The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-04-22
z Train BAyDHS'
SECURE REalsrsREp MAIL AND
MAKE THEIR ESCAPE
TO HILLS. ~.
Big POSSE IS IN PURSUIT
Turn Engine Loose and Send Il
Toward onrushIng Passenger
Photographer Clicks Warning
and Prevents Collision.

Benicia. Cal. April 19.-The Chin
ese-Japan mail, San Francisco South
ern Pacific railway for the East was
held up by two masked men at Sprig
two miles east of here, at 1880 o'clock
in the morning, and robbed Of nine
pouches Of registered mail. The train
carried no express matter. Four OF
the pouches have been recovered, but
the robbers rified the others and now
are hiding in the hills and canyons
between Martinez and Oakland
Posses from two counties. detectives
and postofice inspectors on horses and
in automobiles are engaged in the man
hunt. The robbers we're we'll armed
and battle is expected.
Men Board Train.
Before the fast mail arrived at Be.
hicia, two men who hal left Oakland
on another train two hours earlier and
had left the train on the Port Costa
ferry, climbed ON the rear end of the
fast mail. The train had gone five
miles from Benicia when the stowa-
ways crawled over the oil tank of the
tender and pointed revolvers at the
heads of the engineer and fireman, or
tering them to stop the train and get
off.
When informed by the train crew
that the train carried no express mat
ter, they went to the mail car and
threatened to blow it up with dyna-
mite if the door was not opened. I'm
der this threat, Herbert B. Black, in
charge of the car, and his assistant,
Thomas w. Clancy, appeared at the
door. The robbers compelled the en-
gineer and fireman to enter the car
with orders to throw out the regis
:ered mail packages"
Black started to toss out the news
paper sacks. but the robbers detected
the ruse at once. They threatened to
kill the clerk unless he gave them the
registered mail. Black complied. The
engine crew then was forced to carry
the nine sacks to the engine.
Engine Sent Away.
The engine and mail car were then
uncoupled from the coaches and run
down the track two miles. Here the
mail pouches were thrown out, the en-
CINE uncoupled and its throttle pushed
wide open. The engine dashed for.
ward on its wild Journey toward q
passenger train coming westward to
Tolenas, is miles east, passing the
drst section on siding at Cygnus.
As the engine passed the station at
Suisun the operator noticed it was
running wild. He Immediately report
ed to the dispatcher's Office at Oakland
and received instructions to call Tole-
mas and instruct them to derail the
oncoming engine.
Second section of train No. 5, west
bound, had just arrived at Tolenas
under orders to wait there for the
mail. The switch was thrown and the
runaway, pretty we'll relieved of
steam, ran on siding and smashed
into string of box cars. In the mean
time the robbers were making their
escape across San Pablo Bay.
Just before fleeing with the mail
sacks, the robbers fired four shots to
brighten off immediate pursuit. Even
this did not awaken the passengers
The porters heard the shots and
locked the doors to the sleeping car.
The train lay engineless for some
time while an engine was secured
from Sacramento.
A good description of the bandits
was furnished by man on the Port
Costa ferry boat who had observed
them as they hung about waiting for
the train. They appeared to be rail.
way mechanics and from their famili.
arity with the engine it is thought they
are former railway employees.
Sheriff Veale of Contra Coasta coun.
ty was the first official to start after
the bandits. With a posse he left
Martinez at o'clock in the morning
They crossed from the west shore OF
the bay in launch to the point where
the bandits embarked for the west
shore. So quick and accurate was the
pursuit that it is thought the bandits
and the officers passed each other in
the dark and the hunted men were
warned of the whereabouts of thei,
pursuers by the noise of the launch.
Ninety-four packages of registered
mail are missing. In each of these
packages are several letters. The
railroad officials have posted a re
ward of $4,000 for the capture of the
robbers. The United States govern
ment has offered $1,000.