The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-08-09
LEADS WAY
TO CACHE /
LOOT OF TRAIN ROBBERS is r.
COVERED.
IS NOW SAFE IN HELENA
Big Drafts and Money Packages Were
Overlooked by Hearmouth
Bandits.

\ OvSTsVVNSO ny 0SdrH1OUIn
Bandits. # v
| Missoula, Aug. 8.-The loot OF the
North Coast Limited train OF the
Northern Pacific secured BY the rob
bers, Hammond and Christie, ON the
night Of June 16, near Bearmouhh.
has been located and recovered by
the officials Of the road. Special Agent
McFetridge Of the Northern Pacific
secret service arrived In the city SAT-
urday evening with $50, 900 worth Of
securities, drafts, diamonds, gold
watch and cash which had formed q
part Of the loot secured by the ban
dts. The cache was disclosed BY
John Christie and he guided Mr. Nc
Feridge, Sheriff Mcdonald Of Granite
county and Detective ]. 8. Hindman
to the place where the stun had been
left by the robbers.
Papers Found.
HammOnd's partner, Christie, was
brought from Hope, N. D., by Sheriff
D. J: Pepper and turned over to the
Montana officers at Livingston on Sat.
urday. When the party arrived at
Nimrod they left the general superin-
tendent's car, borrowed boat and
rowed across the river. Once across
the river, Christie, who was. not ham
pered in any manner, walked direct
to the the place where the papers
had been left, the location being about
half a mile west Of Nimrod.
No difficulty whatever was expe-
rienced in locating them, although it
was necessary to climb steep noun
tain In order to reach the cache, the
brush being too thick to go through
a direct line.
Arriving at the spot where the two
men had landed, Christie pointed out
the sackful Of papers in the willows
a short distance (not over 20 feet)
from the river bank, where it had been
thrown as worthless by the robbers
after they Investigated the fruits Of
the holdup.
The officials found the papers scat
tered about, although a few Of them
were still in the sack in which they
had been stuffed by the robbers as
they were taken from the safe. In
the lot were two drafts aggregating
$4,000, one being for $4,000 and the
other for $4,000. One package con-
tanning $50 had been torn in two BY
the robbers and thrown away as worth
less. Another package containing
considerable amount was untouched.
Scattered around in the sand and
gravel 1O5 small diamonds were pick
I'd up by the officers, careful search
being made for them. Their approx.
mate value is over $4,000. Ordinarily
hey would have been overlooked, but
Christie told the officers that he knew
hey were there; that he and Ham
nOnd did not know what was I'M the
package and when they tore it open
he diamonds dropped out and they did
lot have time to pick them up. A
arge number of smaller drafts, can
'elled express orders and remittances
we're also found at that place. No
.ttempt whatever had been made to-
'onceal the plunder, as it was in plain
light from the river bank.
Cache Unearthed.
Once everything OF value had beer
licked up, Christie led the way direct
y up the mountain for three miles.
he climb being so steep that progress
vas very slow, until he came to rock
which j,rtted from the side of the
mountain. Without any hesitation he
urned the rock over, and beneath it
1as $40 in cash, $95 Of it being In
liver, SIS in gold and the rest In cur
ency.
AS soon as this was recovered the
ZEN returned to Nimrod and later
hristie was taken to Philipsburg by
heriff Mcdonald and Detective Hind
an. where he will remain until his
ial, which wia take place some time
September. IL
Mr. McFetridge came on to MissonlA
i'd later he expressed all the recover
money and valuables g Helena
here it will be kept until tie trial
the bandits takes place