Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-03-27
BANDIT STEALS MAIL
FOOLS CLERK BY SAYING HE
WAS AN INSPECTOR.
After Train Had Left Boomers Ferry
Robber OVerpowers Clerks at Point
of Gun and Then Goes Through Red
istered Mail-Stayed in Car Until 1t
Reached Spokane.

| eu admlttdnCe to the postal car on the
Great Northern Oriental Limited al
Boomers Ferry, Idaho, at an early houl
! Sunday morning, 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 a pipe all the while
calmly rifled the through registered
mail pouches while the train was pro
ceeding to Spokane. During the run
to Spokane OF 100 miles, which reuuir.
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 Bonners Ferry,
made his escape. Harry Diapers
Dloodhounds were taken along the right
of way of the Great Northern and
picked up the scent within the city
limits less than a 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 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
'ope that the bandit brought with him.
doubtless for this purpose. 1t was then
hat the story of the robbery was first
earned.
When the train stopped at Boomers
Ferry about o'clock yesterday morn
ng, man came to the door of the
POSTAL car and threw in a mail sack
md a small grip, announcing that he
vas w. c.. Bennett, a postoflioe inspec-
or.
Il will return in a few moments and
ide with you to Spokane" he said to
Nystuen, the clerk in charge. Stumpf,
he other clerk, was asleep under a
able covered with mail sacks.
Nystuen glanced at the mail sack
nd observed that it bore the name of
'ennet. 1t was a paper mail sack
UGH as railway postal employees carry
heir belongings in.
Just before the train departed from
he Idaho town the man entered the
ar.
rs there any mail for me?" he in
uired of the clerk. There ought to
e some for me. Please look"
Nystuen ran over some mail and
hen he turned around to inform the
imposed inspector that there was
one he found big revolver pointed '
t his head.
Locks CLERK in Closet.
After warning the clerk to make no :
utcry and learned that another clerk ,
as aboard, he directed Nystuen to c
ct into the clothes closet, in which
here is barely sufficient room for a
ian to stand erect.
When the pseudo inspector first ap-
cared Nystuen awoke Stumpf and in :
'rmed him that an inspector was to =
de with them to Spokane and that =
? would awake him again shortly.
Ignorant Of the daring robbery that
as going on in the car Stumpf con- =
aued to sleep lightly. When the =
ain was leaving Standpoint Stumpf =
fought 1t strange that he had not 9
zen called and, looking up from I'M
the table where he was rest .
g he saw the stranger opening letters. :,
he was crawling from underneath
e table the bandit turned around,
htpped a revolver from his overcoat
'cket and commanded him to remain
lent or he would blow his head off. q
He then threw jumper over the G.
erk's head, bound his hands behind D
m and seated him in a chair to the q
end of the car, with his face to q
e wall. 81
Pouches Cut Wide Open.
Most of the pouches were cut from .
p to bottom, and an examination of
? contents showed that the bandit .,
d been careful to make a thorough ~
arch for plumber. Every package ~
envelope addressed to a bank show ~
signs of having been carefully ex- -
lined. ca
W
Heavy Penalty. q,
A report reached the police about CO
week ago that several mail pouches
been stolen from the Northern Pa II
&C depot platform at Sprague, Wash.
Inspector Linn says that the penalty to
placing a mail clerk in jeopardy Lii
IN gun is Imprisonment for life at Ca
I'd labir. There is a standing gov ex