The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-29
Outwitted by Clever En-
 gineer and Messenger.
HAS HIS HEAD CRACKED
Express Car Wrecked, But
 B0Odle Saved.
Northern Pacific CongratuIates the Faithful Employs. ana win Pre-
 sent Each of Them with a Check for s1,ooo.

Missoula, Mont. May 2s--A lone robber made most daring attempt to hold up and rob the east bound limited on the Northern Pacific last night, at Bearmouth the little station which has been scene of so many train robber- ies. That the bandit was not success- full and that he is now prisoner in the county jail at Drummond is due to the quick wit and courage of Engi- neer Wilson and Express Messenger Laub.
 The train reached Bearmouth at II o'clock last night and had just finished taking water when the engineer and fireman heard a gruff voice ordering them to hold up their hands. the com mand being reinforced by a couple of ugly looking six shooters in the hands of a tall, broad shouldered fellow. whose face was partially concealed by slouch hat pulled down low on his forehead. The engine crew prompt ly obeyed the summones and were then ordered todescend and cut loose the express car. This was done and the bandit ordered them to pull out, ha remaining on the engine and keeping the engineer and fireman covered with Lis revolvers. When mile post S1, two miles east of Bearmouth, was reached the engine was halted and the robber mrached the engineer to the express car where he was ordered to summon the messenger to come out. The mes- senger, taken unawares, opened the door at the engineers summons ana seeing that a hold-up was in progress quickly closed 1t and refused to allow the engineer or bandit to enter The robber however, had plentiful supply of dynamite and threatened that if the messenger did not leave the car he wynIIId hIQty fha QnV he senger inside of it.
 Blew on safe Door.
 Under this duress the messenger came forth and after being relieved of his revolver. he was lined up with the engineer and fireman. The robber then attached a stick of cynamite to the safe In the car and blew off the door. badly shattering the side of the car
 When the smoke of the explosion had cleared away the engineer was or dered to enter the car ahead of the robber and the messenger was ordered to follow. As the bandit climbed into the car he ordered Wilson to strike match that they might take view of the damage done by tne explosion. As the flame flickered the bandit swept his eye over the wrecked car and saw the wealth of the sare scattered about in great confusion.
 But Engineer Wilson saw something more. He saw that messenger I.aub, who was following the bandit, had picked up a heavy piece of timber from the wrecked car and held 1t raised, ready to deal the robber a death blow. Wilson quickly blew out the match and almost at the same mos ment the bludgeon decended upon the outlaws skull. knocking him uncon- scious. The messenger and engineman quickly seized upon the prostrate rob- Der, bound him with rope and running the car to Drummond, turned him over to the county officials. He had not re- gained consciousness up to a late hour today and 1t Is feared he will not re- cover.
 The express car was not so badly wrecked that 1t could not go on with the train and after the scattered con- tents of the safe had been gathered up and temporary repairs made tha journey eastward was continued There was much excitement and un- easiness among the passengers aboard the train but none of them was mos tested.
 The contents of the safe were not much injured and none of the valuables were destroyed.
 So far the lone robber has not been identified. The railway company wired to Engineer Wilson and Express MeG- senger Laub congratulations and will mail each man 8 check for $1,000 in recognition of his ser- vices.