The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-12-14
HELENA COAL THIEVES
Prominent Dealers Charged With Steal
ilS By tho Carload.
Denver Paper Chains That An Arress
laaAs as Paeble win Unearth the
whole Conspiraey-MoreA Ar
rests VIII Follow.

DENVER, Dec. 13.-The NesCs says: The
thieves who have for the past two years
been robbing the Northern Pacific rail-
road of thousands of dollars worth OF
goods are about To he brought tn justice.
Since Thiel's Detectives have taken charge
of the case q great many robberies have
been brought to light, and within the past
two weeks the most gigantic steal. as well
the bolSlest. ever attempted on the road,
was finally brought tn light, and three or
four secret arrests made. Though the
railroad company has endeavored to keep
the matter quiet, the very boldness OF the
transaction il apparent to the public.
Coal merchants of Helena, Mont, are
the guilty parties this time, and on n mum
ber of them will the crime be fastened
effectually, and with the result that
eral may serve terms i'm the penitentiary
for stealing coal by the carload and haul
ting il n distance of 100 miles from the
company's mine without paying freight.
1t is the most gigantic railroad robbery
ever known i'm the United States.
The Northern Pacific railroad OWNS and
operates the Timber Line mines. about
1iO miles north OF Helena, Mont, and as
they have the largest as well as the best
mines i'm the locality. the company is
enabled to charge much higher price for
fuel. besides collecting their own rate for
the haul, Their tracks being practically the
only line of road through that portion of
the country The coal and wood dealers
OF Helena complained bitterly, but there
was no help for 1t. Two years ago. how
ever. the price of coal from the Timber
Line mines lowered by number of
merchants tn a point where IL was almost
impossible to where the local dealers
made n profit, unless they gave short
weight-a practice which they insisted
they never indulged in, always pursuing
course, and making their profits i'm the i'm
creased sales.
The detective who worked the case and
hrS, lDh al, n ssstt hptyn
chants for stealing freight, was also de-
tailed To the coal matter. The registered
not sent over the company's lines, jud9-
ing from the number OF miners required
to do the work. The detective spent three
knowledge was there any attempt at lar
| ccuy. arrangements were made N"r,'y
1 Whereby slle uetectivcs were tn OBTAIN the
number of cars each engine pulled from
the mines. The night the list was hand
ed to hh.s he watched carefully and noted
that while the train was being made up an
| extra car, which was standing on a side
track. was taken on the train ahead of
Helena. The railroad officials at that
point were communicated with and the
cars were checked by a detective. To the
surprise of all concerned the number of
the fiat car the detective had sent in did
not arrive i'm the yard. That morning the
engineer doubled the road and the islen-
tical car was returned-empty.
Where il went and how il was returned
was a mystery. On the next trip the car
by n ''spotter," and again il failed to put
i'm an appearance at Helena. II could not
fe switch. % Which % were % bosS aftsrWarsis % % cars %
fully guarded. and the car was seen at
| every point, but not at Helena-its evil
Finally the case was worked by strategy.
| A detective, who played the role of
there there: walked to the mine. and ciimbed lon on
track. The regular down train came
6ooks on sS .ns caboase e"s anS pr @
ceetled to Helena. As before. the car was
checked At every point. and, and q !, man WAS; was on q,
| destination. In the yards of Helena n
| brakeman uncoupled the flat from the
| of coal. The conductor applied the brakes
OH the caboose and il soon dropped in the
rear rear Will, the ; train went ahead OF the
watched the proceedings. A switchman
threw the switch and the fiat car turned
| As soon as il passed the switch was
thrown to the main track, and the caboose
ran up To the train, which had stopped for
a crossing. II was coupled on, and the
train proceeded to the freight depot,
minus the stolen coal cars.
| The Hat in the meantime ran n distance
of about 500 feet, when a dark form was
| seen setting the brake, the car stopping
along side q chute, when the detective
| slipped 10 the ground, and from the
shadow of distant car noticed n force OF
several men empty the coal into the
/
| track until il was about 100 feet from the
| main track. When the same engine
started ON the return trip To double the
| road. the caboose was again loosened and
| the fiat car pushed ON the main track and
| the switch thrown into position. The
train, though Il had not stopped. was GO
| ing slow-slow enough to permit coup
ling. and the car taken back to the
mines.
| The story seemed incredible. That n
| switchmarI. brakeman, engineer and con-
ductor would enter such a bold combina-
| ton seemed preposterous. The men who
| unlOadeSi the coal were employees OF the
| coal dealers. suggestion OF the detec-
| tives was adopted and when the same
| train reached the yards a few nights later
| another engineer was sent back i'm charge
| OF IL. and the empty car was LEFT i'm the
| yards beside the coal chute. Not a word
| was said, and the following night when
| the regular train crew went out. the mys-
| terious car was taken with them.
| About that time Ed Pennell. switch
man i'm the yards, resigned and came tn
| Colorado. buying an interest in saloon
in Pueblo. where he now is. Two weeks
| ago IhieIs manager at Portland. sent q.
| man to Pueblo to locate Pennell. and
while he was looking the man up several
arrests were made in Helena. and the
| ksn n.