The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-12-11
YOUNG'S CASE IS
MOST PECULIAR
PETITION OF ALLEGED TRAIN
RoRRER FOR FREEDOM Is
ATTRACTING ATTENTION.

Bismarck, N. D., Dec. 11.-One of
the most interesting cases in the peni-
Tertiary, and one which occupied some
time of the p~ardoning board at its last
was that Of John Young, who
was sentenced from Cass county,
Oct. II, a year ago, for robbing the
North Coast Limited train between
Tower City and Buffalo in July, 1911.
Young was picked UP in Neenah,
Wis, and brought back to Fargo
where he plead guilty and threw him
self upon the mercy Of the, court,
drawing from ten to fifteen years. Up
on receiving such a heavy sentence
Young became peeved and has been
putting up a fight to get out ever since.
1t seems, according to his story. that
he was not in the trouble at all, but
that he had simply become the goat
in hopes that he would draw a short
sentence and get half of the reward
money. When the Northern Pacific
railway company's sleuths got onto
the game and refused to pay the ST.
500 reward money Young got down to
business and told his story, which
to be plausible.
For Money Consideration.
1t develops that Young was work
ing for ex-Register of Deeds Redmon,
near Mapleton, a station a short dis
lance west Of Fargo, at the time Of
the robbery. On the night of the rob-
berry Young had trouble on the farm
and quit. Mr.. Redmon paid him off
and he walked into Mapleton, arriv-
ing there about 10 o'clock, D. m. He
bought some tobacco and started on
foot for Fargo at about 1880 The
train which was robbed left Valley
City about an hour later, going east.
1t was necessary for the robber to get
on the train at Valley City as it did
not stop between that place and Far
go. Young fioated over into Wiscon-
sin where at Neenah he vas accosted
by Policeman Berg, according , ID
Young's story, and accused him of be-
ing in the robbery. Young claims
Berg then made him the proposition
to plead guilty, as he would receive
but a year or two, then he (Befg)
would receive the $4,000 reward and
cut it with Young. Now it happened
that Young was out of Joliet prison on
parole and as he had violated his
rights the authorities were looking for
him. He figured that the absence
caused by imprisonment here In the
Bismarck pen would have a tendency
to lose him to the Illinois authorities
and at the end of a yea or two he
would receive 81, 200 and would be
pretty well fixed. When he received
his long sentence he got busy with
what he says is the truth Of the mat
ter and made application for the par
don. Mr.. Redmon, his former employ
er, was called before the board and
testified as to the whereabouts OF
Young, producing his checks to show
when Young left. In making deduc-
tons it is proven that 1t was a phys
;o,1 ia DnGCihtIitU for VnnnO RI hnua
Deer on the train which was robbed,
as he would have had to Jump from
Mapleton to Valley City, a distance Of
about forty-five miles, in about half
an hour. What Policeman Berg OF
Neenah has to say in the case is not
known.
Another Sought Reward.
Another feature of the case appear
ed when just a year ago this month a
man by the name of Frank Allen at
tempted to break into the peniten-
tiary, evidently for the reward, by al
lowing himself to be picked up at Far
go, and making g written confession
Of the robbery, wherein he claimed TO
have engineered the job. The fatal
error in his testimony was the fact
that he claimed to have mounted the
train at Fargo and that IL was going
west. There was also other holes in
his story and he was not permitted to
go to the pen. In fact he became per-
sistent and the police could hardly get
rid of him so anxious was he to, be
locked up,
The whole case makes It quite evil
dent that the real parties who held
UP the train have not been a~pprehend-
ed. While it was quite evident to the
board that Young is not the man they
want vet his case was continued pend
ing some further investigation. 1t lis
q remarkable case and goes to show
how far some men will 60 II there is
a chance to pick off a little money.
A --------@-~-
nok;no For Ernhezzter.