New-York tribune., 1909-05-17
BANDITS ROB MAIL CAR
SEND BACK LOCOMOTIVE,
RUNNING WILD.
T1CelUe Passengers Injured IN Col.
EsiOn 5cith Rest of Train on the
Great Northern.

Spokane. Wash May 1s.-FOllowing the holds
up of Great Northern passenger train by six
bandits between Colbert and Mead last night,
twelve persons were injured when the I0cOmo-
tive and the mail car cut of from the rest of
the train. back wild after the bandits had
rifed the mails Of an unknown amount. and coll
Hded with the rest Of the train. which had been
left standing where the robbers got possession
Of the train.
Having taken the detached mail car down the
track considerable distance, the robbers looted
the registered mail and. reversing the engine.
sent the locomotive and the mail crashing
back into the passenger coaches
The conductor saw the wild cars backing down
the track at the rate % twenty-five miles an
hour and he and another traiurnan placed a tie
on the track 10 stop their flight. but the cars,
though partly stopped by this means. plunged
into the coaches throwing passengers from
their seats and cutting them with glass rom
broken windows \ trainman nerved 70 the
task sprang aboard the locomotive as the COL
Iision occurred and shut off the steam. stop
ping the havoc.
BANDITS USE REVOLVERS-
When the train reached Colbert late last night
some switching had 70 be done. While the en-
gine crew busy this work
sprang into the cab. and thrusting revoIvers
against the bodies Of William Miller. engineer.
and John Hall fireman. ordered them 20 do az
commanded The engineer and fireman COM
piled and the mail car was cut of from the
rest Of the train by four other robbers. The
locomotive and the mail car then ran up the
track few miles. Then the engineer and his
fireman were forced TO leave the cab. Two OF
the robbers went 20 the door Of the mali car and
ordered it opened. Their command was obeyed
by Benjamin F. Stumpf. mail clerk. who was
hurried away from the cars with the engine men
/ by dozen revolver shots. Manning the loco
motive themselves, the outlaws took the mail
| car down the track and looted the registered
mail. Then they started the locomotive back
| toward the rest of the train. and escaped
c. L. Robertson. the conductor had a brake
/ man cut into the telegraph wire 10 send word
| TO Spokane While ne was busy teiegraphirg.
| about a half hour after the locomotive ard the
mail had disappeared. he saw the powerful
locomotive careening toward the coaches in
! which many persons were asleep. as the robbers
| had acted quietly in seizins the mail car. Many
Of the passengers knew nothing of the h0Id-up
until awakened by the collision that was only
eased by the quick work of the trainmen-
TIE THROWN ACROSS TRACK
As soon as Robertson realized that collision
was imminent he called on the brakemen and
/ pOrterS TO aid him W llie tle erI-4--L'I al-4
| another man threw a tie across the track a
/ brakeman stood ready % board the cab as soon
| as the shock of the collision checked the I'M
| petus ~ the Wild locomotive The mail car vas
| partly derailed by the tie. and the wheels
rlo,1Fbed into the ballast while the locomotives
| wheels yvhirled on the rails The brakeman was
| instantly i'm the cab where ne seized the throt-
| tIe and shut of the steam and applied the
/ brakes Passengers. tumhled from seats and
/ ,ostlad in berths rushed out % ascertain the
| cause of the shock None was fatally hurt
| Two SuAciaI trafnIosds ~ deputies were bur
| risd from Spokane when the word q the hold
M vss received. and physicians were taken
| along 10 care for the injured. No trace Of t1e
/ robbers was found TO-DAY
| While IL is reported that the bandits OBJ
| tanned a large sum ~ money from the regis
/ tered mail the amount being placed az S2'oo'.
/ railroad officers and mail inspectors say th5
/ sr,o,Dt stolen is not known ons Of the roo
| ba-s who entered the cab was more than *
/ foot tall and evidently was an experienced en-
| gi,sar A the Two robbers entered the cao
/ this man said 20 the engineer You ha'1
/ hoard of as before indicating that they nao
baen involved in similar hold-ups I'm the Vicl"-
it, Of spokane within the last few months
! r y Wilson and wife. of Spokane. were re
/ most seriously injured Of the passengers Nlr-
wilson suffered a fracture of two ribs and Ma
/ Wilson vas severely bruised
| :, Paul Nav tG-The Great Northern Raii-
-, Conpanv has offered regard Of Sl"VJV
/ ,o~ each robber captured of the gang which
/ Ls1d nm the train near Spokane. Wash 'o-l4S-