The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-11-25
2 CONVICTED
FOR BIG MAIL
TRAIN H0LDUP
William Fahay, Former Star
Postal Inspector, One of
Those Convicted
A SENSATIONAL HOLDUP
$2,OOO,OOO Worth Of Securi-
ties Secured From Train
in Roundup H0ldup

Chicago, Nov. 25 (By the A. P)-
Verdicts of guilty were returned to-
day by a federal jury by William
Fahay, former postal inspector, and
James Murray, politician, on five
charges Of robbing the mails with
gun, five charges of mail robbery
and one charge Of conspiracy to rob
the mails, each in connection with
the $2,00O,000 Roundout, Illinois,
mail train holdup June IL.
Judge Adam c. CIiffe said he
would fix the punishment next Sat
urday morning when he indicated he
would also hear motions Of defense
attorneys for a new trial. Meanwhile
Fahay and Murray will be held in
the county Jail. The jury deliber-
ated over five hours before reaching
an agreement, which was announced
at 1:45 a. m. Walter Macomb, chat
feur for Murray, in whose home Will
lie Newton, wounded robber, was
found, was acquitted. He was pic
tured as an innocent victim of cir
cumstances.
The verdict climaxed over a week
of trial in which six men, named as
the actual slayers in the indictment,
pleaded guilty and some testified
for the prosecution against Fahay,
Murray and Macomb. In the closing
arguments, government attorneys
pictured Fahay as Judas who ac-
cepted pay from the federal govern
ment to run down the robbers, and
kept them posted on operations
against them. Defense counsel at
tackled the credibility Of the gov
ernment's witnesses.
Daring Robbery
The robbery was one of the most
daring in recent years. A Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul mail train
carrying currency, bonds and secur-
tiles valued at millions of dollars,
was stopped at Roundout, Illinois,
about 35 miles from Chicago, as it
sped toward St. Paul. The holdup
men subdued the train crew and
drove the mail clerks from the car
containing the registered mail with
gas bombs. They selected more than
so pouches of mail and forced the
clerks to load them into two auto
mobiles. Only one man was wound
ed during the holdup. Willie New
ton, one of the confessed robbers,
was shot and seriously wounded by
one Of his companions, reported to
have been Brent Glasscock, when
Newton was mistaken for member
of the train crew.
The next day most Of the mail
pouches, ripped open and ransack-
ed, were found few miles from the
4 scene, but little progress was made
toward the solution of the robbery
for several days, until a police raid
was made on the home of Macomb,
who was arrested with his wife,
Willie Newton, his brother, Joe, and
others who were later released. MUIR
ray was taken when he came to the
flat shortly after the raid.
During the next two months, var
ious members of the band were
rounded up, including Willis and
Jesse Newton, brothers Of Willie, a
fifth brother, Tull, who was never
implicated in the actual robbery, and
Herbert Holiday.
Fahay Accused
In September sensation was ere
ated Fahay, for years star postal
inspector here and credited with the
solution of the Dearborn Street mail
robbery for which "Big Tim" Muir
ply was sent to prison was arrested
and charged with having furnished
information on which the robbery
had been operated. For several
weeks he had been prominently iden-
titled with the investigation. He
denied any connection with the rob-
berry and maintained he was being
framed" by jealous enemies.
The last member of the gang to
be caught was Brent Glasscock, al
legged to be the leader, taken with
his wife in Battle Greek, Mich. He
gave the most important evidence
for the prosecution when he related
on the stand various meetings with
Fahay and Murray at which much
ne tho 1oot wac rocnvornH