Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-05-05
GERBRICK Says he
didn't WRECK TRAIN
And His Confession of Last
Fall Was a Pipe Dream"
PROVES ALIBI
AND SEEKS PARDON
Told a Sensational Story to Escape
Punishment for Desertion from
Navy and Got 80 Years In Pen


Thomas Gerbriek who last fall was
sentenced in the district court to serve
so to 40 years in the state pententiary
for completely IN wrecking a Santa Fe
train at Apishapa on the night of Sept. 8.
1908. when two people were killed. is re-
ported to have proved an alibi and yes
tsrday had an application for a pardon
before Governor Shafroth. The applica-
ton for a pardon was presented by
Warden lyman; Judge Rizer. who
sentenced Gerbriek; Special Agent
oLeary Of the Santa Fe. who arrested
him and secured bis confession. and
Sheriff Potter Of this county. who brought
Gerbriek from Portland. Ore. and had
him in charge during the trial.
The case Is pronounced by all who have
had anything to do with it as one Of the
most remarkable in criminal annals.
One of the astounding features Is the
manner in which Gsrbriek on the witness
stand IN the district court last September
reeited the wreeking Of the Santa Fe
flyer to the most minute detail. He des-
eribed the manner in which the train left
the track near the Apishpa bridge. He
told of removing the spikes Of one Of the
rails just before it reached the bridge, oi
the terrific rush Of the train to tho edge
of the bridge as he saw it from his hiding
rlace on the prairie behind cactus bush.
His story was so graphic in every detail
that it completely fooled every officer
connected with the prosecution. His
story Of the wreeking Of the train which
resulted in the death Of the engineer and
the disabling at several passengers for
life was so dramatically related at his
trial that maximum sentence seemed
too light to impose upon such degraded
being. Judge Rizer in imposing the sem
,enee leetured the prisoner before tho bar
so numerically that before the sentences
was announced the case assumed the i'm
portanee in gravity Of any that had ever
come before the court.
Gerbriek was taken to the scene of the
wreck and pointed out the exact rail that
had been removed. He told Of the man
ner in which the engine had rolled over
the rail. had been derailed and how il
turned over.on the bridge and then drop
ped off to the bottom Of Apishipa creek
40 feet below. He told Of how he and
his companion, John Devine. had boiled
the liquid out Of dozen sticks Of dyna-
mite to secure soup" enough to blow
the safes on the express cars. His story
was so complete in every particular that
nothing was left but to sentence him to
the state penitentiary for from so to 40
years.
According to the recent Developments
as told by Warden lyman. Gsrbriek had
been in the pententiary but short time
before he had worked the effects Of the
long use Of drugs out Of his system and
the acute attack Of remorse which led te
his confession set in. He told Warden
lyman that he was not involved in the
wreck in any way. that he was not In
Colorado at the time Of the wreck ano
that what he knew of it had been learned
by him through the newspapers. He
paid the reporters Of the time Of the
wreck a high compliment. It was
through them he said that he had learned
the details. He afterward worked on a