Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-09-26
HIGHWAY ROBBERS
Willmar Police Capture Couple of Men
Wanted for Holding Up Parties
Near Morris.

cash at the point OF big pistol by
two bold highwaymen on the top of a
passenger train going at the rate of
about fifty miles an hour was the
thrilling experience of a couple of
threshermen early Sunday morning on
their way to Minneapolis from the
North Dakota country. The victims
were c. A. Norton, of Merrill, Wis,
and James Schriver, of South Nc
Gregor, Iowa, and the hold-up
occurred short distance this side OF
Morris. One of the gentlemen was re-
lieved of 1885, and the other of $l2. 80.
The robbers were arrested in Willmar
the same morning upon the arrival of
the train here and held at the county
jail until Monday afternoon, when
they were taken to Morris by Sheriff
DeLaHunt of Stevens county and his
deputy, J. J. McCanney, to answer to
the charge of highway robbery.
Messrs. Norton and Schriver had
boarded the train at Breckenridge,
being Saturday mornings No. 4 Flyer,
due here at 10 o'clock, but which was
so late that it did not reach Willmar
before 1870 Sunday morning. They
had planned to reach their homes
without paying out all of the small
amount which they possessed in rail-
way fare and this accounts for their
presence on top Of the coaches. When
the train had pulled out of Morris they
we're accosted by the highwaymen,
who, after relieving them of their
money, ordered them to jump off the
train with the threat that if they did
not obey orders they would be instant
ly shot. Both of the hold-up artists
were masked 1t seems that the small
er of the two, who apparently was a
novice in the business, wished to be
more lenient with the victims, for after
little parleying they were finally Or
dered to retreat TO the rear end of the
train and. make their escape in less
perilohs manner. The men managed
to hold on in such a position as not
to be seen by the robbers, and later
on slid into the vestibule Of the car
and when the train arrived at Benson
reported the affair to the conductor
and the police authorities there were
also notified. Apparently there was
no attempt at an arrest before the train
arrived in this city, and the robbers
no doubt felt secure in their hiding
place and also entertained. the thought
that their victims had left the train
and we're many miles behind. possibly
lying along side the railway track in
an injured and half-dying condition
They had however been we'll taken
care of by the conductor and allowed
to ride inside with the rest of the pas
sengers until they came to Willmar.
This train makes no stops ~betWeen
Benson and Willmar and the conduc-
tor was safe in believing that no at
tempt would be made by the robbers
to get Off before reaching this city,
where the authorities could place them
under arrest, Naturally there was a
slight feeling of fear experienced by
all on board when it was learned that
armed highwaymen were on the same
train. The robbery was reported tC
Night Policeman GilbertsOn and the
Great Northern yard policeman
Charles Welch, who were at the depot
as the train came in. A search was
made on the train and in the meantime
the parties robbed had noticed cou.
Pile of men making their way thru the
railway park to the Delmonico restau.
rant. They we're suspected as being
the parties wanted and the police were
at once notified. They were followed
up and at the restaurant it was learned
that they had inquired for lodging,
but being unable to secure a room
there they had gone to the Merchants
Hotel. The two policemen went to the
hotel and discovered the men in the
lobby. They at once ordered them to
throw up their hands and they were
placed under arrest. Here the author
tiles subjected them to the same exper.
ience which the robbers victims had
undergone and at the point of pistol
they we're carefully searched. On one
of them was found belt and sheath
containing the dangerous weapon
which had been used in the hold-up,
Al calibre Colts revolver. The ex-
act amount of money as reported taken
was also found upon their persons and
they we're relieved of all their Doodle
and disarmed. Just then their victims
came along and at once identified them
as being their assailants. Both were
we'll dressed and the taller of the two
sported diamond stud. Among their
- possessions was found receipt for a
registered letter addressed to one H.
G.. Reed at Chicago. The chief of 20.
lice of that city was wired regarding
the registered mail, in the hope that
some clue might be found which would
lead to the arrest of parties there who
might be implicated in receiving stolen
money. It was thought that there
might be an organized gang located ir
that city and that all Doodle obtained
by the men held here might have beer
shipped there. A railroad ticket from
Casselton to Ripon, N. D., was also
found. 1t is probable that they were
the same hOld-up artists who robbed 8
couple of men in the railway yards a.
Casselton on the Goth. relieving one O.
$50 and the other of $35, for all indica
tions are that they had been up in tha
neighborhood about that time. The
authorizes of that place as we'll az
other North Dakota points and also
the police in the twin cities were ap
prised of the arrest here and it woult
not be surprising to hear that these
are the same men badly wanted ir
other places. A pawn ticket for {
gold watch left in Minneapolis was
also found among their possessions
The highwaymen gave their names
as Dean Larause and John Smith
The former, who was the taller of the
two, claimed to be from Tucson, Ari
zona, and the other from St. Paul
They were placed in the county jai
and held here awaiting the arrival O.
the sheriff from Norris, who had beer
notified and under whose jurisdiction
the robbery had been committed. The
prisoners were securely hand-cuffet
and taken back to Morris Monday af