New Britain herald., 1927-03-18
C0NFESSES THEFT,
 POLICE SkEPT|CAL
Have No Record of SS@,000 Mail Robbery Admitted by Man
SAYS HE BURIED HIS LOOT

SAYS HE BURIED HIS LOOT Search Will be Started in Bismark,
 \. D.. Graveyard to See if Any
 Money is Hidden, as Confessed
 Bandit Says.
 New York, March l8 P}-A story of a s300,00 mall train hodup at Alton, H., in 1923 which Frederick Buhl, Jr., o4 has described in great detail to Brooklyn police. was being investigated by postal inspectors to- day, who said they had no record of any such robbery.
 Buhl, alias Scott Campbell, and known to associates as "The Mil lionaire kid' because Of his natty appearance, was arrested last night in Q Brooklyn rooming house. Tells of Robbery. He related how he and five con- panions, whom he refused to name. on Aug. 23, 1923. boarded a mail car of the Chicago St. Louis express of the Chicago and Alton railroad shortly after it had pulled out of the Alton station and subdued two . mail clerks by tear gas bombs.
 Rendered helpless by the binding tears that followed the gas attack, he said the clerks at the point Of guns were easily forced to unlock their cage and permit the robbers to escape with two mail sacks con- taining the s3oo,o00.
 At Alton, however. officials de- clare they had no knowledge Of the robbery.
 Alton officials recalled, however, that the Illinois Central Panama Limited was robbed at Paxton, H.. in 1921, and the porter of the train killed.
 Each Get $50,00O.
 Buhl. continuing his confession. told how he and one Of his con- panions with S50,000 each as their shares Of the holdup, became un- casy over their sudden wealth and hid it under Q gravestone in a, ceme- tery in Bismarck. N. D., but Buhl said he was too frightened ever to return there to retrieve his treasure and believes his company never did either.
 As result of Burls story St. Mary's cemetery in Bismarck today vas turned into a treasure ground SIS official, prepared to search for the supposedly hidden loot. Police issued a ban against anyone enter ins the place.
 While yesterday was the first Bismarck ever heard of the hidden money. q man named Buhl and sn- swcrire descriptions of the Brooklyn man was recalled IS a resident Of the city, in 1923. Police Chief Mar inson remembered Buhl as a quiet unassuming man. Father John slag, rector of St. Marv's Catholic church, also remembered the name.
 Buh!, according to police, served six months in Penrsylvania's east crn state pcnitentiary for defrauding q Philadelphia hotel and was also in the Railway N. J.. reformatory for passing worthless checks.
 Bismarck, x. D.. March IS Pl-A sexton placed spade today on windswcpt hill top in St. Marys s Catholic cemetery in the hope of finding slO0.o00 reported to have been stolen in mail robbery at Alton, H.. in 1923.
 Police and Father James SlaG. pastor of St. Mary's church inaugu- rated the treasure hunt after re- cciving word that Frederick Buhl. dr., had confessed in New York that he and a companion had buried $50, GOO each in the cemetery after robbing a Chicago x Alton mail car
 Graves made during the late sum- mer of 1923 were selected for the search on the theory that Buhl would have chosen a hiding place near a newly made grave so that signs of his diggings would blend with other freshly turned earth.
 Police officials have agreed to post guard at the cemetery nightly until the money is found or the story proven false.
 Alton, Ill, March IS P)-zNo rec ord, official or otherwise, could be found here today of a s300,000 rob- bcry of Chicago & Alton train on Aug. g, 1923, to which Fred Buhl, Jr., is said to have confessed at