Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-10
SAID WHERE TO UNCOUPLE
And Express Car Is Left Behind
With Box of Money.
ENGINE TAKES OFF WRONG CAR
Nail and Baggage Afford Little
Profit to Armed Raiders in
Washington.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


SPOKANE. December 10-Because Bill
Perrin. fireman on the fast Great North
ern No. 4. had presence Of mind early to-
day three hold-up men failed to get
$4,000 locked up in the express car.
Perrin was quick enough to play a little
trick. The robbers were fooled and beat
themselves out Of a small fortune.
Just as Sam Bowen. the engineer. had
brought the train to a stop almost in the
yards of the little town OF Hillyard--for
he didn't want to take his heavy express
laundering through-three men climbed
on the tender OF the engine. Neither Per-
rim nor Bowen saw them get on.
Guns Pointed Their Way.
Bowen looked up when he heard a click
behind him. He saw a 40 gun pointing
at his head. BY the time his eyes had
become accustomed to the sight he saw
two other big guns. also pointed at him.
The three robbers had climbed noiseless-
ly over the tender from the back. They
had Perrin and Bowen covered without
chance for life.
Just run her out about a mile said
one of the robbers. and Bowen did so.
Now pull her up said the robber
when the proper point had been reached.
Two of the men then climbed down, ono
on each side Of the engine cab. Both
"Come down here, YOU" said one or
them to Perrin.
Ordered to Uncouple.
Then the third robber climbed down
with Perrin. and ordered him to go
back and uncouple the train. The other
two covered Bowen meanwhile from either
side of the track.
'You uncouple this car said the rob-
Der with Perrin.
For a moment the fireman hAsitsted.
He knew the robber wanted to unCOuple
the traiiYs so that the express car would
remain with the engine. This done, the
engine with 1t would be run of some
distance and the safe could be blown open
without chance of interference from tho
passengers.
YOU'D better uncouple it up there" said
Perrin. You don't want to carry three
coaches of with the engine"
Express Car Left Behind.
Perrin pointed to the coupling between
the baggage car, which was second on the
train, and the express car, which was
third. To uncouple these would mean
that the express car would be left be-
hind.
In second he had figured it out that
these men would know something about
the makeup of trains. Though trains
were usually made up with the express
car second, this one had been made up
with it in third place.
You don't want to carry the whole
train off with you. do you?' asked the
fireman. while the gun was held in his
face.
That's right" said the bandit.
So they walked forward and uncoupled
at the point Perrin indicated.
The three robbers who. 1t was then
plain knew considerable about trains. hur-
riedly climbed to the cab of the engine,
leaving Bowen and Perrin with the main :
part of the train. They knew how to run
an engine.
Little Value to Loot.
In a second they had it moving along
with the mail and baggage cars behind
at a rapid pace. They ran it two miles
east on the track where they stopped to
blow open the safe and get their booty.
They rifled the mail and baggage cars.
as it was later learned. But they got
little. There was nothing for them in
the baggage car. and little in the mail
bags.
The express car, with $4,000 which
Spokane bank was sending to Montana
town, was safe with the dead train, left
far behind.
The bandits drove the engine on three
their pals had a wagon and horses await
ing them. They left the engine on the
track and disappeared.
For all their hard work and risk, Perrin
had kept them from getting more than q
few hundred dollars.