks of dynamite and when they came to the baggage car, thinking 1t was the express car threw a stick at the door. Express Messenger Kerner heard the explosion and immediately secured his rife and opened fire. The bullet pierced the heart of one of the robbers and went Through his body, entering the left breast of Engineer Barrett, who was just behind him.
 Barrett's wound is above the heart and is not necessarily fatal After the shooting the other robbers fled without securing any booty, and 1t is supposed they took to a boat which they had moored at the bank of the river. The point where the hold-up occurred is on the bank of the Columbia river and a precipitous mountain is on the other side of the track. The easiest route of escape is by the river.
 The robber ordered Engineer Bar rett to walk in front of him while ap- preaching the baggage car, but he jumped behind just before the shot from the express messengers rife was fred. The body of the dead robber was left behind on the track and the wounded engineer was brought to this city. Sheriff Story and four deputy sheriffs left on a special train for the scene of the robbery shortly after midnight. When they arrived there one of the outlaws was found badly wounded from charge of buekshot which he had received in the head. He was placed on board the sheriff's train which was then turned around and headed for Portl1nd The bandit said his namr Vas James Connors of Port ys-lape, but refused to make known the names of any of tile other bandits eor the direction in which they went
 Ollie l.. Barrett, the wounded, en- gineer. who Is now in hospital here, tells the following story of the hold up:
 About a mile beyond Troutdale two masked men climbed in on the blind baggage, over the tender and through the gangway into the engine, covering both fireman and myself with their re- volvers. They ordered me to run the train to twenty-one mile post and stop Nt light which would be found there
 At twenty-one mile post two other masked men came out Of the brush and joined Us as the train stopped The bandits who ,Shad been hiding in the brush carried two long willow poles, on the ends of which were sticks of dynamite. These were placed in our hands and the fireman and I were ordered to go back to the express car and order the messenger to open the door. If he did not we were to use the dynamite and blow 1t open.
 "The bandits kept up a fusilade of shots to warn the passengers to keen t4nlN .. IA -sl Hr-wx were compelled to proceed to the bag gage car. where I called out to the messenger: It is Barrett. Open the door: don't shoot,
 This demand had no effect and the bandits took the dynamite poles from our hands and placed them against the door of the car. after lighting long fuses. We were then ordered back, to the engine and stayed there with the bandits until the dynamite blew the door open.
 "As soon as the sound of the explo- sion had died away I was ordered to go ahead of the party back toward the car. Instead of obeying orders stepped behind rather slender man. one of the bandits. and the fireman fol lowed me. The taller man was in the rear. We were twenty feet from the
 
 and killed the rohber in front of me- The bullet. we afterward found. went through his heart and then struck me in the left shoulder.
 "As I felt the bullet strike me called to the taller man that was shot and that my left arm had gone. The tall man told me it was all right: that I might go back to the engine with the fireman and go ahead. We examined the small man first however, and found that he was killed.'
 The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Go offers a reward of 1000 for the arrest of the highwaymen. Barrett is one of the oldest men on the road, hav ing been in the employ of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co for twen- tv-five years. Express Messenger Fred Tar.r, ,or-t t. IrT1n of an Qf