The Van Buren press., 1904-06-11
TRAIN HELD UP By
FIVE masked men
A Denver & Rio Grande Passenger
Train Held Up and Robbed
Near Parachute, Col.
The ROBBERS DID MUCH DAMAGE,
But THEY DIDN'T GET MUCH MONEY.
Brakeman sheIIcnbRrger wounded
In the Leg by shot Fired by One
ot the HObber---TNo shcrtn-
with Posses OF Farmers and
Ranchers ON the Trail.


Ranchers ON the Trail.
Denver. Col, June 9--Denver 4 RIO
Grande passenger train No. 5, west
bound, from Denver, was held up by
five masked men three miles west OF
Parachute, a small fruit station mid
way between Grand Junction and Glen
wood Springs,
One sealed bag, containing specie,
was taken from the express safe, which
was dynamited The express car was
badly wrecked by dynamite. but the
robbers were forced TO take to the
mountains before they could gather
up the yaluables In the car.
ShrriG- aud Posse On the Trail.
Sheriff W. G. Struthers and Deputy
Sheriff D. NJ Hardy, Of Grand juno
tion, are now upon the trail Of the rob
bers with a posse of farmers and ranch
ers. who we're quickly summoned from
the vicinity OF Grand Junction,
Sheriff Frank Adams, with another
posse from Glenwood Springs, is also
securing the surrounding country,
When the train reached point three
mileo west Of Parachute, two masked
men crawled over the tender OF the
engine They placed six-shooters to the
head Of Engineers Allison and his fire
man, and demanded that the train be
stopped Three men were waiting on
the lender, and az the train stopped
they Caickly ran back and coupled the
express and baggage cars These cars,
with The engine, were run two miles
further west,
Express Cnr Dynamitcd.
The members OF the train crew were
ordered to remain with the passenger
coaches on pain Of being shot When
the point selected for the dynamlting
Of the express car was reached the en-
gineer and fireman were ordered down.
One Of the robbers covered them with
two siX-shOoters The remainder Of the
gang went to the express car
Messenger d. NJ, Shea, Of this city
refused to open the door upon demand,
and piled Tie baggage up in front OF
the door,
The lObl trs placed stick Of dyna-
mite at the side door Of the car The
entire door was blown away and half
a dozen trunks piled up against It
were demolished and their burning con-
tents scattered over the car.
They Understood Conditions.
The great iron combination safe was
the only one In the car, The robbers
showed that they were COnyersant with
conditions OIL the road, for they did
not even demand Of the messenger to
open the safe, They knew that he did
not have the combination This safe
can only be opened in Denver and In
Salt Lake City
A stick e. dynamite was placed
against the lock of the safe Here the
robbero showed their lack OF knOwl-
edge of dynamite Half the amount
of explosive used would have done the
work
Just at this point Brakeman Shelen.
barge, who had been ordered to re-
main with TIE passenger coaches, two
miles Jchind, came running up the
trek carrying lantern. One OF the
robbers shot A. him He was wounded
in the leg, and Is now In the Sisters
hospital at Grand Junction,
When the robbers saw that the train
crew were coming they fled to the
mountains one OF them, M he Jumped
from the express car, grabbed one
sealed bag which had been blown clear
out Of the safe This IL the only
plundef which was taken.
The engineer and the others who
had leen under the aim Of the robbers
we' to the aid Of Shcllenbarger. who
mad Rlon where he was shot
The Alarm Given,
After tho hold-Up the engine bag.
gage car and express cars backed 10
Parachute, where the alarm was given
The scene OF tho robbery was but
COO yards from The now of the Grand
river, and II IN believed that the rob.
bers had boat hidden In the Grand
and that they used this 70 cross the
river, dedroyIng II after they had
crossed
The robbers who held up the Rio
Grandc train at Unawcep, u year ago,
escaped In a similar manner Sheriff
strulhers believes the robbers escaped
On horseback after cro.tng the Grand