Imperial Valley press., 1923-10-12
LYNCHINC WILL
BE FATE. THREAT
ANGRY PURSUERS
Railroad Men Shot Down
In Cold Blood by
BruteS
Mail Clerk Burned to
Death in Terrific
Explosion
BY United Press Leased wire

REDDING, Cal, October H.
Posses searched the wild reaches
of the Siskiyou mountains along the
Oregon line today for bandits who
early yesterday afternoon killed
four trainmen and wounded another
i'll holdup of the San Francisco
express on the Southern Pacific, IL
miles south of Ashland, Oregon.
The entire region around Siski-
you and from Ashland south to Red
ding is inflamed over what is de-
scribed as one of the most brutal
train holdups ever staged in the
west.
The Southern Pacific company
has offered a reward of $4,000 for
information leading to the arrest
and conviction of each of the men
participating in the holdup.
No passengers were molested by
the bandits nor injured by the ex-
plosion so far as has been ascer-
tanned.
Footprints made by three men
apparently leaving the scene of the
holdup were discovered on d trail
near the tunnel. A dry cell bat
tery with wire attached also was
found on the trail. Another bat.
terry was found in the wrecked mail
car.
Threaten Lynching We
A shotgun and a As calibre' re-
volver were found at the scene of
the robbery.
Open threats of lynching the
bandits have been made.
No booty was secured.
The number of bandits taking
part in the hold up is uncertaiL
First reports said there were two.
Later it was learned that several
men had been seen to board the
tsblind baggage of the train as
it paused for a moment at Siski-
you.
The hold up was accomplished
just as the first section Of the ex-
press was leaving tunnel 13. The
engine and mail car had just clear
ed the portal when the train stop
ped suddenly. Then it started again
and Immediately afterward shots
were heard in the vicinity of the
engine followed by a violent ex-
plOsion.
C. O.. Johnson, brakeman, ran
forward toward the engine. He was
met by a bullet that pierced his
heart.
Feled by Bullets b
Conductor Marrett~ and Head
brakeman Buck Miller ran forward
and Miller was felled by a bullet
that pierced his chest. When the
conductor reached the engine he
found the body of Engineer Sidney
l.. Bates lying in the cab. A bullet
had entered his brain. The body
of Fireman Marvin Seng was on
the ground. He, too, had been shet
through the head. The mail car was
in flames, set off by the explosion
of dynamite with which the BAN
dts endeavored to open the express
safe.
When trainmcn extinguished the
fire the body Of Mail Clerk Dough-
erty was found among the wreck
age. He had been blown to bits
by the explosion
Mail sacks and their contents
were burned to embers.
The force of :be explosion wreck
ed the tunnel portal and it was
three hours before the track could
be cleared. The second section OF
the train which arrived on the
scene shortly after the holdup went
into the tunnel from the north side
and brought out the coaches filled
with panic stricken passengers.
Many passengers were nearly
overcome with fright and by tho
force Of the coneussion as the mail
car was dynam;ted.
The bodies of the slain men were
taken to Ashland where an inquest
will be held today. The condition
of Brakeman Martin is considered
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