The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-19
ROBBED BY TRAIN HANDS.
Amateur Knights Of the Road Left
Their Tracks Uncovered.
HOW THE MINERAL RANGE TRAIN
WAS HELD UP.

Fireman in the Gang Recognized by the
Engineer Who Faced His Revolver
The Masks the Robbers Wore Gave
Another Clue-Then the Fireman Con-
fessed-The Express Messengers VAL
liant Defence Was Bogus-He Was in
the Gang.
Marquette, Mich, September 1s.-To-
night, practically all the men who had
anything to do with the robbery of the
Mineral Range express last Friday, of
$4,000 were in jail or under espionage,
and up to date $4,000 of their booty has
been recovered. Today, George Liberte,
former fireman on the Duluth, South
Shore & Atlantic road was arrested here
by the police on the telegraphic order Of
the sheriff of Houghton county. He
made a clean breast of the whole affair,
and now ten men are under arrest, among
them Tom Winters, the baggage master,
and D. w. Hogan, the messenger on the
robbed car. Liberte, in his confession,
gave detailed account of where the
trunk was left on the line of the Mineral
Range road, and special train and
some officers were sent after it. They
found the trunk, and on it's arrival at
Houghton National Bank it was opened
and found empty. On Liberties infor-
nation, $14, 600 was recovered by the off
GERS, it is claimed, at Shea Brothers sa-
loon. The empty condition of the trunk
is accounted for by the suggestion that
the money was stolen second time, and
from the robbers themselves. 1t is now
proposed to re-arrest Jack Kehoe, who
was released Friday. 1t has since leaked
out that he purchased the cloth of which
the masks were made at store at Han
cock, and took it with him to Calumet
and there made masks for the robbers.
The men will probably be given pre-
liminary trial tomorrow.
Hancock, Mich, September ia
money package containing $4,000 put
up by the Superior Savings bank of this
place was found in the possession of
Fireman Liberte. He claims that the
remaining $4,000 was stolen from him.
Duluth, September 16.-General Man
ager Philbid of the Mesaba road re
turned this morning from Marquette.
He says the case against the robbers who
held the Mineral Ridge train up Friday
was worked up from clew furnished by
the engineer of the train The man who
covered him with a revolver while the
robbery was going on showed familiarity
with the working of the engine that
proved that he was an old railroad man.
The engineer was unable to see the mans
face because the mask covered it but he
recognized the man voice and in his
report stated that he was sure the man
had formerly been employed on the
road Suspicion fell on Liberte.
1t was discovered that he
had been missing from his
home at Marquette for two days at the
time of the robbery and that Wednesday
he borrowed revolver which he returned
on Saturday. Search was made for him
but he could not be found. When the
officers inquired at the house they were
told by his mother that she did not know,
where he was. The general manager of
the South Shore evolved plan by which
Liberete was captured. The young
Frenchman, only week. or two before,
had applied for position on the road as
brakeman and call boy was sent to the
house as is done when man is wanted
for any train crew. The boy left word
that Liberte was wanted to go out on
the train and that he was to bring his
dinner pail ready for work. Liberties s
mother denied that he was home when
the time set for the departure of the
train, Liberte came to the Office of the
the general manager and was
there arrested Liberte at first
denied all knowledge Of the affair and it
was decided to take him to Houghton A
special was made up and he was put
on it with the officers but before the
Of %l,axy nd III, a1,fp coI
that if the officers would take him back
to Marquette he would make full con-.
fession He was then take to Jail where
he told his story.
According to Liberties story, Express
Messenger Hogan, who had charge OF the
money, was one of, if not the ringleader,
of the robber gang. 1t is believed that
he furnished information as to the train
the money was on and pointed out the
place where it could best be tagged and
then robbed. He made pretense of
resistance to deceive the rest of the train
crew but gave up the money willingly.
Liberte stated that after the money was
taken from the car it was put into. the
trunk and checked as baggage from
Houghton to Marquette The baggage
master at Marquette, while not originally
in the plot knew of the contents of the
trunk shortly after it's arrival. Liberte
stated where the trunk was, but when
found was empty. He afterward declared
that he knew that the money was not in
the trunk when it left Houghton, but
that he did not know what became OF
it, Later he told the officers where a
portion of it was likely to be found and
some of it was recovered. Liberte said
the rest of the money would be found in
one of three places and watch was set
on these places. Hints he gave to the
officers led them to believe that he knew
all about the removal of the money from
the trunk after it's arrival at Marquette
and they had no doubt of their ability
to induce him to tell where all Of it could
be found. The officials of the South
Shore believed that of the money they
had not yet recovered when Mr.. Philbin
left that no more than $4,000 will be
entirely lost.
GENTLEMAN GEORGE is DEAD.