The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-20


Conductor WheeIer's story.
Charles Wheeler, Of SIT First avenue
south, was the conductor on the train
and tells an interesting story OF the
first work Of the men.
Mr.. Wheeler said this morning in
talking with a representative of The
Forum: Il heard noise at the back
end OF the observation car when we
were on what we call the high line.
where we stop to get water. About
the next thing / knew / was sur
rounded by three men.
The men startled me at first and I
did not know what to do as I could
not make out what was meant They
covered me with their guns all the
time.
"As. we crossed the high bridge they
became scared and got down behind
the seats. two of them keeping their
guns leveled at me all the time. They
stayed behind the seats all the time
crossing the high bridge and contin-
ually asked me If We had crossed the
bridge yet.
"All this time the fellows were keep
ing their eyes on the aisle and when
they saw the porter coming they said
get that fellow and the porter was
also held.
In very few moments they went
through my pockets and those Of the
porter. They took from me my watch,
keys and about 31s In money. They
returned my watch to me saying that
they did not want IT,
About this time Miller, the brake
man, appeared and two of them met
him and brought him back in the rear
end of the observation car.
They tried TO lock the rear door OF
the observation ear but failed and aft
er taking the coach key they locked
the car door and took us up to the
front of the observation car and plac-
ed the three OF us in the vestibuIe,
locking the door Of the observation car
behind them. They also took the por-
ter of the rear sleeper out and placed
him In the vestibule with us and
locked us all there together.
While we were in the vestibuIe
someone pulled the bell cord and one
of the robbers Jumped back and asked
me II had pulled the cord. told
him no. and the porter informed him
that the signal would not work from
the vestibule.
The man who stood guard over the
rear sleeper meant business. A red
headed fellow stuck his head out OF
the berth and was ordered to get it
back in. Not responding fast enough
to suit the robber the hold-up fred
and narrowly missed the occupant of
the berth.
] have no idea what the loss of the
passengers will reach. They were so
excited that they could not give any
figures. One man lost diamond ring
which he said was worth several hun
dred dollars. Another man lost 800
worth of travellers checks but did not
lose the money he carried with him.
The porter on the observation car lost
$40 of the company's money besides |
his own money, All the conductors
and porter on the two sIeepers lost
some money. Brakeman Miller lost az |
cents and they missed a dollar bill
that he carried. They took I'D all the |
tickets between st. Paul and Chicago |
and the travellers checks. The latter
are negotiable anywhere and can be
cashed for their face value.
There are three places on the train
where the shots went through. One
through the berth, another through a
door and shot went through the yes
tibule window.
i asked the officers to make a thor
ough examination Of the train and |
take off all Of the men that might be
riding on the breaks or on the top of
the coaches. Three men were remoy-
cd OF the train and In size they ans
wered the description Of the robbers
exactly.
The men were familiar with every
thing and the fact that they knew
about the coach keys shows that they
knew something OF trains. They
seemed to understand their business
thoroughly"
Story Of Brakeman Miller.
John Miller Of 81 Tenth street north
was the brakeman on the train and
told the following story to the repre-
sentative Of The Forum today:
Il got of Of the train at Valley City
and was around the front end of the
train when 1t pulled out. There were
three loiterers there and kept them
OFF the coaches when we pulled out.
Getting on at the head end, / climb
ed over the mail and express cars and
proceeded back through the sleeping
cars to the head end of the observa-
ton car where as usual picked up
my lanterns and started through the
observation car.
Il heard some one say hands up
but did not pay any attention to it
until / got back to where three men
with masks held guns over me- They
were waiting back there to get the
crew together, and they had US all
right.
They had Mr. Wheeler in the back
end and they took. my keys and after
going through our pockets locked the
rear end door of the observation car.
They then took Mr.. Wheeler, the por-
ter and myself into the head end yes
Libule and locked us in there.
They rode with US for about twen-
ty-two miles and after the man stuck
his head out to see who had pulled
the signal did not see anything more
of them. After the train had stopped
heard two shots.
The robbers went Though but two
sleepers and shot several times TO
wake up the people in their berths.
After going through the sleepers they
crawled over the express ana baggage
cars into the engine tender. II
According to NV best memory they
all wore blue overalls and dark coats.
They wore dark cheap caps with green
visors underneath ana a black one on
top.
II do not believe that any OF the
men were over 80 years old, as they