Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-08-03
STORY OF THE
TRAIN ROBBERY
Spokane Suspect Acknowledges Par
t~icipsncy in Bearmouth Holdup
on the Northern Pacific.
HAD ONLY ONE AccoMPLIcE
Will Plead Guilty and Ask Mercy Of
the Court-Did Net Get Much
Except Diamonds.

w. J. McFetridgc, special agent of
the Northern Pacific and chief of the
detective service of that road, arrived
on the afternoon train from the west
with George +. Hammond. une Of the
men who held up the Northern Paci.
fc express train neal Bearmouth the
night of June 1G. Hammond was cap
tured in Spokane, where he made a
confession.
Mr.. McFetridge said to a reporter
of the Helena Record mat Hammond
was merely brought to Helena for safe
keeping.
You have a good jail here and we
brought him here for that reason,
he said. THE charge of assault has
been made against him, and ! pre-
sumo that he will be tried in the
county in which the crime took place
that is. Granite county"
A part Of the money and q larg,
number of diamonds taken from the
train nwere recovered. Mr.. McFet
ridge would not state the exact
amount of the booty recovered, but
he said he believed the Associated
Press report from Spokane was prac
tically correct. Hammond is wei
known in Helena.
Mr.. McFetridge said that he hat
strong hopes of capturing Hammond''
partner in the lear future.
NO, | don't think | will say any
thing" said Hammond, when seen al
the county jail. The newspapers
gave me the worst Of it when | was
arrested last fall on suspicion OF be
ing one of the dynamiters."
After being asked ii he did not IN
tend 70 plead guilty In which event
whatever he might say in the paper.
rO-.s lyi affect him. which he salt
was correct. Hammond ~cOnscntcdlt
tell something oI the robbery, The
flight and his arrest in Spokane. III
says he is - years old and has live,
in and around Helena loT six year,
working as a cowboy. He deniet
having been in the former NOrtherl
Pacific hold-up al Bearmouth or an!
Uy.,. train hold-up. He and his part
ner, a nan he had met at Missoula
pl- d the LOll-Ip and procuring
dynamite in a mine near the scene
Of the robbery. carried out the plan;
about as detailed in the papers. Jus
before they set of the dynamite OF
the safe he saw a dog in the express
car and told the messenger 10 take
him away, or the ANIMAL would b,
killed. The dog was removed.
Hammond says his partner was a.
cool as a cucumber during the pro
ceedings. Not until later, when the,
were fleeing from their pursuers, die
his partner weaken. When they pick
ed up the money and diamonds from
the exploded safe they made a diyis
ion that gave them about Sl,37,
apiece and the small diamonds, un
mounted.
But | know my partner did m,
up. said Hammond. He got abou
81 900 more that / did not know Ol
lie was stuffing his pockets all tn.
time"
Continuing his narrative. Han
mond said they took to the woods al
ter picking up the treasure. Tn
story OF their having horses was "a.
rot" They walked for miles. Onl
nsaa1 ltI tI. I1nnlla,A.l. 100 aaa,
They heard the animals about fou
miles away. They walked throug
the timber to Houston. Missoula cour
ty. a distance of about IT'S mile
They had some crackers and extraC
of beet, with which To make beef tel
For three days, Hammond said, the
had nothing to eat or drink.
Hammond says that his partner wa
a coward; that he became frightene
at the life in the timber, and tren
bled like a leaf. One day his par
lei said he was going in another d
Iection. They lad a dispute over th
division of the money. His partnC
said he wanted some bills rather tina
500 in gold coin, which was bent an
twisted from the force of the explr
sion. The two had a fight in III
woods and separated. Hammond rod
on the cars from Houston to Wallace
Idaho, where he bought a suit ,
clothing. Then he went to Harriso
by rail and by boat across the lax
TO Occur D'Alene City where he Gael
ed $3.50 in money and $3.50 of tn
small diamonds. From Occur D'Alen
City he rode into Spokane by the tro
ley. Hammond says a brakeman b