The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-17
William Newberry Convicted Of
Holding Up a Train and Rob-
bling the Mail.
End Of the Long Drawn Out
Trial at Fargo, North
Dakota.
Story of How Two Young Men Played tho
Part Of Highwaymen About
y Yenr Ago.

Northern Pacific train holdup last June.
was found guilty at Fargo yesterday Of the
crime of forcibly robbing the mails. The
jury was out eighteen hours. Sentence was
not pronounced. The law hearing on The
offense for which Newberry was convicted
reads as follows: ANY person who shall
rob any carrier. agent or other person in
trusted with the mail of such mail
or any part thereof, shall be punish
able by imprisonment at hard labor
for not less than five years and
not more than ten years; and il convicted
Il second time of a like ~offense, or if, IN
effecting such robbery the first time, the
robber shall wound the person having
custody of the mail, or put his life in
jeopardy by the use of dangerous weapons,
such offender shall be punish
able by imprisonment at hard labor
for the term of his natural
life" Newberry put the lives of all the
hands, in jeopardy through the use OF his
pistol, and in fact struck one of the men
across the neck with the weapon for not
moving quick enough. The conviction,
under these circumstances caves the judge
no option but to sentence Newberry for
life. Charles Bailey, his accomplish, is
serving an eight year sentence for his part
IN the holdup.
The robbery for which Newberry has
been convicted occurred Saturday, June z,
of last year. As the through Northern Pa
cifc train from Portland to st. a was
pulling out of New Salem. in North Dako-
tn, that evening, two masked men appeared
in the engine cab from either side. They
covered the engineer and fireman with for
ty-four-calibre revolvers. The engineer was
ordered to pull down tho track q mile or SO,
which he did. Then the mail, baggage and
express and were ordered cut off from the
other part of the train. and with them the
engineer was forced 70 run another mile
/ and stop. The engineer was compelled, al
the muzzle of the revolvers. to take hit
coal pick and batter in the door of the e1'
press car. The robbers intended to plum
der the express company's safe. but the
fusilade which they had fred at the first
stop had alarmed the messenger, who hac
made his escape. -Four men were dead.
heading a ride in the car, but they die
not have the combination of the safe
The robbers next turned their attention tt
the mail car, into which the robbers
marched the engineer, the fireman and thu
brakeman, one covering them with a re.
volvsr while the other directed operations
The leader, 10Y known to have been New
berry, compelled the mail clerk to cut open
the registered package sacks and the othel
matter and put it in a common canvass bag
Having completed this work the robber'
marched the trainmen out of range OF thu
engine headlight and departed acros
country on horseback. III trainmen con
nected the coaches and continued down tn
line. Besides the cars mentioned ther
were eleven passenger coaches on the trail
and in them were 200 passengers. The.
had all been alarmed by the firing of tn,
I robbers and expected momentarily to SCI
the robbers and be relieved of their val
uableS. In the pRrlor cars the passenger
had their money and valuables out ready t.
hand over, deeming that the safest course
Posses were soon in pursuit and on tn
morning of June Il, Bailey was caught abou
eighty-fve mile from New Salem. He wa
found resting from his long ride on tn
bank of a small stream under come lov
bushes. The horse was grazing at the Ell.
of a lariat. the saddle lying on the ground
Seeing his pursuers, he threw the saddle o.
the horse, flung away u bag of silver dollars
a package of -four and n of bacon, an
dashed of at full speed. He was overtakel
and held up at the mouth of a Winchester
The streams were swollen, his horse had be
come fatigued, and he could not keep u
WIN MS companion. luey ndO sepdEdIo
to meet in st. Louis in July n divide til
spoils. Bailey was taken to Fargo and o
Oct. Ia was found guilty and sentenced t
eight years in the penitentiary.
After the ~highwaymen separated, New
berry out across the country, doubled o
his tracks several times, and finally reache
the Canadian Pacific. He was traced t
Albany. thence to New York city, and a
through the east and south until he ar
rived in Virginia. There Inspector Wal
kins, who had been following the long trai
captured him. Newbury made no resist
ance and consented to go back to Mort
Dakota without any legal steps, as he di
not wish any %notoriety in that part of th
country on account of his family, which
a very respectable one.
During his trial Newberry apparently ha
the sympathy of all the ladies who attende
court. He received bouquets flom some c
them every day, and one of the women VIII
watched the case all the way through wor
Newberry's diamond ring in court.
Deposits of 81 and upwards received by Mo,
tana Savings bank and five per cent. interest "a