Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-01
Not Only Blew Open the Safes, but
They Also Blew the Con.
tents Into Atoms.
WANTONLY KILLED MESSENGER
His Helper Came Near Causing Death
Of the Whole Grew by Show.
iug Fight

BEDDING, Cal, April Lit is evident
that the three armed men who held
up the Oregon express and attempted
to rob II at Copley at 1920 o'clock last
night were noyices, They took human
life without provocation and the meth
DDS they employed to open the safes
were so crude that they gained but lit
tie plumber by their work,
The particulars Of the robbery were
obtained when the train. minus the
express car, reached Redding this
morning. When the train pulled into
Copley, which is merely watering
station, the three masked highwaymen
came out Of the brush on the east side
OF the track.
This Is shown by the experience OF
q tramp, who WAS attempting TO steal
ride He was jabbed in the ribs with
rife muzzle and made TO enter the
smoker. In the meanwhile one Of the
robbers Knocked ON the door OF the
express car. W. j. O'Nelll. Wells, Far
go < Company's messenger, 1t is
thought asked him what was wanted,
The reply was evidently satisfactory
because 0'Nclll slid the door back
about is inches when rifle bullet was
sent through his body. II passed
near his heart and the messenger fell
back dead O'Ncill was not armed. lie
evidently believed from what he was
told that the knock came from menu
Der Of the train crew.
CREWS ROUNDED UP.
The hghwaymen then went to get
the crews Of the two locomotives, who
were stIll In ignorance Of any trouble
so that they could loot the express
without fear OF the train being pulled
out with them. They brought back
Engineers b. II, Joesink and II, A.
Bisscll and Fireman j. 4. Stury and
Fireman A, Raymond One robber
stayed on the west side OF the train
looking out for possible danger while
the two others marched the engine
crews back on the east side to the eX.
press car. The robbers were all the
time using vile language and dlscharg-
ing occasional shots from their rifles.
This apprised the passengers In the
front end OF the train OF what was go
ing on, but they remained In the cars
throughout and were not molested.
A FOOLISH HELPER.
When the express car was reached
by the robbers, Colford, helper TO Mes.
senger O'Neill, awaited their return
with a shotgun In his hands. At first
glimpse Of the masked men he raised
the weapon and pulled the trigger.
The cartridge snapped. but the plucky
young fellow started TO put another
shell Into his gun when the robbers
covered him with their rifles and com.
manded him 10 lay down his gun or be
killed, Englgneer H. a, Bissell Joined
In asking Colford not to make fight,
arguing that If he did they might all
be killed.
The robbers then made the two fire.
men and the brakeman climb into the
smoker Because Brakeman l.. Stone
was not quick enough one OF the rob q.
berS hit him over the head with a
rife. hficing q severe scalp wound
DYNAMITE USED.
when the bandits found that Colford
could not open the safes they decided
TO use dynamite, first removing the
body Of OMEN, which lay near the safe.
There wcrr two safes IN The car, one
the large through safe and the other a
small ono known as the local. Under
ORDERS the engineers placed six sticks
OF giant powder provided by the
mNs kcd men OH top OF the large safe
and on this they set the small money
box, The leader OF the robbers then
ligAted the fuse, and tho entire party
made its way forward to the locomo
tiycs by the time the explosion had
occurred.
SAFE BLOWN TO ATOMS.
when they returned 10 the wrecked
car, II was found that the small safe
had been blown to atoms and the top of
the through safe had been blown OF,
Only the floor and trucks of the car
were left and tiny pieces Of greenbacks
were broken ana twisted coins covered
the floor showing the force OF the ok.
ploSion.
THE leader Is said 20 have looked nj
the wreck ana then to have remarked
90 his partners In crime: "Well, pals.
guess we get nothing"
NOT MUCH PLUMBER.
II IL certain that tho unskIlled rob.
bers did not get a great amount OF
plumber, although their blundenps