davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12
Where ne Bales of Stolen SO
Bills Were Buried in tho
Chicken Coop.

he knew, and told him that he would ride
from the transfer station down to the
passenger station of Council Bluffs This
was also not an unusual occurrence and
Gy so riding he could act as a guard or
lookout for the others and divert the en-
gineeTs or fireman's attention If any sus-
picious noises were made In getting into
the car or getting out the sacks. None
OF the boys, by the way, carried pistols or
arms Of any kind.
The train stopped at the crossing I'm
medistely Orville Phillips and Poffenbar-
GER now inside the baggage car, dragged
g., sacks over 20 the open door and threw
th em out beside the road, where they were
hidden from train lights by a slight grade.
Just as the last one was cast out the train
began to move The pair 81 pped through
the door, closed Il behind them and
dropped beside the loot.
As No. s cleared the crossing thev ca--
ried the pouches over to the automobile
I'D made their way TO an appointed rem.
devious. Il was Just as they started that
one of the bags slipped, unheeded by them,
from the car: and II was "A glimpse Of this
that in a fash of light from perhaps some
other au'Omoblle excited the susp cions
Of the sharp-eyed clerks in the last ca
Had II not been seen the looted storage
car" would have rome on TO Omaha. Il is.
indeed, extremely probable that the rob
berry would not have been discovered be-
fore II reached New York
And in that case things might have
turned out very differently for the three
Young robbers aid the owners Of the loot
Merle. sitting beside the engineer knew
nothing Of the discovery until he reached
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12

hce 10 deter the evil minded by giving
them the idea that II could not possibly
AIRY wealth. No, the millions In the reg
Tered bags we're put into the old baggage
ar because Of a shortage In rolling stock.
1t had end doors, which could be locked
from without and could be Both chained
and locked from within. 1t had side doors,
which could be opened only from within
~ operation of switch latch. Above the
side doors were small windows, without
bars.
With the front doors locked and the keys
liz the hands OF responsible parties. the car
was, presumably, safe from intrusion. For
al 1t WIS possible to open the side doors
only from within.so argued the guileless
postal people, how could they be opened
when no one would be within the car?
After the ten bags had been piled UP
beside the others the end doors were care
fully locked and the mail clerks went
about their various Businesses, sure that
silence and loneliness would brood over
the sacks until Chicago was reached.
II vas not many seconds after this that
the mail train moved out OF the transfer
station. II went along slowly for six
bloeks. stopping for switch manipulation
over crossing little less than half y
mile away. At this point fair automobile
road intsrSects tha tracks. The spot IL
none too we'll lighted. The train stepped
across this road for about three minutes.
In the cad oar was CHE CLERK NSwteryy
in charge ef the mall G. wv aad ole OF his
assistants. The latter vas pssrtax out.
As the tnsia moved away. slssfiaS the
road. he Jumped hack, crying:
"Hsyi rhssss . rsgistsfsA mall sses
lyinS back tAsrN~
Newbsrry ,esssSi hs thought he saw
something Ike . sack, but the train was
now moving quickly aad the object disap-
peared In the darkness. Newberry wasn't
SURF OF what he had seen, but he ran up
through the seven cars between the end
one and that which held the registered
nal, gathering up other clerks as he went.
When they reached the storage car" they
nound the door locked. They turned the
Key. The door would not openl The
chains had been fastened into place!
Then they know something was decid-
eddy wrong. Those chains could only have
been fastened by someone who was either
still within or who hsd been within the
car that they knew had been empty when
the doors had been locked. BY this time
No. was pulling into the Council Bluffs
passenger station. Pil'ng out, they saw
that a window OF the side door had been
broken out and that the door itself was
Only htched. They ran In
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12

