The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-18

Benicia, Calf, April 17,-The
Cbina-Japan mail which left San
Francisco for Ogden and the east
at 9 o'clock Saturday night, was
held up by two masked men at
Sprig, two miles east of here, at
80 o'clock this morning, and
robbed of nine pouches of reg
istered mail The train carried
no express matter. -Four of these
pouches have been recovered, but
the robbers rifled the others and
are now Kidding with their loot
IN the hills and canyons between
Martinez and Oakland, Sheriff's
posses from two counties, detec-
tiyes and postoffice inspectors on
borses and in automobiles are en-
gagged in the man-hunt. The rob-
bers are we'll armed and battle
is anticipated.
The passengers on the train
were not disturbed and several of
them did not learn of the hold-up
until this morning. After getting
the mail sacks, the robbers cut
the engine loose from the train
and sent it wild, throttle open,
down the main track to the east.
In the direct path OF the engine
was a section Of passenger train No.
S, west bound. heavily loaded with
passengers But for the presence OF
mind of telegraph operator at Sui
sun. a serious collision would have
taken place The engine was thrown
into a switch in the nick of time,
Robbery Spectacular.
The train robbery Is the first chat
has occurred in California for several
years il was plotted and executed
in daring spectacular fashion. Be-
fore the fast mail had arrived at Bo-
DicIa, two men who had left Oak
land on another train two hours carl
fer and had left their train on the
Port Costa ferryboat. climbed unob-
served on the rear end of No, los
locomotive The China-Japan mall
had gone less than five miles from the
BenicIe landing when the stowaways
cr0wled over the oil tank In the ten
der and presented reVolyers at the
hoads of the engineer and fireman
and ordered them TO stop the train
and get on the engine
we are not going to hurt you"
said one OF the robbers. "Al We want
IS the treasure box"
Clerk Tries Ruse.
The engineer and fireman complied
quickly, having nothing to defend
themselves with except jackknives.
Then the robbers, taking the engine
crew with them. went back and com
PEELED the engineer and fireman to
get into the mail car. which was In
charge OF Herbert Black and his
assistant Thomas Clancy.
Throw out the registered mail
pouches" ordered the robbers
Black started to toss out newSpa-
per sacks. but the robbers showed
their familiarity with the eituatiou by
detecting the ruse at once. They
threatened TO kill the clerk unless ne
gave them the registered mail at
once Black complied. The engine
crew then was forced to carry the
nine sacks TO the engine.
Dispatcher Savee Lives.
The engine and mail car then wore
uncoupled from the coaches filled
with sleeping passengers and nun
down the track two miles, Here Che
mail pouches were thrown out upon
the ground. the engine was uncouplcd,
ats throttle pushed wide open and 1t
began Its wild journey toward
passenger train coming west at To.
lenas, sixteen miles east. passing the
51rst Of this train on a siding at
Cygnus
As tho engine passed the station
ut Suisun the operator on duty thero
noticed that II was running wild, with
no one In the cab He Immediately
reported this fact 10 the dIspatchers
office at Oakland and received lnstruc-
tlons TO call UP Tolenas by wlre and
order them to derall the on.coming
engino. Second section OF train No
s. west-bound. had just arrived at To
lenas under orders to wait there for
the China-Jnpan mail. The switch
was thrown AMI the runaway engine
which by this time was pretty we'll
relieved OF steam ran on siding and
smashed into a string of box cars.
hhe operator at Suisun had avorted