Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-09-07

WHICH n6 ulu- Two Ol Tile fODDtfS ell
tered the car and ri1ed it, but only
secured about $50 from the way safe.
The messenger was then ordered to
open the through safe, and it took
him several minutes to convince the
road agents that only station agents
knew the combination. The ring
leader then said: Lets blow it up"
A sack containing giant powder was
produced, but for some reason the
project was abandoned. While this
sensational scene was being enacted.
the passengers who stuck their heads
out of the windows to see what was
the matter were greeted with curses
and a shower of bullets which crashed
through the windows over their heads.
The road agents proceeded to therear
end of the train in single file, with the
engineer, fireman and messenger in
front. The only resistance encoun=
tered during the entire transaction
was offered by the Pullman porter
| when he was ordered to unlock the
door. Instead of obeying he fired a
shot through the glass door, the bullet
barely missing the fireman. The shot
was answered by a volley of bullets
poured into the car from the road
agents revolvers. 1t had the desired
effect, for the porter unlocked the
door with commendable alacrity.
Two of the robbers were stationed
with leveled Winchesters at either end
of the car, while the procession OF
trainmen, gaining in numbers as they
passed from cal to car, were marched
ahead and made mute witnesses OF
the plundering operations. Not sim
gle passenger escaped the stern COM
mand to ..shell out" There was no
deviation on account of age, sex or
color. Those who had not taken
warning and secreted their money and
valuables, were soon relieved of these
things. Numerous gold watchesL.and
| diamond pins were secured, and in
several instances, rings were snatched
from the fingers of half dressed,
deathly pale and thoroughly fright.
ened lady passengers.
This highly dramatic scene was re-
peated in the next sleeper and in every
one of the coaches. The only train.
man held up was Conductor Rapelje
who was relieved of his gold watch
and about $40 in money. Not u per
son offered the least resistance or dis
puted the right OF the robbers to con
fiscate anything they desired. Th,
passengers were completely terrorized
In this the raid was highly successful
But it was a dismal failure in the
amount OF booty secured. Theleadel
kept cursing his luck and said: "Thi
is the smallest haul / ever made.
can make more money herding sheep.
, After passing through all the cars
the trainmen were ranged by the sid
: of the engine, while the robbers dis
cussed the advisability OF goin
) through the sleepers again and maxim
a more systematic search. This ide'
was abandoned, however, because o
, the fact of a slower train having side
l tracked short distance west a fe,
e minutes before Seeing the holdu
the engineer had side-tracked his train
, uncoupled the engine and starte
back for Grey Cliff to give the alarm
1 Had the robbers not been consciou
= of this fact they would have made
bigger haul. It is estimated they 8,
Z, cured about 81 900 in money an
: jewelry.
d only one who had any popularity {
4 speech being the leader, he having
o very pronounced southern accent. II
had about six weeks growth {
J whiskers. They all wore light colore
i handkerchiefs for masks. Two {
e them wore grey caps and the Other
A white sombreros. Two or three {
them wore overalls. They all al
peared nervous and green at the bus
r ness except the leader, who was 9
p cool and collected as any of I'll
- famous James gang. After detainir
the train fifty minutes the engine,
'e was ordered to pull out and the la,
Ie seen of the robbers they were backiI
It off towards the Yellowstone al
"a shooting in the direction of the trai
notwithstanding that not a sing
person was wounded.
The information of the holdup W,
t. Immediately telegraphed all along Il
ID line. At Billings a special train ca
:, rying Sheriff Ramsey and a posse
" twelve mounted men started at 1 ::
ID O'Clock this morning and reached ii
10 scene at 3 O'Clock. A special was all
st made up in Livingston. carryi
,. Sheriff Conrow, ex-Uuder Sheriff Jac
- son and Tom Guiden, all mounte
1t The Livingston special joined Sher
r. Ramsey and posse at daylight.
M was found that the robbers we
mounted and had struck out sou
over the mountains toward WyomiI
ut The posse is now in hot pursuit.
x, Anaconda Standard.