Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-03-16

In the guise of postofiice inspector,
a bandit obtained admittance to the
postal car on the Great Northern
Limited at Boomers Ferry, Idaho,
yesterday, overpowered the two
clerks at the point of a gun, locked
one in closet, bound the other and
put him under the table and then,
coolly smoking pipe all the while,
calmly rified the through registered
mail pouches while the train was
proceeding to Spokane. During the
run to Spokane of 100 miles, which
required six hours, the robber re-
ceived the mail at the three stations
where the train stopped and threw
off the paper mail.
Just before the train entered the
yards at Spokane the bandit leaped
from the car and with his booty in
a small satchel, which he carried
when he entered the coach at Bon
ners Ferry, made his escape. Harry
Diapers blood hounds were taken
. along the right of way of the Great
Northern and picked up the scent
within the city limits, less than
mile from the Great Northern sta
ton. They followed it several blocks
to car line, where the scent was
lost. 1t is supposed that the robber
boarded a car and rode downtown.
Six registered mail sacks were cut
and their contents rified. All were
for points on the coast, the sacks for
Spokane not being disturbed. 1t is
not known how much money and val
uables the bandit obtained, but he is
supposed to have made big haul.
In opening the sacks he sustained
severe cut on his hand, supposed to
be the third finger of the right hand.
He bled freely from the wound and
all the mail he touched was covered
with blood. 1t was from this blood
that was not yet dry that the dogs
were given the scent.
When the train reached Spokane,
John Nystuen, postal clerk in charge,
was found locked in the clothes
closet, while Benjamin Stumpf, the
other clerk, was under the table,
with a jumper drawn over his head
and his arms tightly bound with
clothes line rope that the bandit
brought with him, doubtless for this
purpose. 1t was then that the story
of the robbery was first learned.
When the train stopped at Bon
ners Ferry about 4 O'Clock yesterday
morning a man came to the door of
the postal car and threw in a mail
sack and a small grip, announcing
that he was w. c. Bennett, post
Office inspector.
81 will return in a few moments
and ride with you 20 Spokane" he
said to Nystuen, the clerk in charge.
Stumpf, the other clerk, was asleep
under a table covered with mail
sacks.
Nystuen glanced at the mail sack
and observed that it bore the name
of Bennett. 1t was a paper mail
sack ouch as railway postals en-
ployes carry their belongings in.
Just before the train departed
from the Idaho town the man en-
tered the car.
us there any mail for me?" he in
quired OF the clerk. There ought to
be some for me. Please look"
Nystuen ran over some mail and
when he turned around to inform
the supposed Inspector that there
was none he found big revolver
pointed at his head.
Locks Clerk in Closet.
After warning the clerk to make
no cutlery and learning that another
clerk was aboard, he directed Nys'
tuen to get into the clothes closet, in
which there is barely sufficient room
for man to stand erect.
When the pseudo inspector frs
appeared Nystuen awoke Stumpf and
informed him that an inspector wal
to ride with them to Spokane and
that he would awake him agar
shortly.
Ignorant of the daring robberl
that was going on in the car, Stump
continued to sleep lightly. WheI
the train was leaving Standpoint
Co. 49,. I. -... nat h.