Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-17
DARING BANDITS
LOOT TRAIN AND
THEN WRECK 1T
IL GREAT NORTHERN PASSEN-
GERS SEVERELY INJURED
ROBBERY ONE OF BoLDEsT IN
WESTERN HISTORY
Highwaymen Near Spokane Compel
Crew to Cut Express Cars Loose.
Plumber Coaches, Then
Cause Collision
[By Associated Press.I

TBy Associated Press
N POKANE, Wash, May 16-In the
holdup of Great Northern passen-
~ ger train No 8, between Colbert
and Mead, shortly before midnight last
night, twelve persons were injured
when the engine and mail car were
run wild down the track by the ban
dts after they had ritled the mails.
The runaway cars collided with the
remaining cars of the train.
The bandits detached the engine and
mail car from the train, ran them
down the track considerable distance
and then, after the registered mail mad
been opened sent the engine back TO
collide with the standing cars.
The conductor saw the wild cars
coming down the track at a high speed
when they were a considerable distance
away and he and one of the tralnmen
placed a tie on the track in an en-
deavor to stop their wild flight.
The engine and car were partly
stopped by the tie but plunged INTO
the standing coaches.
There was a frightful crash and the
passengers in all of the cars were
thrown from their seats, most OF the
injured being hurt by flying glass
from the broken windows.
There were injured persons in every
car.
When the train reached Colbert
some switching had to be done. While
the engine crew was busy at this work
two men suddenly appeared in the
cab of the engine and, thrusting re-
volver against the body of the engi-
neer. William Miller, ordered him to
do as commanded
Both Men Comply
The engineer and fireman. John
Hall. obeyed. The car was coupled
onto the train and it pulled out. After
the train had proceeded few miles
the engineer was ordered to stop and
he and his fireman were forced 10 dls-
mount from the cab.
Two of the four or five men that
were seen then went to the door of the
mail car and ordered it to be opened.
Their command was obeyed by Benja-
min F. Stumpf, the mail clerk. Mean
while two other bandits We're with the
engineer and fireman., who were un-
coupling the mail car and the loeomo-
tive from the rest of the train
Soon after the train stopped the con-
ductor, C. L. Robertson, jumped from
the car, but was driven back by the
shots of the holdups, nearly dozen
shots being fired.
Hastily climbing into the cab the
outlaws opened the throttle and dashed
down the track a considerable dis
tance.
AS soon as the conductor was aware
there was a holdup he ordered a
brakeman to the rear of the train to
prevent a collision and he had an
other brakeman tap the telegraph wire
to send word to Spokane of the holdup.
A third member of the train crew
was hurried to the station with the
news.
Try to Ditch Coaches
About half hour after the engine
and mail car had disappeared they
were seen coming down the track and
hurried preparations were made to
ditch the runaways, but without COM
plete success.
Two special trainloads of officers
were hurried from Spokane when the
word of the holdup was received.
Doctors also were taken out on the
train to care for the injured.
Chief of Police Ryan of Hillyard
also went out with a posse and sur
rounded all of the roads leading to-
ward Spokane. Several shots were
heard by the posse east of them, but
no trace of the holdups was found.
Help was sent out from Hillyard and
the train was brought to Hillyard
about $3.50 this morning.
1t is reported the bandits obtained
a large sum of money from the regis
tered mail, the amount being placed
at 100000
The two bandits who climbed into
the cab are described as follows:
One more than six feet tall, weight
100 pounds face wrinkled about So
years old or older; evidently an ex-
nerienCed engineer.
The other man, about five feet nine
inches, weight about no.
Both men wore dark clothing and
slouch hats and were masked. AS they
entered the cab the tall man said to
the engineer:
"You have heard of us before" in
dicating that they had been involved
in others of the numerous train hold
ups in the vicinity of Spokane within
the last few motnhs.
T. N. Wilson and wife of Spokane
were seriously injured. The former
suffered fractures of two ribs, while
Mrs Wilson'S back was strained and
many bruises inflicted.