Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-31
p,ureed on Men as They We're Trans
ferriug $4,000 from Cars to
Depot.
ROBBERS THREW AWAY $4,000.
n,rinC Raid on the Money Consigned
To Pay the Coal Miners at
Cumberland.
1snocinl to the oNews.oO

krn1lNTfIs W 'ff 'hN0'
holdest holdups In the history OF TINS
town occurred here shortly after
o'clock this morning, But for blunder
on the part OF the bandits they would
have got away with $4,000. In their
..rorhlo ia ret on their horses bum
die Of currency containing $4,000 was
dropped on the street. The robbers
however. managed to carry away Nooo
without a shot being fred.
The money taken was part OF inc
selni.monthly consignment to the Union
Pacific coal company from Cheyenne
and was to have been used to pay the
miners employed at the Cumberland
mines The specie was as is the GUS
tom. in the charge of the Pacific EN-
nress company and as usual an armed
guard was along with the cash.
The holdup hears all the earmarks OF
having been perpetroted by men who
were familiar with the way the Pacinc
Express company handled the busi-
ness. The crime was undoubtedly COM
mltted BY local men, Of at least those
who have been in this district long
enough to get acquainted with affairs
STORY OF ROBBERY.
That It was deliberately planned In
every detail cnn be assumed from the
following story OF the robbery
Oregon Short Line Nc. 5. westbound'
arrived AT Kemmerer at 1908 a. m, and
according to the custom the cash was
transferred from the express wagon 10
"a truck. In all there were three pack
ages two OF currency containing re-
spectyely $4,000 and $4,000, the balance
beine I'm silver. As the train pulled out
Express Agent Ben Harding ana
George Merritt, the guard started TO
wheel the truck into the depot office
where It was to have been guarded un'
iii transferred TO the train to Cumper-
lard this morning. Harding had hold
of the handle of the truck while Mer'
rift Was pushing It from the rear
DkDBHED LINZ ~ itpN'
As the men with their valuable con-
signment approached the office three
men stepped from out of the shadow
OF the caves of the depot and with an
oath requested them to throw up their
hands Merritt promptly backed Oft
and endeayored to draw his gun. The
scabbard, however, was large and the
weapon did not draw. Seeing he could
not bring his pistol into immediate ac-
ton, Merritt started to run 80 that he
could have better chance of shoot
ing later, He WAS not quick enough for
one Of the robbers pounced upon him
like a tiger and struck him a fearful
blow on the head with the butt OF his
gun Merritt dropped like a log and
was unconscious for some time after,
swITCHMEN TO RESCUE
The shouts Of Merritt before he was
struck brought Swithchmen Mason and
Clark, who were in the yard, to the
secene on the run. The desperados
just waited until they arrived and
calmly told them to throw up their
hands and keep quiet Then the rob.
bers marched the three men into the
depot Office. Here they told them to
lock the door and remain inside for 30
minutes under pain Of being shot,
The robbers then ran up the hill and
entered an alley at the rear OF Kee.
mans saloon. where they had left their
horses. The next instant they were
riding away at full gallop,
FOUND $4,000 IN STREET
In the meantime Express Agent |
Harding lost no time In following up |
on foot When he came to the entrance |
OF the alley he was overjoyed to see ly- |
ing In the road the two packages OF !
currency which had either been drop |
ped or thrown away by the robbers. |
Just why they abandoned the com
naratvely light currency In favor OF |
'ne heavy silver is not forthcoming.
II Is believed that they either thought |
mat they had secured worthless pack.
ages or else were afraid that the cur.
fency could be later Identified by num-
Der or some other characteristic,
SHERIFF ORGANIZES POSSE.
rs soon as the excitement had some
what subsidized sherIn James was no.
',ned at Evanston, and he arrived early
ms morning, accompanied by Deputy,
Jones These two officers, with several
'Vcs' men organized posse and are
now In pursuit OF the bandits.
me only description forthcoming of
'ne robbers is that they were three IN
number all wore oyeralls and all three
We're masked and carried reyolyers
Iue rlnsleader was a big, heayyset.
powerful man, the others were rospco-