The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-19
MANY DOUBT GUILT
OF THAYER'S GANG
Full Story of the Robbery of the Great Northern Flyer
Eight Years Ago-Crime Laid to the Door
of Three Missourians.


c. F. Hoffman, H. L. Minot and J. c.
Hall, who are serving twenty-year SEN
fences for holding up the Great North
ern flyer at Carlisle station, may be
given their liberty has aroused new in
terest in the cases, and evidence going
to show that theywere not guilty OF the
crime of which they were convicted is
here published for the first time.
The Great Northern flyer, now known
as the Oriental Limited, left the twin
cities on the afternoon of Nov. 10, 1898,
and arrived here at 7:30 pm. Then, as
now, it was the finest train on the
Great Northern system. It ran direct
~ from the twin cities to Seattle, and
its express safe was frequently the de-
pository of large amounts of cash IN
transit.
On the night in question, the train
made the customary stop at the station
here, and Just as it was pulling out, two
men boarded the blind baggage. Sew
eral persons saw them get aboard, but
thought they were ordinary hoboes.
The two men were quiet until they
were about four miles from the city.
Then they crawled over the tender and,
aiming guns at the head Of the engineer
and fireman, commanded the former to
stop the train at the Carlisle whistle
post. one mile from the station. eff
YOU miss the post by ten feet, / II blow
your id head off, ~ was the way the
rObber expressed it, and the engineer
stopped the train at the point Indicated.
Express Car Blown.
The engineer and fireman were then
invited to step out and take seats on an
eInbaDkment, and one man stood guard
over them while another pounded OH the
express car door and demanded that it
be opened. Two or three passengers
put their heads ont of the train to see
what was going on, but few scattering
shots warned them that they would be
safer inside, and the highwaymen
again turned their attention to the ex-
press car Whether three or four men
took part in the robbery is point that
has never been satisfactorily settled :;
the fact is. no one knows.
The refusal of the express messenger
to open the car delayed operations for
mite was placed under the floor, a great
hole was blown thru it, and the leader
Of the gang crawled thru, followed by
one Of his companions.
Missed the Real Treasure.
The opening of the local safe was a
matter Of only few minutes' work
but it contained little of value. The
real treasure was locked up in the big
thru safe, built especially to with
stand highwavmen; the opening of this
safe was a difficult matter. and the
robbers knew it. They accordingly hello
revolvers to the head of the messenger
and threatened him with death if he
refused to open it, but he told then
ignorant of the combination. The com
binatlor was known only to the agent!
at each end of the line =
The burglars did not shoot, bu
turned their attention to the treasur,
vault, using nitrog lycerin and othe
explosives. They blew off the outer GOV
erIng, and the charges literally wrecked
inner safe could not be opened. and
after nearly two hours of ineffectiv
work. they gave up the attempt, re
leased the prisoners and struck on
over the dark prairie.
Caught at Moorhead.
News of the robbery was hasti
teleegraphed to all stations in this v
entity and county officials and tn
Great Northern railway soon had posse
out in all directions. kilograms a,
thorizing rewards aggregating $500
We're received here before midnight.
No trace Of the men was found tina
night. however, but the following for,
noon Thayer. Minot, Hoffman and Hal
y.
Edwards, were arrested at a hotel
Moorhcad.
The men were all heavily armed. an
carried large quantities of dynamit
nltroglvcerin and other explosives. ais
bewildering array of burglars too
of every description. They were brougt
back to this city for trial on the chara
OF holding up the train. Thayer stoo
trial first, and was convicted and sci
fenced to twenty years Imprisonment
Mlnot. Hoffman and Hall secured
continuance Of their eases and We
tried six months later. AS they had a
ready served six months in Jail, the
were sent to Saltwater for ninetet
and one-half years. Ross and Edward
inc from Michigan City. n. D.. whe
the robbery occurred and they we
released.
The theory of the prosecution W;
that after robbing the train. Thave
Minot, Hoffman and Hall drove aero
the country to Breckenridge, and the
took train for Moorhead. The d
PENDANTS assert they spent the eve
ing in a disordcrly house in Brecke
ridge, and they brought several w
nesses to prove they were there, b
the witnesses were necessarily of som
what doubtful character, and their te
timony carried little WEIGHT. Two
three reputable persons swore tn
they saw them going in the direction
the resort in question on the evenil
OF the robbery, but the state mai
tanned they were mistaken. and
everyone admitted that the four m
Were hard citizens, they were east
convicted
: Another Gang Suspected
:. The Thayer gang was by no mea
the only gang that was at work in Il
vicinity about that time. Breckenrid
and Wahpeton harbored, thruout
fall, several of the most hardened cri
lnals that have ever infested weste
Minnesota. There was no lid on, a
at Brec kenridgc, especially. everythi
ran wide open. Harvest hands we
held UP and robbed. and safes we
blown from time to time, and the cri
inals generally found a safe retreat
Among the desperate characters W
were thus operating "on the borde
were three men from Missouri. Th
went under various aliases, but til
= have been known here as Gary, Eva
and Howard, Howard being genera
- known as "Shm. - Three davs af
the robbery they left Breckenridge
southbound train and returned
Missouri. There they held up seve
robbing man named Davis, CIR,
Western attorney, and We're given pl
on sentences.
Breckenridge is about twenty mi
from Carlisle and the theory of