The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-17
The Leader In Last Years Northern
Paciflc Hold-Up Indicted in
Bismarck.
Inspector Watkins' Long Chase
After William Newberry and
Ellis Capture.
He VIII stand Trial on tho Serious Charge
of Forcibly Nobbing the United
States Mail,

II convlcted the court has the privilege OF
sentencing Newberry to prison for life.
There seems little doubt of the conviction,
and the sentence will, very likely, be just
as severe as the law allows, both ON account
of the gravity Of the offense and the warn
ing to Others. The trial will come off
May &c.
Newberry's exploit was one Of the most
daring in the annals of train robbery in the
west. The chase which he led Postotilce
Inspector Watkins was about as long us
any on record, and his Anal capture by that
officer the cleverest piece Of detective work
done in this region for many years. On
Saturday evening, June q last,
Us the through Northern Pacific train
from Portland to st. Paul was
pulling out of New Salem. in North Dakota,
two masked men suddenly appeared in the
engine cab, n coming from one side and
the other from the opposite side. They
covered the engineer and fireman with
A-calibre revolvers. One of the men, with
an onth, ordered the engineer to pull down
tho track for a mile and a half. This was
done ard the engineer was then ordered to
cut off the mail, baggage and express cars
and run another mile. At the second stop
the engineer was compelled. at the muzzle
of the revolvers, to take his coal pick and
batter in the door of the express car. 1t
was the intention of the robbers to plumber
the express c%ompany's safe, but a fusillade
which they had fred at the first stop had
alarmed the messenger, who had made his
escape. Four men who were dead-heading
a ride were in the car. but they. of course,
did not have the combination of the safe.
Satisfying themselves of that fact the rob
bers turned their attention to the
mail car. The engineer, fireman,
and brakeman were marched into the mail
car, one robber keeping them under cover
of his weapon, while the other directed
operations. The leader of the two high
waymen compelled the mail clerk to hand
over all the registered letters, of which
there were 81. Next the clerk was forced
to cut open the mail sacks and packages.
Gathering all the valuables the highway
men marched the trainmen out of range of
the engine headlight and departed across
country on horseback. The trainmen con-
nected the coaches and continued down the
line. Besides the cars mentioned there
we're eleven passenger coaches on the train
and in them about 200 passengers. They
had all been alarmed by the firing of the
robbers and nobody left the coaches. All
expected %momentarily to see the robbers
and be relieved of their valuables. In
the parlor cars the passengers had
ready to hand over, deeming that the safest
course. Had the highwaymen gone through
the passengers they would have found rich
pickings. As it was they secured $4,000.
Inspector Watkins was detailed to work
the case up. He started upon the trail at
once. and organized posses of four and five.
With the assistance Of the sheriff of Nor
ton county thau covora1 1d0 roilaa cf err
rounding territory in four days. On the
morning of June - they met Charles e.
Bailey, one of the robbers. About eighty-five
miles from New Salem, early n morning,
he was found resting from his long ride on
the bank of a small stream under some low
of a lariat, the saddle lying on the ground.
Seeing his pursuers, he threw the saddle on
the horse, flung away a bag of silver dollars,
a package of flour and one of bacon,
and dashed off at full speed. He was over
taken and held up at the mouth of a Win
chester. The streams were swollen, his
horse had become fatigued, and he could
not keep up with his companion. They
had separated to meet in st. Louis in July
and divide the spoils. Bailey was making
for the Black Hills when caught. He was
taken to Fargo and on Oct. IA was found
and was sentenced to eight years in
the ~penitentiary. Bailey was the nan who
h6Ru UlO Ukulll sP0OAl0 CON0lOu Will LIE
during The robbery, and was evil
IDENTIFY acting under the direction of a su-
perior. That superior was Newberry. AZ
ter the highwaymen separated, Newberry
cut across country, doubled on his tracks
times, and finally reached the Ca
madam Pacific. He was traced to Albany.
to New York city, and all
through the east and south until he
in Virginia. There Inspector Wat
kins. who had been following the long trail.
captured him. Newberry made no resist
and consented to e back to North
Dakota without any legal steps, as he did
not wish any notoriety in that part of the
country on account of his family, which is
n very respectable one. Newberry is 30
years old and for about nine years, unit!
northwest. He wore lots of iewelry and
often sported a cowboy suit. His murder
Gus 44-calibre, with its hair trigger, had
evidently seen much service, as there were
several "notches'' on it, each supposed to
represent a man. If there are any charges
of that kind against him, it is not likely
that they will be pressed, as the charge of
robbing the mails will be sufficient to send
him up for life.
Part of the money stolen was recovered
later near where Bailey was caught. In
spector Watkins made a days search there
several days after the capture and found u
large mount of mutilated money scattered
about. 1t was apparent that Il wad of
money had been dropped and coyotes or
gophers had torn it. One big bill was
found intact. 1t was a $1,000 government
note. Numerous lens and twenties were
found more or less mutilated.
Attention, COmunnv q.