Yu74EN the vaults OF Broadway,
" New York Mnk were emptied n
" 100000 ~ mooey snd SECURITIES
forty yer ago e. s,ns AnoHn as TIN
Great M &atta,. BsIa ilashery" IL held
the RECORD n all zee criminal history Of
the woro ~ The largest -'nste robbery OF
any kim ,l /.
But II took the Eiys1 famnG. end expert
enced craftsman 4 IL Inns, Jimmy Hope
and . gaa OF neeS.y s dozen expert bank
burglu ri tc do the Job.
1t has rema.r-t for three boys, whose
leader vas only seventeen years old, TO
accomplsh the worlds record in the rob
berry, the other day In Omaha, OF a mai,
car from which they took more than
S3,6O0OO0 worth of money and securities
DeadNoDd Dick. jesse James, Black Bart
and the res ssbf the famous stage and train
robbers of the past generation boosted OF
robberies which netted them from sac. 900
to s50,0O0sS Yet these heroes Of the high
waymanA mask. like Jimmy Hope and his
bank hsrslsr gang, operated with many
confed rs and used their pistols liissrl
ally. three boys, whose recent ~.
plot titled the police authorities OF ths
whole country, were entirely inexperienced
and unarmed
II was ee-'y on Saturday night Noyem.
Der -. that Union Pacific train No. pulled
into the transfer station at Council Bluffs.
just across the river from Omaha, Neb. II
had carried from San Francisco tie, great
sacks OF registered mall tor New HoSk-
The ten bags we're taken from the PseiAc
train and transferred to tsst mall train No.
s Of the Chicago. BuriinStoa q oviasv
Railroad. on which they were to BE- tAkso
10 Chicago 10 be transferred again there.
and after that sent direct East
III bet II We had the money that's 10
just one OF these sacks, BILL comnsatsd
one of the clerks "we'd never have 10
work again
How much do you thinks In thsmf
asked Bilg
"Ohuabout a million" guessed the other,
little realizing how far below the mark he
was. tUOdg
The heavy bags were shifted because
they we're Through" and therefore needed
no distributing en- route they wen piled
up In p, "h9rage car" In which no clerks
would Dc VI work during the trip This
STORAGE car was just behind the cog ne
tender In Il we're other sacks OF NAL No
one would ever have suspected II OF carry.
ing treasure.
II was inst an ordinary wooden baggage
carriage with no steel sides no gratings,
nor bars nor any OF the usual precautions
TO keep out the wicked. The treasure.
uA6kNSsS.- not dpmpodn1nto Gpah A We
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12
AetoJ International

then the registered mail went through IN
one Of the old cars. He was thoroughly
aware OF the habits Of the tra!nmen, just
where the trains had to stop on their way
from the transfer station to Omaha, how
long they would stop there and other
minute details.
Having thought over these details he be-
gan to wonder how they could be made
useful. He preached the matter to his
brother. who also worked in the transfer
station, and to young Ponenbarger.
Poffcnba rger, the police authorities say,
realized the possibilities and worked out
TO the smallest details the plans OF the
robbery. They studied quietly the mechar-
ism OF the baggage cars and discovered
that the side door could be opened BY
leaning through the little window at the
top and reaching down to the lever.
few rehesrsals reduced the time of this
operation to a point considered safe.
At last II was decided TO test out the
scheme, and the night OF Saturday, Novem.
Der IL, was picked The Phillipses had no
iNfovmation OF any unusually valuable
shipment going through that night--the
fact that they could not have picked a
time when = richer shipment was going
through was purely a coincidence.
Merle was an industrious chap, much
engrossed, his superiors thought, In hts
job Even when off duty he would re.
quently come into the transfer station snt
help out gratutously. So, when he strolled
along that Saturday night his presence ex-
cited no comment He sat around waitiug
for the Union Paciac train TO draw in.
little way outside IN the darkness was his
brother and Pofrenbarger.
And In an automobile close TO the cross.
ing six blocks nwav where No. must stop
was q fourth member OF the youthful gang
Merle helped put the ten pouches Of reg
istered natl I'm the baggage car He knew
just how long he had 70 teql HIS youthful
confederates Of their location before No. <
started. He whispered just where the
sacks ht been placed When the tro n
started Orville and lOffenbarger wee
clinging TO the steps OF the baggage ca.
breaking the side door window and op.n
ing the door,
Merle had gone to the engineer. whom
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12

he had seen the bag II stin lay
there. Beside ramshackle barn close to
the tracks they found the marks Of an
automobile. II vac very evident that the
pouches had beoa thrown into this auto
and that the ore recovered had dropped
from h in fits h'sht,
So cunninsiy had The robbery been etA
fected. so swiftly and efficiently had the
thieves worked that at once the postal
authorities and Government detectives
gave out statements accusing some mas
ter criminal mird" Of concetving and car.
rying out the plot. They dwelt upon the
depth OF intimate knowledge OF postal or
SANITATION, the immense amount OF plan.
ming necessary, the clock-like execution Of
the robbery. OF course, they said, II was
largely wasted, because there hadn't been
morn than $40 900 In the bags.
But on Sunday II could no longer be
concealed that there had been hundreds
OF times this amount In the sacks.
And on Monday . suspect was arrested
and later made confessionl Some gray
headed Professor Moriarty OF Sherlock
HOLMES memory Some monstrous spider
OF crime with all the resources OF organf
Haticu and science at his commando Not
1T an-only . seventeen yeaf-old boy, shivN
sriaS and frightened half to death by the
magnitude OF the booty that he and two
other lads had taken!
The boys name WAS Merle Phillips. He
lives at Council Bluffs. and had been en-
ployed for more than three years as a
Burlington Railway mail assorter. II was
his duty TO stack the pouches OF mall In
the cars after they had been filled by th9
postal clerks at the Union Pacific transfer
station. Not many hours after, his younger
brother, Orville, surrendered 70 the az
thorities, and after that Fred poTenbarger.'
still more frightened youth OF the same
age ne Merle phillips
And now to cut back. ~ the motion
picture people say, TO show Just how those
sacks OF mall did svsporste from the train.
Merle Phillips, although young. was Oh
servant. Sitting In the transfer station he
knew that immense sums I'm currency and
negotiable securities rested within the
sacks that he piled day after day In the
mall trains. lie slso knew that nov aud
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12

