Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-04-30
TWO BANDITS
ROB MAIL CAR
Make Pre-arranged Escape in An
Automobile

had my fireman get on the rear OF
the tank, as has been our custom
since was held up last summer, !"
said Engineer Whittlesey, while !
held my torch out of the cab window
on my side of the engine. Before the
fireman could get back to the cab.
and as turned around, there stood a
big red-haired fellow with a big gun.
pointing 1t in my face. Hurry along,
and be quick about it, said the fell
low to me.
Bandits Keep Near Each Other.
"The other man followed closely
behind his partner. and as the fire.
man came over to the seat the second
man covered him with a gun. When
we were out of Rathdrum about
three miles the red-haired man com
manded me to stop and made the
fireman go back and cut loose the
mail car from the train. With the
mail clerk we were ordered back to
the train. The holdups then started
toward Hauser at lightning speed.
Ever since we were held up last
summer have been careful to see
that no one boards the train while
leaving Rathdrum. AS usual the
fireman was on the rear of the tank
and the men could not have been
back there. ! am unable to account
for their appearance, for the first
thing ] knew the redhaired fellow
was standing facing me as l turned
around after / had put my torch in
side the window.
Both men are undoubtedly ex-
perienced holdups and railroad men
as well. am satisfied that while
one man was running the engine his
partner was in the mail car going
through the mail bags so that when
they stopped the train they were
ready to go.
81 do not believe it possible that
the men who boarded the train at
Standpoint were the men who held us
up. do not see how they could have
got to us without our knowing 1t.
"One of the men had slightly red
hair, red complexion. gray eyes and
think wore a bingham suit, although
hardly remember the mans clothes.
He Is about five feet seven or eight
inches in height. and about 35 years
old. The other man is about 3S years
old, tall and slim and weighed about
100 pounds. He wore dark clothes
Both men were masked but tore
these of before ordering us from the
engine.
Neither nor my fireman's per-
sonal effects were bothered. had a
revolver under my seat box. but this
was not molested.'
when | discovered what was hap
pening l swung my lantern outside
the vestibule. and no sooner had 1t
appeared than bang went a shot at
IT," said Conductor Joe Miley. II
extinguished it as soon as possible
and went to the rear of my train.
II am satisfied that the men are
the same ones who held up the train
last summer. Their description tall
lies and the planning of the holdup
and its execution are similar.
81 believe the men who we're sup
posed to have boarded the train at
Standpoint are the men who turned
the trick. While the mail car was
being uncoupled from the train both
bandits kept mp a fusillade OF shots.
one OF them nearly striking the fire.
man. My brakeman started to the
head Of the train to see what was the
matter with the dynamo. for It had
been almost extinguished several
times. He was fired upon and re-
turned to his train.
II ran back to Rathdrum. three
miles, and wired to Spokane for the
oficers."
The engine and mail car were
found about seven miles from the
city and about two miles west Of
Trent. A fire was still burning in
the engine. but there was not enough
steam to move. Some water was