The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-18
W'e Pouches Taken from
s.ss5nina Japan Mail On
Southern Pacific
ROBBERS DID NOT
DISTURB PASSENGERS

tion and Forced Engineer to
Stop Locomotive-Posses
Pursue Robbers
Beneca, Cal, April 1.-THE China-Ja-
pan mail. which left San Francisco over
the Southern Pacific railway for the east
at 8 o'clock Saturday night, was held
up by two masked men at Spring, two
miles east of here. at 1890 o'clock this
morning. and robbed of = pouches OF
registered mail. -
The train carried no express matter.
Four of the pouches have been recovered
but the robbers rifed the others and are
now hiding in the hills and canyons be-
tween Martinez and Oakland. Sheriffs'
posses from two counties and detectives,
on horses and in automobiles, are en-
| gagged in the man hunt The robbers
were well armed and a battle is ex-
pected.
The passengers were not disturbed.
Climbing on the back of the locomotive
at Benecia. the two men climbed into the
cab before the train had gone five miles,
and pointing guns at the heads of the
engineer and fremen. ordered them to
stop the engine and get off.
| I'VE are not going to hurt you," said
one of the robbers. "Al we want is the
| treasure box
| The engineer and firemen quickly COM
piled, as they had no weapons. Then the
robbers compelled the engineer and fire.
men to get into the mail car. which was
in charge of Herbert ]. Black and his
assistant, Thomas A. Clancy.
| Mail Pouches Taken
Throw out the registered mail
pouches" ordered the robbers. Black
| started to toss out the newspaper sacks
| but the robbers detected the rilse at once
| They threatened to kill the clerk unless
4 he gave thsrn the registered mall Black
compiled. The engine crew then was
forced to carry the nine sacks to the
| engine. The engine and mail car were
then run down the track two miles here
1 the mail pouches were thrown out, the
engine uncouped and its throttle pushed
| wide OPEN
| The engine dashed forward on ils wild
| journey toward a passenger train COM
| ing westward to Toenas 16 miles east.
| passing the first section on siding at
! Sydnus. AS the engine passed the sta
| ton at Suisun the operator noticed 1t was
running wild. He Immediately reported
to the dispatcher's office at Oakland and
| received instructions to call Tolenas and
| instruct the agent there to derail 1t. The
| second section of the train No. 5 had
| Just arrived at Tolenas under orders to
wait there for the China-Japan mail. The
switch was thrown and the runaway en-
| gine. by this time pretty well relieved of
| a n IN
| a string of boxcars.
| In the meantime the robbers we're MAX
| ing their escape across San Pablo bay
| into which the Sacramento river empties
| The news of the robbery had gone up and
down the line and posses were quickly
| formed e4 fftbtl4ttH U .l
Just before fleeing with the mail sacks
the robbers fired four shots to frighten
off Immediate pursuit. Even this did not
awaken the passengers. The porter heard
the shots and locked all doors to the
sleeping cars.
The train lay engineless for some time
| while an engine was secured from Sacra-
mention. 1t then was hurried into Sacra-
mento. arriving at 6 o'clock this morning.
In Pursuit of Bandits
A good description of the bandits was
furnished by man on the Port Costa
ferry boat, who had observed them as
n.
They appeared to be railway mechanics,
and from their familiarity with the en-
gine it is thought they are former rail-
way employees.
The trail has been followed to the rough
hill country between Martinez and Oak
land and it is believed they are headed
toward San Francisco and have a good
chance to escape.
Near the place the bandits left the en-
4 I4o Io 70 ~, a-t 1,,, II of q ft,e,
bay The men ran down this road to
| a rowboat concealed in the bushes. The
four sacks they did not take with them
were found later along the edge of the
track. They evidently had fallen from
the engine after 1t had been uncoupled
from the train.
From the point where their boat was
moored the bandits rowed directly across
the bay to Bulls Head point one and a
abandoned the boat. In climbing the
| bank one of the men slipped and lost a
s-calbre revolver and a pair OF field
glasses This made three clews for the
ofricers to work on.
From the point where the boat was
abandoned all trace of the men was lost
but before daylight horse and buggy
were stolen, supposedly by the robbers.
from stable In Martinez.
Between 3 and o'clock in the morn
ing, George Frazier a farmer living three
miles east of Martinez. heard a horse and
buggy driven past his house at a wild
pace. This has lent definite direction to
1.-The chase. which early In the afternoon
centered in the hills and open country
leading to Oakland.
Sheriff veale of Contracosta county
was the first official to start after the
bandits with " posse he left Martinez
at | o'clock In the morning. They crossed
from the west shore nf the bay In 4
launch to the point where the bandits
embarked for the west shore So quick
and accurate was the pursuit that It Is
thought the bandit~ and the Officers
passed each other in the dark and the
hunted men were warned of the where
abouts OF their pursuers by the noise OF
the launch.
Charges Will BE Dismissed