The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-06-17
thing which epreventedthe robbers.
from applying enough nitrOglycertne

to open the safe. '"'''' ''' -,
;TWice besffo5arer tie Ihn' same a a. building at
Puposky has been, broken into, the
tlrgsts time being two years, ago when when
the safe was blown by three ,ment who
came to- Bemidji, ON a railroad ,yelo-
cipede and were met at the Red Lake
bridge west of town by Sheriff Hazen
and Deputy Sheriff Andrew Johnson
and: al. Benner, who at that time was
a member Of the Bemidji police force.
When ordered to halt, the robbers
opened fire, Johnson being seriously
wounded while a return volley from
the robbers killed Swan johnson
while the other bandit escaped It.
is believed that the escaped bandit.
is either the man now, known as,
"Bean" or Davis" who at that time.
may: have gone by the J 1 name, + Of
.:;Vahdecar" alias Leonard. ]$>9I,
/ b, = Trap Plans Complete. .t5
ARRANGEMENTS for the expedition
to. PuposIy were complete down to
the minutest detail. Not only did
the Red Lake road place its train
service at the disposal of Sheriff Haz-.
en- and Detective Fielding but the
Bemidji telephone exchange was
placed by Manager A. F. Harris com:
pletely in the hands of the. officers,
Automobiles for every emergency
were provided by G. w. Jewett.
For three days, Sheriff Hazen and
Deputy N. W. Helmer had been lying
in wait, The first inkling of the
wide spread conspiracy was present.
ed by. two Bemidji persons who were
furnished detailed information by a
former convict which involves prom
inent twin city persons as we'll as
persons in Bemidji and Cass Lake.
Say Dumas Came Here. -. -.
DR.. Dumas came to Bemidji Wed
| nesday and held consultation with
| party of professional robbers in
Guiding Davis and Bean and two
others, say the detectives, and it was
at this meeting that the details of
the robbery at Puposky were worked
out. 1t is said that he paid sCurley
Davis questionable compliment of
being the most expert craftsman and
handler of soup" in the west, to
which Davis replied, "You fatter
me-. - 49, -.
Said to Admit Revenge Motive.
1t is said that DR.. Dumas frankly
admitted that he cordially hated the
owner of the Puposky store which
he said was former Winnipeg man
and asked the boys present to edo
this job to accommodate me- and
while: there would 1<i1ot be much
money in it, there would be a good
deal OF satisfaction. According to
these plans, the robbers were to pro-
coed to Puposky to look over the
field OF action, crack the safe and
then destroy the building with dyna-
mite and fire. The men were then
TO: hasten to concealed automobile
at a safe distance from Puposky and
then for a wild ride to the outskirts
OF Bemidji and on to Cass Lake
where DR.. Dumas, according to the
plan, was to- be in waiting to receive
his ''pals" and to provide means of T
escape. ,.;> :,, >,
Said to Have Been Sealed in Blood.
1t is said that this pact was sealed !
with a cross mark beneath a skull
and cross bones made with blood
scratched from his arm. This pact I
is presumed to have been sworn to
on the life of all present and that
death awaited any man who peach
ed Or got cold feet
DR.. Dumas was to leave .on the
midnight train to prepare the neces-
sary Nsoup, spending the time be-
tween the close of the conference and
train time in social conversation at,
the Commercial club rooms. 1t ISL
said that the mayor did leave
and that when he got to- Cass Lake
ne proceeded. to boil up the dyna-
mite which, it is alleged, was stolen
from the J. Neil Lumber company of
Cass Lake, and that he ,stewed this,
terr''cly powerful liquid with I,
steady nerve until it was of a proper
consistency. When properly pre-
pared, the explosive was placed in a
grip and was brought to Bemidji and
turned over to Davis and Bean. /
Thus equipped, the robbers were
ready to do business {. l. !. I
." Sheriff HAGEN, Deputy Helmer and
superintendent Fielding and two as
sistants had been hiding in the build
ing since the day previous, armed I
with shot guns and revolvers.