Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-09-30
ATTEMPT TO
BLACKMAIL
oynamiters Are Attempting to Hold
Up the Northern Pacific Railway
for $4,000.
FIRST STARTED IN AUGUST
Road is Being Well PatroIed and
Light Engines and Deputies Sent
Whenever Necessary.

Helena, Sept. 26.-The attempts tc
blow up bridges and destroy trains
along the line of the Northern Pacific
which has occurred along the line oi
the road in Montana at different times
In the past six weeks are in further.
ance of plot of desperate men to
work the railroad company to pay a
large sum of money.
According to the story, which is
known to be reliable, despite the reti
cence Of the railroad detectives, some
time in August the railroad officials
received letter making demand for
$4,000, and threatening IL the de-
mand was not acceded to, that a
bridge would be blown up and other
damage done.
The blackmailer proposed to the
company IL it decided to accede to the
demands that it put on the engine OF
each train white flag. No attention
was paid to the letter and there fol.
lowed the attempt to blow up the
bridge at Livingston and the dynamit.
ing of the track near Bozeman a few
nights later.
Following the outrage at Livingston
and Bozeman other letters were sent
to the railway officials and in these
the demand was for $4,000. The
situation by this time had come to
assume a serious phase and all the
forces of the company were brought
to bear to discover the author of the
letters and the perpetrator of the out
RACES. The first intimation any one
had as to the true condition of affairs
and that the dynamite explosions at
Livingston and Bozeman were not the
acts of an insane man or an attempt
to hold up train, was when trainmen
noticed white flags on engines pass
ing over the line between Livingston
and Missoula.
Readers of the Tribune will recall
that August 4th this paper published
a dispatch from Missoula detailing
the arrival in that town the night of
September End, of light engine fol-
lowed by an engine and two cars, one
of the latter filled with armed sheriffs
and deputies, and the car containing
horses and blood hounds. The story
given out at the time was that the
railroad people had been given q tip
that an attempt was to be made that
night to hold up the Northern Pacific,
and that the armed men and horses
and blood hounds were sent out 10
head off the attempt and capture the
would-be robbers.
The fact is that the night Of the
gathering of the officers and the ride
to Missoula was the date set by the
dynamiters for the company to pay
over tile money. No special place, ac-
cording to the story, was named by
the plotters, where the money would
be handed over, but 1t was to be some
where between Butte and Missoula,
and the engine was to stop on signal
given by the dynamiters. It is sup
posed the money demanded was In
possession of one of the railroad ag-
ents, who rode on the light engine.
When he delivered the money the EN-
CINE was to run back. notify the offi-
GERS following and then the officers
were to take after the blackmailers On
horse back, the hounds leading the
way. But the dynamiters did not shCw
any signal and the trip was fruitless.
judging from the result the plotters
NUT have been informed of the pro
rarations made for their capture and
for the time dropped their scheme.
Tut they only dropped 1t temporarily.
Shortly after the failure other letters
were received, and the same demand
for $4,000 was made, II the road
wanted to be free from the work Of
the dynamiters. No attention. so far
as can be learned, was paid to these
later letters in the way OF acceding
to the demands made. At least no sig
nal has been displayed on engines
showing that the company will nego-
liate with the dynamiters. That the
men are desperate Is shown by their
acts. The railroad not complying
with their demands, that is signify
its intention by a signal OF agreeing
to terms proposed, the dynamiters
have continued placing explosives on
the track.
The only effect these recent out
RACES have had has been to make the
company redouble its efforts to catch
the perpetrators of the outrages and
protect the line. The scene OF the
outrages have so far been between
Livingston and Missoula and between
Butte and Garrison. The wrecking Of
a street car In Butte about week
ago is believed to have been the work
of the same gang. the idea being that
they intended the explosive for the
Northern Pacific track and got II on
the street car tracks by mistake.
Al along the line of railway there
are now hundreds of guards, night and
day; every mile of the track is pa
troled by armed men, bridges are care
fully watched, tunnels guarded and
no point Is left without patrol. In ad
dition to the new men who have been
put out, all section men. trainmen
and others connected with the road
have been instructed to keep careful
watch OF all men. strangers found
along the line of the road. and report
their presence Immediately.
While II is not known that all oil
the letters received from the dynamit
ers have been mailed from Butte and
Helena, II is pretty sure that some ol
them were. The railroad people will
not talk about the letters, though NOT
DENYING that they have been received
hut they refuse to divulge anything as