Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-14
OutWitted Two
Train Robbers
BRAVE EXPRESS MESSENGER
KILLS PAIR OF BANDITS.
USED A SIMPLE RUSE
Struck One Over Head With MaIlet
While in STOPPING Posture and Killed
Other With Dead Mans Revolver.

San Antonio Texas, March 13-EIn-
ployiug the simplest sort Of ruse, a
Wells Fargo express messenger with
courage aplonty who knew how to de-
liver a swift, terrible blow, balked the
robbery of a Southern Pacific train
early today by killing two highway
men. The holdup was staged near
the Mexican border, on the eastern
edge Of the Big Bend country in
Texas. Fer miles upon the lone
stretches Of rolling prairie only scat
tered ranch houses relieve the land
Scape monotOny. The point where the
ed, is several miles east of SandeTson,
in Terrell county.
Express Messengers Ruse.
David A Trousdale, an express mes
| senger recently promoted to his run
from San Antonio offices of the express
company, prevented the robbery. One
of the robbers who held Trousdale
| prisoner at the muzzle of a rife in a
corner, was ransacking the express car.
| ''Pm not going to scrap with you all, -
remarked Trousdale, as he conversed
with the bandit. I'm not getting
| fighting wages
"Oh, all right" replied the bandit
| Then you fellows will have to help US
| get this stuff across the Rio Grande"
Bandit Killed With HeavyMaIlet.
why don't you pick up that pack
| age?' casually inquired Trousdale as
/ he kicked at a small box on the floor
/ of the car. Its worth more than all
| the stuff you've got''
/ The robber stopped deceived by the
ruse, to pick up the package Trous-
dale grasped heavy mallet and
| struck. The bandit received the blow
/ full on the head. He fell over dead.
| There was no alarming outcry. Trous-
/ dale picked up the dead robbers gun
and waited.
Second Bandit Shot Dead.
| Meanwhile the second Of the bandits
had been working on the Ger ahead
/ When he completed his job he hurried
back to the express car.
Frank" he called,
There was no answer.
The robber swund himself aboard the
car. AS his form loomed in the door
way, the messenger fired. The ban
dit tumbled to the ground dead.
| The bodies of the robbers were put
| into baggage car and the train pro
| ceeded.
Engineer Covered With Revolver.
|
Dryden soon after midnight. Swing
ing onto the engine, they covered the
driver, Grosh, with guns and ordered
! him to proceed till they told him tc
stop. Ten miles west of Dryden they
gave the signal for q halt. The con-
ductor of the express, alarmed by the
frequent stops. sent a negro porter
ahead to inquire about the trouble
The negro was promptly covered with
1 a rife. Then the conductor crept uT
to the engine. Immediately he tool
in the situation. Before the robbers
could fire upon him he hastened bach
and down the track Walking sever.
al miles he stopped a freight train anC
gave the alarm over the wires to San.
derson.
Search For Third Bandit.
Meanwhile the robbers were putting
their plans for ransacking the express
and mail cars into execution Tonigh
the sheriff of Terrell county is search.
ing for third member of the banC
! supposed to have been posted near tn,
holdup scene with horses.
Near the point where the train wa,
stopped tracks of horses were founC
leading to the border. 1t is presumed
the robbers, had they succeeded, woulC
have made for Mexico.
Bandits Were Americans.
The bodies OF the bandits have no
been identlned. They are Americans
Whatever the robbers took from tn,
mail car was recovered. Nothing
was removed from the express car
The passengers wore. not alarmed
They knew nothing Of the holdup un
til after both robbers had been killed
Trousdale is a native OF Tennessee
: He came to san Antonio several year
ago and until a few weeks ago was EN-
ployed IN the ofnees Of the WeIls-Bar
go company here lie Is 81 years old
Jeaa Gaddis. Mnsr, was blown 4
pieces IN peculiar aoei6eRt at Ne4
Derry, Pa.