New-York tribune., 1901-07-05
SHOT BY TRAIN ROBBERS
THREE PERSONS MORE OR LESS ur-n-
IN GREAT NORTHERN HOLD-up

Havre, Mont. July 4-The following persons VA.
shot in the Great Northern train robbery ,ss
miles east of Great Falls yesterday:
Gertrude Nj. Smith. of Tomah Wis a passa,
ger who leaned from window. received a bura+
through the right but is not seriously hrrt
Mr.. Douglass. of Clancey Mont travelinv A..
ditor for the Montana division of the Great Norrh
ern was shot through left arm near shoulder
A brakeman named Whiteside of Havre Mon,
was shot through right arm near shoulder. sba,
tering the bone; seriously injured
AS the Great Northern flyer train No -
leaving Malta the conductor noticed a man he s,,n
posed to be a tramp the front end of the rosp
car next to the engine He tried to drive him a.,
after the train started. but the pulled a re-
volver and said the conductor had better go back
or he would shoot. The conductor returned 70 the
coaches. and, Sheriff Griffith of Valley Countv
was on the train. arranged with him to arrest the
man at the next siding. When the train approached
Exeter. the next siding west of Malta. the conduc
tor sgnalled the engineer to stop. but the trai,
only slackened speed The conductor sisnaned
second time. but the train did not stop
The engineer all this time was covered by a gun
and was told by the tramp that if the train
stopped he would kill him When the train reached
a point three miles east of Wagner the engineer
was forced TO stop. and two more men appeared
armed with Winchesters The robbers began fir
ing. and the passengers at first thought chidrsr
were celebrating the Fourth.
The expressman compelled TO leave the car
blown open with dynamite. The first charge did
not break it open. and four others were necessary
before it forced. The robbers hurriedIy gath
cred in its contents consisting of specie shipments
drafts, coin and valuable negotiable paper. and re-
treated keeping the train crew and passengers or
at the psnt OF their rifles.
All three disappeared in the ravine and were seen
later, mounted on bay horse, upon white
horse one upon buckskin, heading southwark at
furious gait, the booty being plainly visible in sack
thrown across the saddle bows of the rider upon
the buckslin horse. As the nobo climbed over the
tender to the locomotive cab he drew a mask.
rendering it almost impossible to secure a good
description of him Each of his confederates was
masked. and the only information obtainable re-
garding them is that evidently half
breed
a sheep herder riding by about a quarter Of
mile from where the express car was blown up
was fired upon by the robbers The bullet struck
his saddle, but did not in1ict any serious wound
The sheep herder reported the robbery at Wagner
station about 3:3J o'clock and posse OF men from
and a posse of men from GLASGOW Mont. seventy
five miles east started within fifteen minutes by
from HAVE with doctors 10 attend the wounded
On the arrival of No at Wagner Snerin GrlInsn E M
organized posse Of ten men and started on me
alive
Helena. Mont July At is stated here that the
three men who held up Great Northern Railway
train No 3. westbound near Malta. Mont. yester-
day secured $4,000 in cash, in addition TO securities
of considerable value. The robbers did not attempt
to go through the passenger coaches Although
large posses are securing the country in all dlrec
tions no trace of the gang has yet been secured
Mr. Douglass and the brakeman. who were Sc
verey wounded by the vOlleys fired along the sldeS
of the train resting easily at the Great Fails
Hospital.
The sherIff's posse has not vet obtained descrip-
tions OF the men although Sheriff Griffith was a
Messenger on the train that was robbed. ana saw
The gang was identified to-day by their horses. and
when observed through field glasses, the WnlIe pay
and buckskin, on which they were mounted a1ter
the robbery. were plainly seen
Contrary to first reports. the men are not s1peII-
enced train robbers Information from Wagner
and rearby points is that they have been partlaIy
Identified as puncherS, employed on a rahCn
south OF the Milk River One is a hal1-oreeG as
known 10 be the man who boarded the express
east OF Wagner and forced the engineer ana nre-
man bring il TO stop at the ne91 OF tAT IasIIe
in which his confederates were hidden. The au-
thorites have been unable 10 clearly ldehlIiy tne
robbers but IT is thought that with tne N n
formation obtained their previous recofus Can O'
ascertained easily
difficult owing the nature OF the Bao LahuS
broken throughout by foothills and the eastern emo
OF the Little Rocky range Across the nhe oL ILo
Fort FeIknap reservation only a few miles distant
there are excellent hiding places. and II IS tnouSL
that IL the bandits should elude capture Io-IlinI
and once get in this ground IL VIII DC dlinoSI ii
possible TO again find them
1t Is probable that the hrSt estimate or the loss
sS3 oOO-is somewhat excessive TRUSTWORTHY m
formation received here to-day Is that SOeO was
express shipments resulting from the explosions IN
the car will represent the entire loss or the COM
pany. No information concerning the conSlgnees OF
the money in the through Sa1e Is ootalnabIe: II i
understood that a considerable part was IN the
shane OF shipmentS west from Chicago banks and
other financial institutions.