The Fort Peck press., 1936-04-16
How Tom Carter
Planned Robbery
Of Treasure Coach
LATE UNITED STATES SENATOR
ARRANGED DETAILS AND
WATCHED ROBBERY

from NlOlltdtId HI oiN
influential men of the nation, but
comparatively few of his friends OF
later days knew that back in the early
SOS, when he was a young attorney
employed by the Wells-FargO EX-
press Co., he helped arrange the de-
tails of a holdup of the companys
treasure coach between MarysVllle
and Helena. =
How the stagecoach was stopped IN
a lonely spot in the mountains, now
the road agents took from it the bull
! lion box which was scheduled to carry
between S25. 900 and $4,000 from the
Drum Illmmon mine, and how the rob-
bers were captured through the ald
of one of them who was troubled with
a conscience, was told by the senator
before his death as follows:
Gone dav in the early eighties while
I was attorney for the Wells-Fargo
Express Co. at Helena, I was sitting IN
nv office looking down on Main street
when my attention was attracted by
two men who passed and repassed the
block on the opposite side OF the street.
One of them seemed to be laborlng n
der some strong excitement. WINE l
was wondering what was disturbing
him. there came a knock on my door
and then this fellow burst into the
room.
care YOU the attorney for the Wells
Fargo company he demanded.
"When 1 replied in the affirmative,
he locked the door. I was specializing
on what grievance he had against the
company that he was going to TAKE
out on its attorney, when the ieIlOW
oned me to follow. I want to see you
privately he whispered. Another look
at him convinced me he was laborlng
under the strain of some terrible lear:
Il followed him and he closed and
locked the door of the private off1ce.
The Marysville stage is going to be held
up and robbed next Tuesday, he olurt-
ed out. I was startled, recollectlng
that that day the Drum Lummon bull
amounting to between $25 900 and
$50. 900 would be carried out on that
stage.
because I'm n of the men that's
going to hold it up was the reply. i
don't want to, but I'm afraid II L don't
my partner will kill me-
Then the fellow unburdened ms
soul. His partner, a great hairy, pow
erful man, more like a gorilla than any
man I ever saw, had carefully laid the
plans for the holdup. He had worked
for months preparing for the job, had
learned the time when the big ship
of bullion were made from the
mines and had carefully selected the
spot where the stage would be plum
dered. This was / n a wooded, gulch
where the road wound down from a
heavy mountain grade. My informant
and his partner had been working to-
gether on a ranch, and day after Gay
the partner sprang the holdup IDEA
until at last his less Strong-W1lled COM
panion consented to take part. The fell
low was afraid for his life, and over
every plan | suggested to trus-
the holdup. He was CONVINCED MS
GERS could prevent it. At last l hit
upon a plan which met the approval OF
the confederate. :. =.
"When the stage left M~arysville it
four guards. 1 insisted, however,
that they should go unarmed, as | was
determined to prevent ~bloodshed at any
cost. The safe was placed in the boot.
Instead of bullion it contained ieaa'
A companion and I left Helena Mon
lay night and, hiding ourselves in the
above the point selected in the
,oad for the holdup, waited for the
stage to pass. We had field glasses and
rom our place of vantage could look
1own into the gulch.
about 8 o'clock we heard the rump-
ing of the stage is it came gathering
the road at a brisk trot. 1t dipped
lOWIl GllG SldOC ollN - 414SO SO
gulch. Through the glasses we sudden
. saw two men jump from the brush
m each side of the road directly IN
ront of the stage. Both were armed
With rifles. One sprang to the heads
# the horses and grabbed their brides.
The other covered the driver With ms
.un. When the stage stopped, the rob-
YER at the horses heads-my MORN
nt-came back to where his partner
7as standing. First, the safe was thrown
if the boot. Then the driver was COM
to climb down, and then the
tage door was opened, and the four
yards piled out and were lined up on
he side of the road. Il,
Leaving his confederate to guard
he prisoners, the leader seized an ak
e had brought with him and attacked
he safe, He was lust striking the third
low when his partner whirled, and
sing his rifle as a club, smashed him
yer the head. He went down in a
cap, and the guards, who were IN
narge of 'Wally' Evans, were immedl-
tely on him. He was trusSed in ropes, !
is partner was similarly tied, they :
ere put into the stage, taken to Helena
nd three placed in Jail.
"The big fellow believed he had been
nocked out by one of the passengers,
ever having the slightest suspicion
lat his partner had turned traitor.
he men were kept in jail for three or
,ur months and the big fellow slipped
.eSsages to his partner almost daily,
arning him to remain silent. When the
Use came to trial, the confederate was
lie first witness called. Many men
ave seen angry, but I hope never
gain to see the look of rage that
vept over the countenance of the big
How when his partner turned against
m.
1.-THE nan was convicted and sent to
Ie penitentiary for life, as I recollect.
is partner was given his freedom the
ght the leader was taken to prison:
e came to me for the standing reward
e Wells-Fargo then offered for the
,prehension of stage robbers.
d Where are you going?' I asked.
" To South America, as quickly as 1
get there he replied. If that fellow
er escapes he won't rest satisfied
It'll he kills me-"
JEW PATROL CARS p