Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-03-28
BANDIT STEALS MAIL
FOOLS CLERK BY SAYING he
WAS AN Inspector.
After Train Had Left Boomers Ferry
NRobber overpowers Clerks at Point
of Gun and Then Goes Through Reg
istered MaiI-stayed in Car Until It
Reached Spokane, -oupCoesa ~ BssS

Spokane, March 16.-In the guise of
postofice inspection, bandit obtain
ed admittance to the postal car on the
Great Northern Oriental Limited at
Boomers Ferry, Idaho, at an early hour
Sunday morning, overpowered the two
clerks at the point of a gun, locked
one in a closet, bound the other and
put him under the table, and then,
coolly smoking pipe all the while,
calmly rif1ed the through registered
mail pouches while the train was pro-
ceeding to Spokane. During the run
to Spokane OF 100 miles, which requir-
ed over six hours, the robber received
the mail at the three stations where
the train stopped, and threw off the
paper mail.
Just before the train entered the
yards OF Spokane, the bandit leaped
from the car and with his booty in a
small satchel, which he carried when
he entered the coach at Boomers Ferry,
made his escape. Harry Diapers
bloodhounds 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 station. They followed it
several blocks to a 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 rifed. All were for
points on the Coast, the sacks for Spo-
kane not being disturbed 1t is not
known how much money and valuables
the bandit obtained, but he is supposed
to have made a big haul In opening
the sacks he sustained a severe cut
on his hand, supposed to be the third
finger of the right hand He bled
freely from the wound and 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, 4
doubtless for this purpose. 1t was then
that the story of the robbery was first
learned.
When the train stopped at Boomers
Ferry about o'clock yesterday morn
ing, man came to the door of the
postal car and threw in a mail sack
and small grip, announcing that he
was w. G.. Bennett, postoff1ce inspec-
tor.
i will return in a few moments and
ride with you to Spokane" he said toll
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 paper mail sack
such as railway postal employees carry
their belongings in.
Just before the train departed from
he Idaho town the man entered the
car
rs there any mail for me?" he in
luired of the clerk There ought to
De some for me. Please look
Nystuen ran over some mail and
when he turned around to inform the
inspector that there was
none he found big revolver pointed
1t his head
Locks Clerk in Closet.
After warning the clerk to make no
'utcry and learned that another clerk
vas aboard, he directed Nystuen to
get into the clothes closet, In which
here is barely sufficient room for a |
nan to stand erect
When the pseudo inspector first ap-
'eared Nystuen awoke Stumpf and in
ormed him that an inspector was to
'ide with them to Spokane and that
lie would awake him again shortly.
Ignorant of the daring robbery that
vas going on in the car Stumpf con-
inued to sleep lightly. When the
rain was leaving Standpoint Stumpf
thought it strange nat he had not
been called and, looking up from I'M
ierneath the table where he was rest
ng he saw the stranger opening letters.
As he was crawling from underneath
he table the bandit turned around,
whipped a revolver from his overcoat
pocket and commanded him to remain
silent or he would blow his head OF.
He then threw a jumper over the
clerks head, bound his hands behind
lin and seated him in a chair to the
ar end Of the car, with his face to
he wall