At the rsndesvous the bags were slit
opeb. The three sat staring with utter
awe at the contents revealed. Imagine II
you can the sensations of Ali Baba when
the boards OF the Forty Thieves first
flashed upon his bew:ldered eyes, or Sind
bad the Sailor In the Valley OF Jewels,
and you will have some idea of their SEN
sstions. from one sack poured bundles OF
$40 bills. Out Of another came stacks Of
Liberty Bonds with $1,000 engraved across
their green faces, hundreds Of French
bonds and other securities. They we're no
fools, these boys, ard they knew many Of
these were negotiable, equal to currency.
And out Of the other sacks rolled other
foods Of bank notes, stocks and bonds!
How much was there9 They didn't
know. They only knew that II was so
great that II paralysed them! SO immense
sum that Il crushed them And at once
they knew that II wss too big for them to
get away with!
What could they % with it? How spend
\ or get rid Of Nfa A few hundreds or
thousands and they 6buld have handled IL
II was the colossal size Of 1t that crushed
them. They had hoped that the god OF
thieves would slip them few" and he
had buried them under IN avalanche!
They divided the bags The sack Of Lib
erty Bonds fell to young Poffenbarger.
eft alone with them they terrified him
still more. There Was an old stove near
by. He nlied II with the bonds and set
them o, Are. Again and again he fed the
certificates into II. The stove grew
choked with ashes, several times he had to
empty It, II became red hot.
Young Poffenbarger was burning money
all night His only complaint was that II
took so long
1t does take long time to burn up
100000 of perfectly good money! That
is what the bonds were worth, and the boy,
although he did not know 1t, was estab
fishing a record. At last they we're all
gone and he breathed easier. The police
later recovered the ashes AID a few
scorched bits of papc" that proved with
what costly fuel the fire had been fed.
Nor did the Phillips boys know any bet
ter what to do with their share Their
burden of $40 bills VAS too bulky q
"roll' for anyone. SO they wrapped the
notes up In an old quilt and buried them
under the dirt OF an old chicken coop,
The contents OF the other bags we're hid
den here and there. 1t is unlikely that
before they we're arrested they. had a
chance to spend a single cent.
Merle confessed. taking all the blame
His brother confessed and tried to take the
blame from him. poffenbarger, of the Lib
crty Bonds, just confessed. The fourth
member OF the gang has escaped. His
name IL known and the search for him
country wideA Others who took part In the
robbery after It had been accomplished are
In custody.
OF all the loot the Government has re-
covered only S23,a60 In currency. 81 $50 In
bonds and three diamond brooches, valued
At about s7b each. The missing confe5-
crate Is supposed TO have s2b 900 In btils
The balance OF the s35O0o0O odd has
either been burned or otherwise destroyeo.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12
8~o~1 aSoS,

A Mall Robbery Of
Wsstsrn Stage Coach
Days. Such Exploits
Were the Work of
Armed and Expert
Despsradoes, Whose
Combined Loot for
Years Would
Nst Approach That
Gained b the Three
Ursrmsa Boy. in One
Single Crime.
the passenger station.
II Was then that he
watched, with the
aswning OF 4 great fear
and much wonder, the
excited m all clerks
break into the car, slip
ping Away when the
general alarm was sent
out.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12

from the tralsfsr station
they had disappeared into
thin sif!
II WIS not long before
Omaha police and dstec-
tivsA postal inspestoss
and Department Of Justice
lsuths swsrmed about.
II was soon learned that
whoever had looted the
car had swung up on the
iroA step beside the side
door, smashed its window,
reached In and unfastened
it; had then entered the
car, chained the end doors
to prevent interference,
hurled the mail sacks eat
AS the train stopped Ut
the crossing and had
quietly followed the last
one through.
In autos and on foot
the police faced back
to the crVssins where
the clerk had thought
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
NOTICE.

