Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-29
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
The recent pursuit Of train robbers in
the East has recalled to many persons
in the far West the long and notable
chase in the Rocky Mountains about
year ago of baud which resulted IN
the capture of two of the band, the
death of three of their companions, the
death of one of the several pursuing
parties, and the wounding of several
others. The chase lasted for more than
forty days, and in the end the robbers
were caught through the agency of
locomotive by means of which two
sheritfs and their men seesawed back
and forth through pass in the noun
tain in which the robbers were Gu
trapped.
II was about year ago that the over
land train on the Northern Pacific rail-
road was robbed on the Dakota plains.
There were known to be four men In
the band and perhaps more. After the
robbery the men struck northward
toward the Rocky Mountains. They
were heard from at Benton, and Sheriff.
Curtis, one of the famous vigilantes of
Montana, and II mau of iron nerve, and
: United States Marshal Jackson, both of
Helena, took up the pursuit.. For 35
days they kept 1t up, losing track OF the
criminals occasionally and then catch
ing the trail again. AT last tho robbers
disappeared in the mountains and all
traces of them seemed to be gone.
Sheriff Curtis then went to Great Falls,
In Montana, and while there heard one
day about some strange men who had
been seen In q lonely and abandoned
hut on the eastern edge of the Rocky
Mountains, at place called Midvale
The shack where they were dwelling
was in plain sight of the Great Northern
railroad. The men were hundreds of
miles from the scene of their crime, and
apparently safe. There were no indica.
tions to passers by that they were train
robbers, but that they were criminals
there seemed to be no doubt.
The leader of the train robbers was
known to be a man named Jones, and
from the description of the men seon at
Midvale Sheriff Curtis had no doubt
that they were the criminals he wanted.
Captain Cook of the Blackfoot Indian
reservation, in which Midvale is situated,
had also heard of the strange characters,
and Sheriff Curtis at once decided on
pursuit and capture if possible. He took
a restaurant keeper of Great Falls and
10 Blackfoot Indians with him. They
reconnoitered, but when they APP
preached the well-known Two Medi.
cine Lake, on which the cabin of the
robbers was situated, they were OBJ
served by lookout, and a battle was
necessary. Iu the attack and subse-
auent exchange of bullets the Great
Falls restaurant keeper was killed, one
of the Indians was wounded, and the
rest of tho Indians fled, leaving the
sheriff without assistance.
1t was critical time for both sides
The robbers had evidently pitched theil
camp in that spot so that they might
fee into the Rockies, less than 10 miles
away, in case of emergencies. They al
once moved with their horses down to d
deserted village in the pass through
which tho Great Northern railroad
crosses the mountains and waited fol
developments. Once in the mountains
it is probable that they thought they
would be safe. The pass was thick with
underbrush, and it was possible tc
obtain splendid ambush there in almost
any place.
Sheriff Curtis telegraphed full &C
count of the situation to Sheriff Gaug
ner at Kalispel, ON the other side of the
mountains, and asked for aid immedi
ately. A plan of action was decided
upon quickly. The Great Northern
railroad placed locomotive at the dis
posal OF the sheriffs and gave them al
rights of the track across the mountains
The telegraph operators on each side o.
the mountains were in constant com
munication with the sheritfs and al
traffic had to wait ON their movements
IL was determined that those robber
should not get out of that pass. Tn,
snow had fallen on the mountains tina
line the pass, and it was impossible TO
the robbers to attempt to scale tn
heights. They were hemmed in
practically, and there were only tw,
ways out, one ut the east, where the,
had entered, and the other at the Yves
toward Kalispel. The robbers also say
that they were trapped, and that
meant fight to the death.
On the very next morning after tn
fight at Midvale the robbers saw th
locomotive feeling its way along tn
pass. They were then in the deserte
village, McCartheysville, at the western
entrance to the pass. IL is far beloy
the railroad and consists of nearly 10
huts such as all new frontier towns con
tain. The locomotive was full of arme
men and there was prospect that ther
would be an old.time scrimmage in th
famous village. interchangeable is o
Beaver Greek, and was once one Of th
most famous places in Montana.
was notorious stopping place o
the old tote" road from the Flathea
country across the mountains, roa
Che army officers had laid out in the oil
campaigning days when Indian tightn
meant far more than in recent yeal
with railroads to transport supplies an
troops. There was never wickede
place in the mountains than this Mo
Cartheysville and murders were almo'
of nightly occurrence. Gambling an
evil women were the chief reasons Il
its existence. When the railroads can
and the old stage routes disappeared ii
town was deserted as it stood, and onl
a good.sized graveyard remains to lie
the story of the places wickedness an
prosperity.
1t was thought that no better plat
than interchangeable could be found
which to have fight with train rol
bers. 1t would be something like ol
times. The robbers were soon seen
number live men. They had picked up
fifth man in their escape across Il
plains, as it was afterward learne
and by the glowing tales they told
the fascination of their mode of life al
its rewards persuaded him 10 join ther
twas evident that they were ustoundt
at the locomotive. That was the kind
pursuit they had not reckoned o
The engine stopped opposite the tow
and the nosse made its wnv cnntinus