The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-12-07
Stage Robbery and Murder
U1ithin the ToLOn Limits of
Jarbid8e Tuesday EOenin9
Fred M. Sedrcy Shotin Back ofHead
and Instantly KiLied=s=Three Men
fire arrested Charged LCith the
Crime.
Special to THE TIMES

day evening at $3.50 o'clock by an un-
known bandit who robbed the mails of
about $4,000 and left his victim welter-
ing in blood about seventy feet from
tn, road in the bushes. The robber |
evidently crawled upon the mail
pouch and shot Searcy from behind, |
sending a bullet crashing into his
brain from behind the left ear.
The crime was committed about 100
yards this side of the town limits of
Jarbidge. About $3.50 o'clock people
living in the houses at the outskirts of
the town limits heard a shot A few
moments later the stage drove past
and the people noticed that two men
were occupying the seat. AS a murder
had evidently been committed at the
time that the shot was fired, it is
agreed here that the bandit must have
propped up the body of his victim and
passed the houses, figuring correctly
that the people would not notice the
condition of things in the gathering
gloom and the storm. Safely passed the
homes, he turned into the bushes and
rifled the mails The second class
was gone through, evidently without
finding anything Later the first class
mail was taken out and robbed of its
contents. Crumley e Walker had
$4,000 in small bills in the registered
mail, which they were getting in to
: cash checks for the workmen in the
mines. Others expected smaller
amounts, which it is believed will total
$4,000 more. OF the sacks containing
first class mail, one was found near
town in the morning
ae1ript o. tho 6aad mon op1 fl,o foo,,,
the robber made his escape unnoticed.
At first nothing was thought about the
failure of Searcy to arrive on time
Later the people in the town became
uneasy lest an accident had befallen
him in the storm on the mountain
road and a search party was organiz-
ed Inquiry at the houses revealed tie
fact that the stage had gone by earlier
in the evening. This confiUed the
search to the road within the town
limits, where the body was found at
1890 o'clock.
The bullet which killed the driver,
and which entered just behind the left
ear, came out of his mouth, knocking
out two lower teeth.
The rig in which Searcy was killed
was a small express wagon built to
carry about 500 pounds. The place
into which the horses were turned
was on the old road, used before the
1 bridge across the Jarbidge river was
] built 1t was covered with heavy
4 bushes. The team was not tied bu.
driven into the brush and left stand
The outfit belonged to Contractor
Reynolds of Rogerson who had the
contract to carry the mail. The point
where the team was found is only
1900 feet from the postoffice and is
in the town limits.
One theory is that there were two
robbers and that after killing Searcy
they held him up between them, but
this is not generally accepted here.
Searcy had been driving the parcel
post wagon for some time. He was
moved to the mail wagon about two
weeks ago. He was about thirty-twc
years old and single. mother and
sister live on the coast and were
notified at once They are on their
way here. He recently underwent an
operation in a Twin Falls hospital.
Road Thought Dangerous
The opportunities for robbery af
forded by the Jarbidge neighborhoo'
mas caused CONSIDERABLE unedSlueSS u
the postal authorities ins this city
with particular reference to the send
ing of bullion out from the camp b.
mail or parcel post. Postmaster M
A. Stronk said yesterday that he ha'
been worried about this and suggest
ed the danger on several occasions
but that it never occurred to him tha
the mail would be robbed going 4
Jarbidge.
No word was received at the sher
iff's office here beyond a statemen
from the United States postal depart
ment asking Sheriff Kendall to be OF
the lookout All connected with tn
office have been watching since.
Sheriff Harris of Elko accompanie
by another man, whose name was no
given and who is supposed to hav
been a United States deputy marsha
went through Twin Falls today to jar
bidge. Several unknown men, DE
lieved to be marshals arrived in Jar
bidge last night but would tell moth
ing to THE TIMES Representative
there in regard to their business. Ow
ing to bad roads it was impossibl
: for the Elko county sheriff to arri,
= sooner.