The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-10-12
3 TRAINMEN
SLAIN DURING
DARING HOLDUP
Robbers Shoot Them Down in
Cold Blood Because Train
men Recognized Them
ON PACIFIC COAST
Fast Southern Pacific Train Is
Held Up on Oregon CAL
fornia Border
ON PACIFIC COAST

Redding, Pa, Oct. l2-The wood
ed peaks of the Siskiyous on the
border between Oregon and Ca.ifor-
MIA are believed to shelter today a
little group of men who yesterday
afternoon held up Southern Pacific
train No. l3. slew three trainmen and
the mail clerk and caused injuries
to about a score of passengers
through an explosion whereby they
forced their way into the mail car.
They got no loot.
Posses from Oregon and California
counties are seeking them. Among
the possemen are Oregon National
Guardsmen.
From all available Indications the
tlainmen were shot down in cold
blood because they recognized the
robbers who. officials believe, are
former railroad employees or at any
rate men familiar with the operation
OF trains and the country around
tunnel 13, several miles south of Ash
land, Ore, where the hold-up was
staged.
The mail clerk never had a chance
for his life. He .barricaded himself
in his car and the robbers either
threw the fused explosive through
the window Or set off q blast at
the door in an effort to get in. The
mail pouches were burst and torn
and stove overturned. Fire follow
ed. ~
Whether the mail clerk was burn
ed to death or died from the shock
Of the explosion cannot be determin-
ed. His body was charred beyond
recognition. All mail was destroyed.
The concussion of the blasts shat
tered windows in cars farther back
ir the train and flying glass was
responsible. for passengers injuries.
Energies from Tunnel
The train emerged from the tun-
mel running slowly. Because
bridge crew was at work trainmen at
the rear of the train felt no appre-
hension when the train slowed down
even more. Then several shots were
heard. A moment or two later came
the explosion. The blast sent the
fumes of dynamite smoke into the
tunnel and they seeped into the cars
rendering more terrible a situation
which already had thrown passeng-
ers in some coaches into something
very near a panic.
Conductor C. G. Merritt, who was
in charge Of the train, attempted to
quiet the passengers and then rush
ed toward the engine, accompanied
by another trainman. They found
s. L. Bates, IS, the engineer and
Marvin Seng, %. the fireman, lying
beside the engine cab on the ground.
Each had been shot through the
head and apparently had died in
stantly. Near their bodies lay C. o.
johnson. 40, a brakeman, not on duty
who had been riding on the train.
Apparently he had rushed to the
engine ahead Of the two trainmen
and had been shot. He died from
the effect Of four bullet wounds in
his stomach.
Posses Out
The body Of the mail clerk e.
Dougherty, IS, was in the burning
mail car.
Authorities at Redding, Reka,
Siskiyou, California, and Ashland,
Oregon, Immediately were notified
and posses were hastily formed under
Sheriff Andrew Kalsins Of Reka,
Sheriff Terrell Of Jackson county,
Oregon. and Prohibition Enforcement
Officer. S. s. Sanfer Of Jacksonville,
Ore. The footprints of three men
believed to be the bandits we're
found. leading away from the scene
and the possemen we're trailing them.
Shortly after the hold-up an auto
mobile was reported to have travelled
through Ashland travelling north at
high rate Of speed. The machine
is said to have contained two men
whom the authorities believe may
have been the two men. The tunnel
was cleared and traffic resumed.