Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-09-02
BOLD HOLD-UP
IS ATTEMPTED
Three Suspicious Looking Character:
Bluffed Out by Detectives on the
Great Northern.
KID CURRY is SUSPECTED
Inside information Received That the
Noted Desperate is In This Part
Of the Country.

Havre, Aug. 29.-What is supposed
to have been an attempt to hold up
the west bound flyer occurred last
night near Malta, soon after the train
had left the Malta water tank, and
was only frustrated by a detective
who was riding on the engine. Three
suspicious looking characters boarded
the train and two started to climb ov-
er the tender when they were discov.
cred by the detective. covered with
a gun and ordered off. They promptly
slid off the side of the tender, disap-
pearing under the cover of the night.
For three days the train crews, mail
clerks and express agents on passen-
ger trains between Glasgow and Hav.
re have been armed TO the teeth and
a score of Pinkerton detectives and
special Great Northern men have
been riding up and down the line an
ticipating a hold-up.
The company received inside infor-
nation four days ago that Kid Curry
was back in the country and would
attempt hold-up. Whether Curry is
in this section or not is not known
but the character of the information
given the company officials here was
of such a character that it was estab-
lished that hold-up was planned and
would take place within a day or two
The entire special detective force
of the Great Northern has been work
ing on the case. dozen or more Pink
erton men have been pressed into SER
vice, and the prominent officials of
here for several days riding up and
down the line.
Superintendent Perkins, of the rail.
way mail service; Assistant Wilcox
and Wolf and Office Inspector Frey
with several assistants have also been
here since word of the attempted hold
UP was received.
The three men who boarded the
train at Malta last night are known
to have been armed. The third man
who boarded one of the coaches dis
appeared soon after the train left the
water tank and nothing more was
heard of him. The water tank is but
few miles from Wagner, the point
where the Great Northern hold up oc-
Cured on July 3, two years ago.
But little information can be secur-
ed from any of the detectives or COM
pany officials.
Many conflicting reports are to be
heard on the streets regarding the ex.
pected hold up. It was reported here
that Kid Curry was seen in Malta last
week, and that he is back in the coun-
try and has organized a gang of his
old-time friends to turn another trick.
Detectives have been stationed at NAL
ia and other points along the line and
every precaution is taken to discover
the rendezvous of the outlaws.
There are many who doubt serious
ly If Kid Curry returned to Montana
when he escaped from prison at Knox.
vile. 1t is regarded as almost GER
tain il he did that he made for his
old stamping ground in the Little
Rockies just south of Malta. where he
would be safer from capture than per-
haps anywhere else. but the old-tim.
ers doubt II he would have the har.
dihood to attempt anything SO soon
after his escape.
later-A company official here this
evening stated that the detectives
were positive that Curry had no hand
in the expected hold-up. The men i'm.
plicated were known, two of them be.
ing located near Malta. When the in
vestigation was started two packages
OF dynamite were found near Malta
and the hold.up was supposed to take
place on the 2Sth. For more than a
week cash shipments by express have
been suspended.
Havre. Aug. 30.-Stock Inspector
George w. Hall captured Frank Bak-
er, one of the desperadoes who had
planned to hold up the west bound
flyer at Malta this morning and would
have captured the other two members
of the gang had not the sight of the
numerous armed Pinkerton detectives
flushed the game.
The company had positive informa,
tion that the hold up would occur this
morning. Hall spotted his three men
at Malta and boarded the train at the
same time the outlaws did. One man
boarded the blind baggage, another
climbed on the rear end and third
man walked into the day coach and
took a seat.
AS the east and west bound trains
meet at Malta the east bound pulled
in just as the west bound was prepar
ing to pull out. Immediately dozer
detectives and special service mer
armed with Winchesters jumped of
the incoming train and part OF then
made for the express car and climbed
in.
The robber on the rear end saw
them, swung of the rear coach, raj
up to the front of the train, told hi
accomplice the stuff was off and thel
both made their escape. Hall had II
the meantime cached himself in on,
OF the closets of the coach, where thi
third robber was sitting, being fearfu
lest Baker would recognize him.
The outlaw did not see his pal
leave the train and expected ever.
moment after the train started tina
it would be stopped and the fun com
mence, the plan being to hold up tn
train at Wagner, the identical spo
where the hold up occurred on the Sr'
of Tulv two wears ago
Wagner was passed and 1t was no
until the train reached Harlem tha
Hall mistrusted that the game ha'
been finished. He kept watch OF tn
man riding In the coach and notice
his exceedingly nervous condition