The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1910-05-21
GREATEST TRAIN ROBBERY
OF THE WEST
How Six Desperadoes Secured
Loot of $4,000 and What
Became of Them

| Ine recent noldup OF southern Pa
cific train between Oakland and Sacra-
mento has brought up a fund OF old
time railroad robbery stories among
number Of railroad men in this city,
says the Salt Lake Telegram.
In former days IL was q common
thing to rob the express car and the pas
sengers.
Twenty or 30 years ago it was COM
mon thing to hear that q train had
been held mp in some part of the West.
The men who turned these tricks"
were known as among the most des-
perate criminals the United States had
known. They did not hesitate at muir
der.
In a majority of the cases the treasure
in the express car was the object of the
robbers. A little thing like dynamite,
II 1t was necessary to blow open a safe
or the door OF an express car. was never
lacking. Years ago Wells. Fargo &
Co.. were among the heaviest losers.
Stages were held up. and express cars
known to carry bullion or gold were
the especial objects Of the robbers, who
usually made their escape.
The matter reached a point where
the express company and the railroad
people had concluded to stop at nothing
in the way Of expense in the effort to
run down the robbers. Hundreds of
men, known to be Of the right kind, were
employed by the railroad and express
people. They were ready to respond
to the call at any hour. They knew
the country and there was scarcely a
| defile. canyon or hollow that they
| could not find by day or by night.
They knew every rancher and stock.
man and knew where they could get a
fresh relay of horses.
1t took years to run down the various
members Of the different gangs that
were known to be operating as stage
or railroad robbers, and it costs thou.
sands OF dollars. but the object was OBJ
tanned, until today a train robbery is
| about as rare in the West as in the
East or any other part of the country
Conversation among n group of rail.
road men turned .>on what was the
greatest railroaS robbery in history.
Judged by tie amount of loot secured
it was said the robbery at Big Springs,
Nebraska, September IS. 1877. was the
most important.
William t"Bill'D Heffridge, sam
Bass, Jack Davis. James Berry. Tom
Nixon and Henry Underwood were the
robbers.
In some way. never explained, these
men learned that heavy shipment of
gold was to be made from the mint in
San Francisco to the sub-treasury in
New York. The shipment amounted to
$500, 900. practically all of which was in
$40 gold pieces. II was packed in boxes
weighing about 300 pounds exch. Short
ly after the Union Pacific train pulled
out of Big Springs, Nebraska. at night,
the engineer and fireman looked into
the muzzle of two big revoivers held in
the hands Of two men who did not even
take the precaution to wear masks. The
engineer and fireman were told what
was expected Of them and they did not
dsobey orders, as death would have
been the result
While two Of the six robbers covered
the trainmen two others forced an en-
trance to the express car and secured
$64. 900 in gold. The other two went
through the train and secured between
$4,000 and $4,000 in money and jewelry
from the passengers.
d. e. Burley, now general passenger
agent for the Oregon Short Line. was
then deputy sheriff of Douglas County
Nebraska, 10 which the crime had been
committed.
"Get those men" was the only in.
struction that Mr.. Burley had from his
chief. In 80 minutes the young deputy
had commenced to organize his forces.
Men were sent East and West. They
were informed by the deputy sheriff
that they were out for men that would
kill them II by so doing they had an op.
portunity Of escape.
Young Burley headed one posse while
others OF known nerve were leaders OF
other groups. In less than week the
six men most wanted were ia custody,
the Rurley posse having captured three
of them.
Bass and Underwood later made their
escape, and while attempting to rob
. train in Texas were shot and killed by
E Texas rangers. Heffridge. Berry and
] Nixon met violent deaths few year,
: later. Davis escaped and the last heard
a from him, several years ago. he was sup
posed to be in South America