Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1909-05-29
G. N. TRAIN HELD-UP
MAILCAR ROBBED AGAIN NEAR
SPOKANE LAST SUNDAY.
Several Passengers Injured by Engine
and Mail Car Crashing Back Into
Coaches-Work of Masked Bandits
Thought to Be Old Hands at Business
Nearly $4,000 Reward.

In a holdup of Great Northern pas
senger train No. between Colbert and
Mead, shortly before midnight Satur-
day night, IL persons were injured
when the engine and mail car were
sent running wild down the track by
the bandits after they had rifed the
mails The bandits detached the en-
CINE and the mail car from the train,
ran them down the track considerable
distance and then, after the registered
mail had been opened, reversed the en-
CINE and sent it flying down the track
to collide with the standing cars.
The conductor saw the wild cars
coming down the track at a rate of 25
miles an hour a considerable distance
away and he and one of the trainmen
placed tie on the track in an en-
deavOr to stop the wild fight. The
flying engine and car were partly
stopped by the tie, but plunged into
the standing cars.
There was a frightful crash and pas
sengers in all of the cars were thrown
from their seats, most Of the injured
being hurt by flying glass from the
broken windows. The injured were
scattered through all Of the cars. None
is reported seriously hurt.
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, and,
thrusting a revolver into the stomach
of the engineer, William Miller, or
dered him TO do as commanded on pen
atty of being shot.
The engineer and fireman, John Hall,
being covered by the revolvers, obeyed.
The car was coupled onto the train
and il pulled out. After the train had
progressed q few miles the engineer
was ordered to stop and he and the FIRE
man were forced to dismOunt 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 D. Stumpf, the mail clerk.
Meanwhile two other bandits were
with the engineer and fireman, who
were uncoupling the mail car and the
locomotive from the rest Of the train.
Soon after the train stopped the con
duet0r, q. j.. Robertson, jumped from
the car, but was driven back by the
shots Of the h0ldups, nearly q dozen
being fired.
Hastily climbing into the cab the
rufians opened the throttle and dashed
down the track, how far is not known.
As soon as the conductor was aware
that there was q holdup be ordered d
brakeman 10 the rear of the train 10
prevent q collision and had another cut
iu the telegraph wire 40 send word ~
SPOKANE Of the holdup. Another one
VI tAe train crew was hurried ~ The
station viii The neHs
About half an hour after the engine
and mail car disappeared they were
seen coming back down the track. and
hurried preparation were made 40
ditch the funanays. lui nitAout com
plete success
a. ~ reported thai tho bandit ob
ialuod p large auu 0f money ffom tAe
registered mail fle amount BONG
placed ai 100000
lAo $50 lanoin aho elmled Toto
lIe cab aIe described M fo|lonsi
ono oYor ~ feei ialI HfIehue 700
pounds face Hrnkled and ~ yoaff oIl
pI oldW anf an experienced engineer
ihf oihol about lff ffn nIne InclDa
ii' ane nfghlNf aleHi lfo pqnnaa