The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-06
RICH HAUL BY NEGRO TRAMP Express Company May Bc
 Out $2OO,OOO. SECRECY IS MAINTAINED Known That Large Amount OfM0ney Was in Transit Express Messengers shot and MsrasI1y Wounded. a.d Resser Tkea
 Helped Himself ts Contents
 of safe-California
 the Scene.
SECRECY IS MAINTAINED

Los Angeles. Cal, Dec. 5.-The Wells Fargo express on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad passenger train No. l, westbound, was entered early today somewhere between Needles and Dagsett and vena o. Roberts. the ex- press messenger shot and fatally wounded and the safe rified.
 The Wells-Fargo Company was exe- cutting large shipment of United States money. totalling $20o.000. and 1t Is said to be possible that this ship ment was taken. It is known that tho local offcers are greatly exercised and at Barstow placed a substitute mes- senger on board the car with orders to guard everything in 1t with the great est secrecy.
 officials refused to discuss the re- ported shipment of pension money in any way. The shipment, If sent, would have been in the main safe. It is not certain. however. that this safe was not entered, as the robber rified the pockets of the messenger as he lay on the floor of the car and took away his keys to the two safes.
 Found Wounded Messenger.
 The robbery was not discovered un- til the train reached Daggett. Con- ductor Hawes opened the door of the express car at Dasgett and found Mes-
 
 the car in a semi-conscious condition and part of the contents or. the rified 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- covered some one on the blind baggage shortly after the train left Needles, and had started to open the door when the man. whom he took to be a negro. sprang inside.
 Before the messenger could draw his revolver. the bandit opened fire. wound- ing Roberts mortalIy. The bullet struck Roberts in the left breast. pass ing 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. Roberts was so badly hurt that he was unable to make an outcry. Av
 Broke Bolt on Door. The bolt on the door at the end of the express car was broken. showing that the robber had used force in gain ing entrance.
 The interior of the car indicated that the messenger had made a game re- sistance and grappled with the robber before being overpowered and finally shot by him.
 After rfhing the safe, the robher leaped from the car while the train was running at full speed. The bandit Is believed to be one of number of colored tramps who have been around Daggett since the construction work of the Salt Lake Road reached that place. The way safe contained envelopes holding money and checks which were being sent to the general offices by sta- tion agents along the line.
 Word was received here late today that a colored tramp was under arrest at Barstow who Is believed to be the man who committed the robbery,
 Assistant Superintendent Pridham Of the Wells-Fargo Company states that the amount taken from the way safe was only a few hundred dollars. M
 The principal treasure safe. he said, was locked land the robber was unable to force an entrance.