New-York tribune., 1910-09-03
TRAIN ROBBER KILLED
Wounded Engineer Hits Him on
Head with a Rock.
POSSE HUNTS COMPANIONS
Unsuccessful Attempt to Rob
Express Car and Passen-
gers in Colorado.

Colorado Springs, Col, Sept. 2.-In des-
perate attempt to hold up westbound Colo
rado Midland train No. four miles west
| OF Divide, early this morning. an unknown
bandit was instantly killed by a rock
thrown by Frank Stewart, the engineer,
after the bandit had shot the engineer in
the leg Two young men who were found
near the scene of the hold-up are held on
suspicion One was slightly wounded in
the head by bullet.
One highwayman crawled over the tender
as the train slowed up at siding to meet
the eastbound train. AS he stopped the
train Stewart turned to see his fireman,
Paul Rachman standing with his hands
above his head. and heard the robber say
Put up your hands or I'll blow your
head off,
The robber then forced both men TO leave
the engine and marched them before him
to the express car.
According to the story told by Stewart,
who was brought to a hospital here, the
robber ordered them to tell the express
messenger that they were in peril of their
lives that the train had been held up and
that the robbers were determined to have
the money in the express car. Stewart
states that the robber fired several shots
at the heads of passengers who looked out
to see what was the matter.
When we got TO the express car said
Stewart my fireman dashed under the car
and crawled TO the other side. The robOer
leaned under the car to shoot at him. and
when he took his eyes off me ] struck him
with all my strength with a rock l had
picked up as jumped off the tender. AS l
did so he whirled and shot at me, the bullet
striking me in the leg. l guess my blow
finished him, for he never moved after the
roc, hit him. | must have tainted then,
for the next | knew the conductor and ex-
press messenger and a group of excited
passengers were standing about me-
When the remainder of the train crew
heard the shots they seized weapons and
rushed to the head of the train, firing as
they went.
Shortly after the hold-up Sheriff Won
Publ and a posse secured the country near
the scene of the attempted hold-up and
discovered the two young men hiding in
the brush.
One was dazed by bullet wound in the
head. The men claim they were riding the
blind baggage" in beating their way to
Grand Junction. They say the wounded
man was struck by stray bullet from the
bandits gun.
The dead robber wore a cloth mask and
a gunnysack tied about his neck. He was
armed with two revolvers which had evil
IDENTIFY been unused for some time The
engineer and fireman say he spoke with 4
Swedish accent.
There was nothing on his person to iden-
tify him His body was left at the scene
of the hold-up until the arrival Of the
Coroner from Cripple Creek
There was no unusual shipment of money
in the express car, but the bandit told the
fireman as they marched along the train
that he intended to rifle the passengers Is
we'll as the Wells Fargo box.
1t is believed the desperado who was
killed had confederates secreted on the
train Members of the train crew and pas
sengers report seeing two men run from
the scene Immediately after the killing. 1t
is doubtful, however, If the evidence Will
be sufficient to hold the two men captured
The scene Of the hold-up is one OF the
widest in the Rocky Mountains. The
country has few settlers, and it offers an
easy escape into the hills.