The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-06
SAFE IS
 ROBBED BY NEGRO Messenger Killed After Making
 Game Resistance SAFE CONTAINED S200.000 After Securing the Booty the Robber Leaped From the Train While
 1t Was Running at
 Full Speed.
SAFE CONTAINED S2OO.000

Los Angeles, Cal, December 5.-The Wells-Fargo express car on the Atchi- son. Topeka and Santa Fe overland pas senger train, No. 1, westbound, was en- tered early today somewhere between Needles and Dagget, and Vena O. Rob erts, the express messenger, shot and Ia tally wounded, and the way safe rified.
 The Wells-Fargo company was expect ing a large shipment of United States pension money, totalling $200,0o0, 1t is said. and 1t Is possible that this shipment may have been on the train.
 It Is known that the local officials were advised of the robbery, and at Barstow placed a substitute messenger on board the car, with orders to guard everything in 1t with the greatest secrecy. Officials refused to discuss the reported shipment of pension money in any way. The shiz- ment if sent, would have been in the main safe. It Is not certain, however, that this safe was not entered. as the robber rifed the pockets of the messenger as he lay upon the floor of the car and took his keys to the two safes
 Messenger Found on Floor. The robbery was not discovered until the train reached Dagget. Conductor Hawes opened the door of the express car at Dagget's and found Messenger Rob erts lying on the floor of the car in semi-conscious condition and the contents i of the rifed safe scattered about the car. Roberts was so seriously wounded that he was unable to tell how the robbery oc- ] cured, except to say that he had dis 1 covered some one in the blind baggage shortly after the train left Needles, and had started to open the door when the man, whom he took to be negro, sprang inside Before the messenger could draw | ..nI Hra | wounding Roberts mortally. The bnleits struck Roberts in the left breast, passing through his body. Roberts fell to the | floor and the robber Immediately went to the open way safe and took what he wanted of the contents. He-then opened the door and jumped out rSberts was | so badly hurt that he was unable to make an outcry.
 Robber Forced Entrance.
 The bolt on the door at the end of the | express car was broken, showing that the robber had used force in gaining en- trance. The interior of the car indicated that the messenger had made game resistance, and had grappled with the robber before being overpowered and finally shot. After rifing the safe the robber leaped from the car while the train was running at full speed. The bandit is believed to be one of a number of colored tramps who have been around Dagget since the construction work of the Salt Lake road reached that place.
 The way safe contained envelopes hold ing money and checks which were being sent to the general offices by station agents along the line.
 Word was received here late today that colored tramp Is under arrest at Bar stow, who Is believed to be the man swho committed the robbery.
 Assistant Superintendent Pridham of the Wells-Fargo company states that the amount taken from the, way safe was only few hundred dollars.
 The principal treasure safe. he said was locked, and the robber was unable to force an entrance.