The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-19

Perpetrated Near Fergus Falls in
November.
Recent developments in the Great
Northern train robbery that occurred
near Fergus Falls the night of Nov
10 last, for which Link Thayer, for
merly living in this city, is serving a
twenty-year sentence at Saltwater
While five of his alleged accomplices
are awaiting trial at Fergus Falls, lead
to the claim in certain quarters that
Thayer is in prison for crime he did
not commit and that the five men in
Jail at Fergus Falls are also innocent
This claim is based in part upon the
fact that Sheriff Billings. of Fergus
Falls, is said to have positively iden-
titled three men at present under ar
rest at ST. Joseph Mo-, as the real
train robbers. These men are James
Gilmore, John Allen and Harry How
ard. They were arrested at ST. Jo-
seph for highway robbery. Sheriff Bill
1ngs went to St. Joseph last Monday
and is now armed with warrants for
the arrest of the trio on the charge
OF. being the Great Northern train
robbers. Sheriff Billings has asked
Gov. Lind for requisition papers to
bring the men back to this state, and
an effort will be made to induce the
Missouri authorities to release their
claim, SO that the suspects may be
held to answer for the train hold-up.
How these developments came about
is something of a mystery. Thayer,s
friends claimed from the time of his
arrest that he and his five companions
under arrest were not concerned in the
: train robbery, but the evidence seemed
so strong that when Thayer was tried
he was given the maximum sentence
or twenty years in the penitentiary
When captured at Moorhead late the
same night of the robbery Thayer and
his companions were found in posses
sion of complete outlays of burglar
tools. dynamite cartridges and lanterns.
C1rcumstantial evidence against the
seXtette was strong, and several of the
prisoners were Identified by the express
messenger and members of the train
crew. After the trial, however, C. C.
Haupt, Thayers attorney, still believ-
ing his client innocent of any connec-
ton with the train robbery undertook
to unravel the mystery He visited
Thayer at Saltwater several times, and
SO also did Sheriff Billings. In fact.
Sheriff Billings is said to have started
on a hunt for the three men under ar
rest at st. Joseph on a tip from Thayer,
though how the imprisoned man got
his information is not known
One story of the developments lead
ing to the present status of the case is
that Thayer and his companions were
bent on a safe-robbing venture when
they met the trio arrested at ST. Jo-
Seph, near where the train robbery
took place. The members Of each.
gang were acquainted. and it is alleged
that the project of Gilmore. Allen and
Howard was learned by Thayer and
his crowd. According to this story the
bank robbing adventure was postponed,
by Thayer and his companions on ac-
count of some unexpected obstacles.
Then it is alleged that the Thayer
crowd returned to the hotel at Moor
head, where they were arrested
In support of the above story it Is
said by Thayer's friends that the per-
sonal description of the Missouri sus-
poets corresponds very closely to two
OF the Thayer crowd. namely, Thayer
and Minot. The resemblance is said
to be so strong that the men might
easily be mistaken for each other I'M
der the excitement of the train rob-
berry. which may account for the al
legged mistake in identity on the part
Of the railroad witnesses who claimed
to recognize Thayer and three of his
companions. sd
Attorney Haupt and Sheriff Billings
have been together in this city in con-
uSCttOu Will Tie case Slice uSSudy.
After having seen the men under ar
rest at St Joseph Sheriff Billings tele
graphed Haupt to meet him here, and
together they have been working to-
secure the return of the st. Joseph sus-
poets to this state. Attorney Haupt
says he will have no difficulty in clear
ing Thayer of the train robbery charge
and also expects to have him released
from prison. He says the facts learned
xr,{Il Ice 7{eo1 81 -,
other five men under arrest at Fergus
Falls. After joining Sheriff Billings
here the sheriff and Attorney Haupt
visited Thayer at the penitentiary, and
it is said some valuable information
concerning the men under arrest at st.
Joseph was secured. The authorities
of ST. Joseph desire to hold the trio in
their custody for trial upon the charge
against them there, but 1t is believed
that If Sheriff Billings returns with
requisition papers the men will be
turned over to him.