The record-union., 1895-05-01
A NOTABLE PURSUIT.
Capture of Train Robbers in Mon
tana.
How q Locomotive Assisted the Ofl.
GERS of the Law In Their
Work.

The recent pursuit of train robbers has
recalled to many persons the long and
notable chase il the Rocky Mountains
about a year ago 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 wouuding Of several others. The
chase, says the New York Sun. lasted for
more than forty days. and in the end the
robbers were caught through the agency
of a locomotive, by means OF which two
Sheritfs and their men seesawed back
and forth through a pass in the mountain
in which the robbers were entrapped.
1t 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 rob-
berry 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 man OF iron nerve, and United
States Marshal Jackson, both Of Helena,
took UP the pursuit.
| For thirty-five days they kept it up,
| losing track of the criminals occasionally
|
the ROBBERS disappeared in the mount
aims 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 a lonely and abandoned hut
on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mount
aims, at a place called Midvale. Inc
shack were they were dwelling was in
plain sight Of the Great Northern kail-
road. The men were hundreds of miles
| from the scene OF their crime, and appar-
emily safe. There were no indications 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 man named Jones, and
| from the description of the men seen at
| Midvale Sheriff Curtis had no dou bt that
! they were she criminals he wanted. Cap
| tain Cook OF the Blackfoo Indian reser-
vatlon, in which Mdvale is situated, had
| also heard of the strange characters, ana
Sheriff Curtis at once decided on pursuit
and capture if possible. He took res
taurant keeper OF Great Falls and ten
| Blackfoot Indians with him. They re-
connoitered, but when they approached
| the well-knOwn Two Medicine Lake, on
| which the cabin of the robbers was situ-
ated, they were observed by lookout,
and battle was necessary. In the at
tack and subsequent exchange of bullets
the Great Falls restaurant keeper was
killed, one of the Indians was wounded,
and the rest of the Indians fled, leaving
the Sheriff without assistance.
1t was q critical time for both sides.
Tine robbers had evidently pitched their
camp in that spot SO that they might flee
into the Rockies, less than ten miles away,
in case Of emergencies. They at once
moved with their horses down to q de-
| taI vii in a yyh IN \,
the Great Northern Railroad crosses the
mountains, and waited tor developments.
Once in the mountains, 1t is probable that
they thought they would be safe. The
pass was thick with underbrush, and it
was possible to obtain splendid ambush
there in almost any place.
| Sheriff Curtis telegraphed full ac-
count of the situation to Sheriff Gaugner
at kalspel, on the other side of the
mountains, aud asked for aid imme-
dlately. \ plan OF action was decided
upon quickly. The Great Northern Rail-
road placed locomotive at the disposal
of tie ;Shorilis and gave them all rights OF
the track across the mountains. The
telegraph operators on each side of the
mountains we're in constant comlnunica-
ton with the Snerit1S, and all traffic had
10 wait on their movements. 1t was de-
termned that those robbers should not
get out Of that pass. The snow had fallen
on the mountains that line the pass, and
it was impossible for the robbers to at
tempt 10 scale the nights. They were
hemrned in, practically, and there were
only two ways out-one at the east,
where they had entered, and the other at
the west toward kalispel. The robbers
also saw that they were trapped, and that
it meant night 10 the death.
On the very next morning after the
fight at Midvale the robbers saw the loco
motive slowly feeling its way along the
pass They were then in the deserted
village, McCartheysville, at the western
entrance to the pass. IL is far below the
railroad, and consists OF nearly one hun
dred huts such rs all new frontier towns
contain. The locomotive was full OF
armed men, and there was a prospect that
there would be an old-time scrimmage in
the famous village McCartheysville is
on Beaver Greek, and was once one of the
most famous places III Montana. 1t was q
notorious stOpplng-place on the Old tote
road from the tlathead country across
the mountains, road the army officers
had laid out in the old campaigning days
when Indian fighting meant far more
than in recent years with railroads tG
transport supplies and troops. There
was never a wickeder place in the mount.
aims than this interchangeable, and mur.
ders were of almost nightly occurrence
there. Gambling and evil women were
the chief reason for its existence. When
the railroads came and the old stage
routes disappeared the town was deserted
as it stood, and only a good-sized grave
yard remains to tell the story of The
places wickedness and prosperity.
1t was thought that no better place than
McCartheysville could be found in which
to have "a light with train robbers. IL
would be something like old times. The
| robbers were seen TO number five men.
They had picked up a fifth man in their
J escape across the plains, as it was after.
ward learned, and by the glowing tales
they told of The fascination OF their mode
J of life and its rewards persuaded him tC
join them. 1t was evident that they were
astounded at the locomotive. That was
the kind of pursuit they had not reck.
oned on. The eugine stopped opposite
, the town, and the posse made its way
cautiously down the ravines and recon-
noitered. When they neared the village
it was seen that the robbers had tied
They had been in such hurry that they
had lett their blankets, a fact that the pur-
suers saw with satisfaction, for it meant
suffering to the robbers during the night
They also left their horses and much OF
their ammunition. TEey even went oil
hungry, for the meat for their break
fast was cooking in the frying pan and
coffee was ready for drinking.
Deprived OF blankets, horses, and with
only little ammunition and no means O
escaping over the mountains, and pur.
suing party on a locomotive close upon
them, it became very unequal match
, The robbers were game. however. They