The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-25
THE EVENING TIMES. GRAND FORKS n. D.
some INCIDENTS N
?. 0. INSPECTORS
CAREER
Arrest of "Jack" Gideon For.
Holding Up Stage Coach
Is Described.

Ii OeSGT10eQ.
Fifty or seventy-five years ago, re-
ports of stage robberies In the east
were not infrequent, but with the
splendid railroad facilities of the pres
ent day. the stage as means of con-
veyance has practically disappeared
from the country east of the Rocky
mountains, and even in the far wes-
tern states the railroads have taken
the place of the old familiar stage
coach to very large degree, but in
some parts of Idaho, as in other far
western states the stage coach is still
used to transport passengers and the
United States mails, and occasionally
reports Of stage robberies are re-
ceived.
The post office inspector in charge
of the Spokane division recently re-
ported the arrest and conviction of
John v. Gideon, alias Jack" Gibson.
for the hold up of the stage and rob-
berry of the mails on the Star route
between Meadows and Warren, Idaho.
on the morning of July z, 1905. The
extreme penalty for this offense in
Idaho is life imprisonment, and Gideon.
who was tried at Moscow during the
October term of court, was found
guilty and sentenced to life imprison-
,ment at hard labor in the United
States penitentiary at McNeils Island.
Washington. Gideon is the fourth one
to be convicted of this offense in Idaho
during the past ten years, and the
severity of his sentence will doubtless
have a good effect on this class of
criminals in the far west.
On the morning of the 7th of July,
1905, Gideon, who was heavily armed,
used his weapons upon the driver of
the stage at a lonely spot between
Resort and Warren, Idaho, with such
good eject that he succeeded in get
ting away with ten registered pack
ages, two Of which contained gold bull
lion, mailed by the Golden Rlue Mining
company. operating near Resort,
Idaho. The two packages each con-
tanned about $3.50 worth of gold bull
lion.
Up to July 5th, Gideon had been en-
ployed by the Golden Rule Mining
company, and when the hold up oc-
cured. the manager of the company i'm
mediately suspected him of the crime.
The post Office inspectors detailed to
investigate the robbery worked upon
this clew. They learned that Gideon
few days before the robbery secured
a revolver from saloon in the neigh
borhood, stating that he was going on
hunting trip, but few hours after
the robbery he was seen in his tent
which was located about six miles
from the scene of the hold up and the
appearance of his clothing indicated
that he had been out in the weather
some time during the night The day
following the robbery, Gideon left the
camp, announcing that he was going
into the mountains to do some prospec-
ting. but instead of doing that, he went
across the mountains to the post Office
at Hump, Idaho, from which place he
sent by express package containing
clothing and provisions, etc., addressed
to Frank Pope, Ontario, Oregon. Pope
and Gideon were old friends and, at
the time the package was sent by ex-
press, Gideon mailed a registered letter
at the Hump post Office addressed to
Pope. The town marshal at Ontario,
hearing of the stage robbery, entered
upon an investigation, and learned
from the express agent at Ontario that
Pope had received an express package
from Hump. The marshal knew Pope
and visited his cabin, which was To-
Gated on little island in the Snake
river not far from Ontario, and inter-
viewed him concerning the package.
Pope acknowledged the package and
permitted the marshal to examine its
contents, which at that time consisted
of clothing and provisions. During the
interview the marshal managed to get
the registered letter which Gideon had
mailed from Hump, and it stated that
he was sending Pope package con-
tanning valuable relics, and requested
that he care for the same until he
called for them. The marshal's sus-
picion was aroused and he took pos
session of the package which he later
turned over the inspectors. The pack
age was found to be four pounds light
er in weight than when it was eX-
pressed. The discrepancy in weight
correspondent almost exactly with the
weight of the bullion which had been
mailed by the Golden Rule Mining
company.
Pope finally acknowledged to the in
pectors that he had taken the bullion
from the express package and buried
it about mile from his cabin and in
company with them, he visited the spot
where the bullion was buried and
turned it over to the inspectors.
After sending the express package
to Pope, Gideon returned to his tent
near Resort, Idaho, and shortly after
wards broke camp and left that part
of the state. He was later arrested at
Ontario, Oregon, and from the evidence
produced by the inspectors he was
sentenced to life Imprisonment.
Populous Cheese.