Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1921-02-25
BANDIT HOLDS
Up MAIL CREW
Robber Escapes With $500, 600
From North Coast Limited
Near Minneapolis.
CLERK FATALLY SHOT
Posing % Inspector Bandit Boards
Train at 81. Cloud; Suddenly Draws
Gun and Orders Men 70
Hold Up Hands.

MISUNDERSTANDING e. Strong,
In charge 81 the mail car, who was
shot three times, by the bandit, 7
died at. the Minneapolis General
hospital. He had been employed
IN the railway mail service fifteen
years and leaves q widow and two
@ehitdren, living In the Mill City.
Minneapolis-A bandit who boarded
the eastbound North Coast Limited
train at st. Cloud. held up three men
in charge of the mail car: shot and
probably fatally injured one Of the
men, took currency and negotiable
bonds estimated at hundreds Of thou
sands of dollars. and escaped az tue
train entered Minneapolis at $40 Fri
day night. j. o.. -...;E
The holdup occurred near Bailey,
a station ON the Northern Pacific rail-
road Ave miles northwest Of Elk River,
county seat Of Sherburne county, and
about IS miles northwest OF Minneap-
oils. 81. ~ -.
The bandit boarded the train when
it reached st. Cloud, entering the mail
car on q permit used by inspectors In
the mail service. He had ridden from
st. Cloud to Minneapolis on the same
train two weeks ago. using similar
permit, and was known to one Of tho
men In the car.
The car was in charge Of Strong, 4
veteran in the railway mail service,
and his assistants were Clare l..
Brown. 1908 East Thirty-fifth street,
Minneapolis, and Harry NJ. Christen.
sen, 2197 Dayton avenue, st. Paul. The
permit was inspected, and was found
TO be authority for m. P. Peterson"
to ride in tho car. =
The bandit engaged the three men
in conversation, using the subjects
known to mail clerks, until the train
was near Bailey Il There the man sud-
denly drew 2 gun and ordered the. men
to hold up their hands. ri
AS the three ob4yed, the bandit or
dered Strong aud Brown into a corner
of the car. = - $':%%
Come over shere!" he shouted to
CnIlSteuSeu. .ly% a. - <s-S-
Christensen obeyed and the bandit
produced a:rolt OF fine wire. [
Tie these fellows up tight and be
quick about it!'':swas the next com
~mand -.
" - Tiles. Up Comrades. $685., =.
Christensen wound the wire around
the legs and arms of his companions,
but in tying Strong's hands left q
slack In the wire. The bandit then
ordered him into the corner and al
Christensen complied turned toward
the mail sacks. III: -
At that moment Strong, whose hands
were practically free, seized an iron
bar used in opening the car door and
! hurried it at the bandit. It struck him
upon the back, but had little effect.
The bandit picked up the bar and
threw it to the other end of the car,
then fired three shots at Strong. The
first took effect in the victims stom.
ach. After firing two more shots
while Strong was lying on his face. the
gunman ordered Christensen to carry
oIO"u " q m1lA IdCAp "uSES U0 WCSS
rolled under the rack.
Christensen then was told to open
the mail sacks. 1922. ..
"Pick out the sacks with the regis
tered mail,'' ordered the bandit Get
them open"
Then a sack. containing registered
mail, currency and negotiable bonds
was opened, the bandit stuffed most OF
the contents into a grip used by one
Of the clerks. Christensen then was
forced to enter locker room in the
car, which the bandit bolted ON the
outside. The lights in the car were
then turned OF, and Christensen, list.
ening as the train sped along. believed
the bandi: had left the car: Anxious
to aid Strong, Christensen succeeded
In breaking the lock on the locker, but
found the bandit seated on q pile Of
sacks. holding his gun ON Brown.