All outstanding Marshall County
Warrants on Road and Bridge Fund,
registered up to and including October
28th, 1919, will be paid upon presenta-
tiOn at the County Treaslrer's office,
Warren, Marshall County, MINI.
All outstanding Marshall County
Warrants on Revenue Fund, registered
up to February LIST, 1920, will be paid
upon presentation at the County Treas
urer's Office, Warren, Marshall County,
MINI.
All outstanding Warrants on County
Agents fund will be paid upon presen-
tation at the County Treasurer's office,
Warren, Marshall County, MINI.
All outstanding Warrants on Mar
shall County's tuberculosis Sanatorium
fund will be paid upon presentation at
the County Treasures Office at Warren,
Marshall County, MINI.
Dated, Warren, Mimi, March 3Oth,
1920.
F. Bake,
County Treasurer.
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
Pres SURE HAS Effect
French Position Ia Occupying
Ruhr District Is Weakening.
Reply to erltain's Note Indicates VIII
linoness to Consult Allies Here &
after Before Acting. .s

Paris First indication Of French
weakening under pressure Of Allied
portests against her occupation OF the
Rhine cities was seen in the text Of
the French reply to Great Britain's
note just made public. .s
Premier Millerand said the Paris
government in future would not act
without the consent of its allies in at.
tempting to force Germany to live up
to the terms of the treaty Of Versail-
les.
Attempting to justify Marshal
Foch's move, Millerand declared 1t was
impossible for France to accept Ger
many's unguaranteed promise to with
draw the reichswehr from the neutral
zone as soon as the Ruhr revolt was
crushed.
German Violations Cited.
Events have proved, the premier as
serted, that Germany's promises cam
not be relied upon. He cited Ger
many's failure to deliver her war
guilty, her delay in payment Of repara-
tons and delivery of coal and her
failure to carry out the terms Of the
treaty regarding naval and land dis
armament #
The British government, he believed.
had not measured the full danger Of
these successive and systematic viola-
tions,'' of the Versailles pact.
France realized, he said, and was
forced to cry: We've had enough"
A weakening of the French position
also was seen in Millerand's declara-
ton that. France lis convinced of the
necessity for the most intimate con-
Germ with England" in the solution Of
such vast world problems as Rus
STA, the Balkans, Asia Minor and Tur-
key, - Y:
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
T. G. A i.
N q / G E s.
March 17-April 81. 5..
NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORE
CLOSURE SALE

Default having been made In the
conditions of certain mortgage duly
executed and delivered by John NJ.
Ryan and Ida Ryan, his wife, Mort.
ing date the 3rd day OF January, 1918.
and with a power of sale therein con-
tanned duly recorded in the office Of the
Register Of Deeds in and for the Coun-
ty Of Marshall and State Of Minnesota.
on the 9Th day Of January, 1915, at
eight o'clock a. NJ, in Book "a. Of
which ssd
cured thereby was duly assigned by
said Ole. Rude. Mortgagee. to Nick
Breyer by written assignment dated
recorded in the office Of said Register
OF Deeds on the 18th day Of October,
1919. at nine o'clock "A. NJ, in Book 81,
of Mortgages. on page SIT.
Which said mortgage together with
the debt secured thereby was duly as.
signed by said Nick Breyer to Fred
]. Whitenack by written assignment
and recorded in the once h Of the Reg Res.
lister Of Deeds Of said county on the
5th day Of November. 1919. at eight
o'clock A. NJ. in Book "a. of Mortgages.
J. Whitenack, the assignee and. holder
of said mortgage, has duly elected and
does hereby elect to declare the whole
payable at the date Of this notice under
the terms and conditions of said mort
gage and the power OF sale therein
contained and whereas, there is actual
date of this notice the sum of Twenty
two hundred nineteen and '45-100
($2219.45) dollars and whereas said
power Of sale has become operative,
been instituted at law. or otherwise, to
recover the debt secured by said mort
gage. or any part thereof.
~ Now, Therefore, Notice is Hereby
NJ
sale contained in said mortgage and
pursuant to the statute in such case
made and provided the said mortgage
premises described in and conveyed by
said mortgage, viz: The East half Of
the Southwest quarter (E1s SWA) of
H ISsHH Eff Fiftye SIX a5sl North, Of
Range Forty-two (42) West. of the
Fifth Principal Meridian, in Minnesota,
containing Eighty (S0) acres, more or
thereof, in Marshall County and State
Of Minnesota, with the Entertainments
and appurtenances, which sale will be
made by the Sheriff Of said Marshall ull
House in the City Of Warren, in said
County and State, on the 1st day Of
May, 1920, at eleven o'clock A. NJ. of
Highest high AY bidder for cash. to pay said
debt of Twenty-Five hundred nineteen
and 45-1OO ls221e-45) dollars and in
terest and the taxes, II any. on said
premises and Seventy-five ($75.O0) dol
lars Attorneys fees as stipulated in
and by said mortgage in case of fore
closure, and the disbursements allow
ed by law, subject to redemption at
any time within one year from the day
OF sale as provided by law.
Dated March 10, 1920. SIS. y
~- FRED J. WHITENACK,
A. N. ECKSTROM, .-7.
Attorney for Assignee,
Warren, MINI. ~ -.
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
March 31-sApril IA.

