The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-13
ROBBED WITHIN SIGHT OF BUTTE
BURLINGTON TRAIN ON THE NORTHERN PACIFIC HELD UP
BY TWO MASKED MEN.

who had them in charge thought at
first that he had lost the powder and
swore roundly, but became better
natured when he found it. The fell
low talked almost constantly to his
prisoners and as Mr.. Bell described
him was inclined to be more than
ordinarily sociable.
The only thing of value obtained
by the thieves was a few dollars.
This the messenger had in his hand
and was in the act of putting it away
when the baggageman told him to
hurry and get out of the car. The
messenger put the money in a pigeon
hole above where the safe stood and
the conclusion Of the explosion caused
it to fall to the floor and it was picked
up by the fellow. Standing by the
big safe was a small box safe, such
as messengers use for their local bus
mess. This contained a large sum of
money and although it could have
been opened easily, the robber SEEM
ed to pay no attention to it, devot-
ing all his efforts and time to the
large one, which is said to have had
After exchanging shots with them,
Mr.. Boyle left the train and hurried
on foot back to Butte where he gave
the alarm. Train No. 2, which was
some time behind the other, was stop
ped at Deer Lodge, where the blood
hounds kept at the p%enitentiary, to-
gether with their keeper were taken
on and proceeded to the scene of the
holdup. Because of the short time
that elapsed between the robbery and
the arrival of the hounds it was be-
lieved that the capture of the robbers
could be effected without much trou-
BILE. Although one report has it that
the fellows were followed into Butte
by Mr.. Doyle, it being said they were
on foot, Mr. Bell and some of the pas
sengers on the train declared thai
the men had horses and rode off on
them after having completed their
job.
When the robbers left the engineer
backed up to the rest of the train
and pulled out. AS already stated,
the express car was left at Living
ston, where the express messenger
and baggageman also remained.
According to Mr.. Bells account and
those of a couple of passengers. who
were seen by The Gazette, the first
thing the robbers did was to begin
shooting at the cars, particularly the
forward ones. In addition to the bull
lets that went into the cab, a couple
also struck the mail car, the places
where they hit being plainly visible
a short distance below the door on
the south side Of the car. No attempt
was made to rob any of the passen-
the part of the train left behind. One
of the brakemen ventured out and
two shots were fired at him, one of
| which struck a rock at his feet. He
! fastened back into the a and re
NAMED there during the rest of the
time.
A small dog was in the express car,
lying by the side of the large safe.
| Strange as it may seem he was not
killed, but the explosions apparently
| cracked his ear drums, as he Vas
! found to be absolutely deaf afterward
| still continuing so after the train ar
rived here.
During the excitement incident tc
the attempts on the safe the fireman
OF the train disappeared and was not
seen again. When the train left the
! place he was still missing and the ex
press messenger was pressed in.N
service to fire the engine. The sup
! position is that he wandered off and
became lost.
A telephone message from Butte
this afternoon, states that it is known
to a certainty that the robbers Left
there in a buggy with rubber tires anG
that there were only two men con
cerned in the holdup.
One Arrest Made.
TSnecia1 to The GaZette.7
| Butte, Feb. 12.-Wm. McCulla, ar
I rested here by Detective Murphy, i.