The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-07-28
ROBBERY ON n. P.
PASSENGERS RELIEVED OF $500
AND vALUABLES NEAR
BUFFALO, N. D.
MAKE ESCAPE IN AUTOS
Masked Men Enter Train at Bridge
stop-ensineer Shot for Re-
fuslns to Halt at Their
Command.

Grand Forks, y. D. No. 2, east
bound North Coast Limited" of the
Northern Pacific railroad was held up
BY three masked robbers near Buffalo.
N. d.. and about $500 in cash taken
from the passengers.
Engineer s. p. Olson OF Fargo was
shot twice because he refused to stop
the train. The robbers escaped in an
automobile they had awaiting them
near the scene of the robbery.
The hold-up was one of the most dar.
ing every perpetrated in this part of
the country and showed that the men
were no amateurs. When the train
stopped at the high bridge at Valley
City three men boarded Ii and went
into the day coach.
Heavily armed and shooting reck.
lessly In order to intimidate the pas
sengers. they first lined the train crew
M in one end OF the car and proceeded
TO search the passengers in the day
coach. one by one. In all, they secured
about $500 in the coach.
After searching the occupants Of the
berths. the robbers clambered out OF
the diner over the baggage and express
ears to the engine.
Then the sleeping car was entered
and in order to awaken the occupants
OF the berths a shot was fired down
the center of the aisle, narrowly miss
ing the head of one of the passenger
and imbedding Itself in the woodwork
When near Buffalo. they ordered
Engineer Olson to stop the train. He
refused and two shots were fred
directly at him. one glancing off his
watch and another striking him on a
I rib. injuring him slightly.
1 Seeing that the men were desperate.
/ the engineer stopped the train and the
/ three men, who were all masked with
| polka.dot handkerChiefs. Jumped from
the train and ran into the darkness.
Engineer Olson, one OF the oldest
q engine pilots on the system. was taken
/ to Fargo with the train and Is resting
easily at his home here. After leav.
ing the train the robbers went to an
automobile. which they had waiting
near by, and escaped into the darkness
The train was run into Fargo. where
the sheriff. every available deputy aud
three deputy United States marshals
hurried back on a special train. Posses
also started out of Buffalo - minutes
after the news of the robbery was
received and every surrounding town
and city in the Northwest was 'phoned
or notified by telegraph to be on the
lookout
A peculiar part of the robbery Is the
fact that the express and mail cars
were not molested by the men. IL Is
not known what amount the cars con,
tanned. but usually the North Coast
Limited carries rich hauls and II Is
thought the men took longer in going
through the day coaches than they had
planned on or they would have tried to
blow the express safe and rifle the
registered mail pouches. Grand Forks
police are watching closely to see
whether or not the robbers are coming
this way.
Melrose, Minnesota. Three men
suspected Of robbing the North Coast
Limited. we're arrested here and 4
fourth man escaped.
Inc TOUR men came IN on tne Grea
Northern train No. and aliehted ap
parently from the blind baggage whcr
the train reached the coal sheds The,
were Immediately arrested. Each MAI
carried firearms. The total amount o
money on the three amounted to S42
The prisoners lit the descriptions o
the robbers with the possible excep
! of h. hot
a hat. The robbers at the time OF tn,
train holdup wore caps. Their names
which are regarded as fictitious. are
Dan Harrison. Tom Whalen and 10,
Kemper. ages. respectively. about %