Potosi journal., 1909-09-22
FIVE H|GHWAYMEN
DYNAMITE TRAIN
MASKED MEN COMPEL ENGINEER
TO ESCORT THEM TO
EXPRESS CAR.
safe CARRIED $4,000 IN GOLD
Strong Box Resists Repeated Charges
of Explosives and Bandits Ride
Away on Horses Concealed
Near Scene of Hold-Up.

Leadville, Colo.-Before the dawn
Of day Friday morning posses
were securing the plains in every
direction in An attempt to cap
ture FIVE bandits who held up the
Denevar & Rio Grande passenger
train near Malta, Colo, and dyna-
mited the express car, in the effort to
procure the $25,000 in gold that was
known to be in the express cars safe.
The passenger train, No. 5, was run
ming in two sections. The first sec
tion was allowed to pass unmolested.
The second section was a double head
er, and it was to this train that the
express car bearing the treasure was
attached.
The robbers were apprised of every
movement, for no attempt was made
to board the first section. When the
second section, "double-header,
stopped at Malta, the robbers were
concealed behind the shadows cast by
the large railroad tank While the
second engine was taking water the
desperadoes were concealed beneath
the tank, and when the fireman
turned to enter the engines cab the
five train robbers emerged and, ia
vored by the darkness, swung On be
tween the tender and the express
car without being detected.
So quiet were their movements the
engineer and firemen did not suspect
their presence until they were look
ing down tn cleaning barrels of four
revolvers, one in each hand of the
two robbers.
The command Of hands up was
obeyed instantly. The tone In which
the commands were given and the
look in the eyes behind the black
masks convinced the engines crew
that refusal meant instant death The
engineer was commanded to slow III
his engine, and one robber remained
covering both the engineer and fire
man, while two others crawled ovel
the first engine and repeated the per
formance.
The train was brought to a stand
still at a lonely point selected by the
| robbers.
Robbers took their station at the
head of the train and fired fusilladt
down each side to terrify the pas
sengers.
Other robbers pounded on the dool
of the express car and commanded
| the messenger to open it. He made NJ
move to comply. The desperate rob
bers were prepared for this refusal
Dynamite, large quantity of whicl
they carried for the purpose, was pro
duced and a powerful charge place,
against the door.
The robbers retreated a few yard
and the fuse was lighted. 1t burne,
quickly, emitting ominous flashes, ant
| in a few moments great explosion
which frightened the passengers evel
more than the fusillade, shook the en-
tire train and shattered the door o
the express care into splinters.
The force of the explosion hurle'
the messenger and his assistan
against the side of the car and ren
dered them unconscious. Three rot
bers sprang into the opening made b.
the dynamite and proceeded at one
to the safe where the $4,000 in gol,
reposed. They repeatedly tried t
| dynamite the safe.
By this time the passengers had re
covered from their first fright, and
headed by the conductor and trail
crew were pouring out of the coeche
and sleeping cars.
Realizing that they would stand n
show in fight against such numbers
| the robbers sprang from the expires
car.
Mounting horses they had conceale
at the spot selected for the hold-uI
and after firing another fusillade a
the passengers and train crew, tn
robbers fed In the darkness.