Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1905-05-31
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY
BEARMoUTH, MONTANA, SCENE
OF ANOTHER HOLDUP.
Express Car Was Wrecked by Explos.
ion-Messenger Struck Robber Over
Taken-Engineer and Express Mes.
senqer Get $1,000 Reward.

Missoula, Mont, May 29.-The man
behind the gun at the Bearmouth
holdup of the eastbound Northern Pa
cific passenger No. 2, Saturday night,
is at the point of death from a blow
delivered by Express Messenger Laub,
when the robber stopped to pick up
sack of coin from the shattered safe.
The highwayman's partner, or part
ners, took to the hills and after being
traced by bloodnounds from the peni-
tentiary for several miles, crossed a
creek and the dogs and posse were
baffled.
No money was secured and the
Northern Pacific officials feel so CRATE
full that today word was wired that
checks for $1,000 each had been sent
to Engineer Wilson and Express Mes
senger Laub.
After the one man had ordered the
engineer and fireman to accompany
him to the express car, several shots
were fired to keep the balance Of the
train crew inside the cars. The man
behind the gun informed the engineer
and fireman that his partners were do
ing the shooting and they had nothing
to fear SO long as they obeyed orders.
Conductor Sayer attempted to ascer-
tain the cause for delay and as he
leaned out of the vestibule of one Of
the forward coaches, a shot rang out
and a bullet whizzed into the wood
work under his arm. The conductor
lost no time in pulling himself back
into the car, realizing that the delay
was a holdup for sure. He quickly
made the end of the coaches, dropped
of, proceeded back to Bearmouth sta
tion and sent the alarm to Missoula.
In the meantime the man behind the
gun, through Engineer Wilson, ordered
the express messenger to leave the
car, as he intended to blow 1t up.
Knowing that resistance was useless
the messenger complied. Using one
hand to place four sticks Of giant pow
der inside the car, and the other to
cover his prisoners, the man behind
the gun set off the first charge while
his partners kept firing along the cut
off coaches to prevent interference.
Four sticks of giant powder failed to
do the work the highwaymen desired
and six more were set OF under the
same conditions. They also failed and
16 sticks were thrown in and the car
and its contents wrecked.
Under the cover of his gun the rob-
ber forced Engineer Wilson and Ex-
press Messenger Laub into the wreck
ed car and supplied Wilson with
matches to light their way. In going
into the car Laub's hand came in con-
tact with a piece of loose iron from
the wreckage and when Wilson struck
one of the matches and the robber
stopped to pull sack Of coin from
the shattered safe, Laub brought the
iron down on the highwayman's head
and felled him. Before the fellow could
move a second crack Of the iron put
him out of business and the express
company's money was saved.
The partner or partners Of the man
behind the gun evidently took to their
heels, as there was no further effort
made to get the money.
Lose Trail Of Second Robber.
While the semitragedy was taking
place, officers were on their way from
Missoula and Drummond and blood
hounds from the penitentiary at Deer
Lodge. When the posses reached the
scene the train had proceeded slowly
to Drummond, where the injured man
was placed in charge of physicians and
guards. AS soon as the dogs from the
penitentiary arrived they picked up a
scent and started over the hills to the
southwest, following it almost five
miles. There the trail was lost and
the posses called back. No one has
been able to identify the captured
highwayman, who appears to be a
workman, about 35 years Of age. He
has not spoken since being struck.
Detectives Of the company are work
ing on the case and expect to have
tha man idopti6od NV tomorrow