Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-09-04
j.. II. SQUIRES.
The Here of the Verdi Train Robbery
His Interestering Narrative Of
the Capture of w. +.
& Co.'S Treasure
IN 1879.

j. Ill. Squares. the r~zngleadef OF Tn
gang that robbed the overland express
train east Of Verdi IN 1872, is nov
travelling agent for a firm IN Sacra-
mento dealing extensively IN lamps
Sauires recently visited this city as
agent for the sale Of a coal oil lamp
and burner Of a new pattern. One
evening during his stay on the Com
stock in the course Of q conversation
with Il Chronicle representative he
related the following interesting mar
ra1iye Of the circumstances which led
10 the robbery and Of the robbery
ztsallf
He was residing il Flowery dis
ssrict at the time the robbery was
planned. and was a partner Of the
aa5e Jack Davis IN several names
They had exhausted their money ID
prospecting, and it was necessary g
resort to strategy to raise more to de
-velop their property, which Squires
ao-day maintains contains untold
wealth, needing only coin to uncover
it. Davis had the reputation OF hay
Ing been interested ia several stage
Tobberies prior to entering into CO.
partnership with Squires', but up to
the time Of the train robbery Squires
says he was never connected ~ any
name with dishonorable transac-
Ions.
AS staging in this part Of Nevada
was nearly at an end at time it was
suggested by Davis that they put up
a Job to stop the overland express
train on the Central Pacific and rob
Wells, Fargo & Co.'S cal. After sew
aral consultations it was decided to
resort to this means to replenish their
depleted ezchequer. In order to sue
aeeessful carry out their plans it was
necessary to take in several accom-
plices. Three men let into the secret
had friends in another gang which
had also been arranging a train rob
berry.
Three Of this gang were taken in
IN order to keep them from giving
the business away. which they might
have been had they been kept out.
Among these was Gilchrist, who at
aerwards turned States evidence.
Squares was selected to lay the
plan for the robbery and was unani-
mously chosen leader Of the gang.
After a careful survey Of the situa-
ton, he decided upon the quarry
side-track at Hunters crossing Of the
Truckee river, four miles west of
Reno, as the most eligible place for
committing the robbery.
Verdi at that time vas the meet
ing and passing point Of the east and
west bound overland express trains,
they both being due there shortly
after midnight.
Squires went to San Francisco
and spent several weeks in ascertain
ing the amount Of coin shipped by
Wells, Fargo & Co, and he says that
he knew to d dime every day the
exact sum that left the office in that
city on the overland express.
On the night Of the robbery the
gang, which had been concealed in
the timber in the hills back Of Verdi,
assembled at the station a short time
prior to the arrival Of the express
train from San Francisco, and just as
the conductor signaled the engineer
to pull out Of the station, Squires and
four Of his men stepped upon the
platform between the baggage and
express cars, and DAVIS, Parsons and
another man got aboard on the plat
form Of the mail ear, next to the en-
CINE, and climbing into the cab Of the
engine, covered tho engineer and fire
man with shotguns and ordered them
to keep quiet and obey orders.
Meanwhile Squires and his men
been observed to step on the forward
platform Of the baggage car, and a
brakeman, thinking they were tramps
followed them and ordered them off