5.SS March 31-2April IA.
Citation for Hearing ON Petition for
Administrations.
Ss ESTATE OFNELIAS S. LOFSTROM
State Of Minnesota. County Of Marshall
In Probate Court. "a:
In the Matter of the Estate Of Elias S.
Lofstrom. Decedent.
The State Of Minnesota to Albert
Lofstrom, Sigma ePiffer, Christine Jones'
Julia Holmlund, Selma Stol, Earnest
Lofstrom. Addle Lofstrom, and all per-
sons interested in the granting Of adj
tcedent - - r. =
The petition OF Albert Lofstrom hav-
ing been filed in this Court, represent
ing that Elias S. Lofstrom, then a
resident Of the County Of Marshall
State of Minnesota died intestate on
the 9th day of February, 1920. and pray
ing that letters of administration Of
his estate be granted to J.. j.. Oistad
and the Court having. fixed the time and
place for hearing upon said petition.
hereby cited and required to show
cause, if any you have, before this
Court at the Probate Court Rooms in
the City of Warren, in the County of
Marshall, State.-of Minnesota, on the
23rd day Of April. 1920, at 10 o'clock
A. NJ. why said petition should not be
granted. 60
Witness, the Judge of said Court, and
the Seal Of said Court, this 9th day Of
March, 1920. ss,.s...ss = $50 Z.
PETER H HOLM,
Court SeaD ~ "
A. N. ECKSTROM,
- Attorney for Petitioner,
Warren, MINI. ri
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
April 7-21.
April 7-21. -
Citation for Hearing on Final Accoun
and for Distribution.


Citation for Hearing ON Final Account
and for Distribution.
ESTATE OF LOUISA H. MUZZY, De-
cedent.
State Of Minnesota, County Of Marshall,
- In Probate Court. r. :
In the Matter Of the Estate Of Louisa
H. Muzzy, Decedent.
The State Of Minnesota to- r. L..
Muzzy, Nathaniel p: Muzzy, Arthur L.
Muzzy, Ida J. Muzzy, Georgia e.
Muzzy, Raymond L. Muzzy,- Coral e.
Muzzy, and all persons interested in the
final account and distribution of the
estate of said decedent. The represen-
tative of. the above named decedent,
having filed in this Court his final ac-
count of the administration Of the
estate of said deeedent together with
his petition praying for the adjustm ent
and allowance Of said final account and
for distribution Of the residue of said
titled. Y. IL 81 BIS.
Therefore, You, and Each Of You, are
hereby cited and required to show
cause, if any you have, before this
Court at the. Probate Court Rooms in
the City Of Warren, in the County of
Marshall, State Of Minnesota, on the
1st day of May, 1920, at two o'clock p.
M, why said petition should not be
granted.
Witness the Judge of said Court, and
the Seal Of said Court, this 31st day of
- Z. -. PETER H. HOLM,
Probate Judge.
s{Court SeaD
JULIUS J. OLSON and ct
RASMUS HAGE, n.
~ Attorneys for Petitioner 5
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
POLES REPULsE new DRIVE

BoIshevik Artillery, Cavalry and In
fantry Defeated With Heavy Loss. Z
Warsaw.-A heavy artillery, infan-
try and cavalry action in the region
of Mozir, designed, according to an Of.
fetal communication, to bring the
Poles to look favorably On the Bolshe-
vik terms for peace, has been repulsed
with large enemy losses, a statement
issued by the war office says.
Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-04-14
TO FORCE POLES TO PEACE

8olsheviks Raising Army For Often
sive on Polish Front.
Stockholm.-A Bolshevik army has
been modified and equipped, accord
ing to a Moscow message, in p:epara-
ton for an advance to the Polish
front. The Bolshevik are calling
great military forces to arms for the
purpose Of coercing the Poles to &C.
cept peace terms, by the menace of
general offensive.