Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-01-25
Kid Curry and His Gang Robbed Great Northern Passenger
Train of $4,000 Maa Escaped and Were Never Punished
BY MATTE Il. cRAA1ER

century, northeastern Montana
was rather wild and wooIiy.S
The discovery Of paying quantities
Of gold Tn the region Of the Little
Rockies attracted mining men and
gamblers from all sections Of the
United States. They were mostly
q shifting population with no es-
fabIished place Of residence. "Honae
was where they hung their hats"
It was the success of the mininE
men that attracted the cattlemen q
this part Of the state. About so miles
to the east and north Of the Little
Rockies big cattle companies we're op-
Grating and accommodating fortunes
from the sale of livestock that fed on
range grass that cost them nothing
The returns Of the cattlemen were
about equal to those Of the mining
men and their employees who toileo
and sweat In the mines. Settlers were
few and far between and great herds
Of cattle and horses and bands OF
sheep roamed at win over the limit
less prairies from the Missouri river
to the Canadian border. Cowboys IN
IO-gallon hats (sombreros), gay col
ored shirts and neck handkerchief,
chaps and high-heeled boots with
clanking spurs, rode the ranges.
At times these cowboys terror1zeo
the citizens Of the frontier towns
when In frolicsome mood they shot
uuv the villages during the spring OF
fan roundup. Indians and breeds lent
a primitive atmosphere to the scene
as they wandered about from the
reservations or set up tepees near
streams or on their favorite hunting
grounds. For about is years this sec
ton Of Montana continued TO be PIC
turesuue, colorful and attractive.
Malta was prominent as a shipping
point and trading center and visioned
as a town with great future us
railroad facilities we're conducive 70
rapid growth and development.
Old-fimers in Malta and vicinity
recall wildly July 3, 1901, when des-
peradoes under the leadership OF
iKid" Curry held up 8 Great Northern
train about eight miles west OF the
town and made their getaway with
s81 600 in 500 bills, a consignment
from the United States treasury 70
the National bank at Helena.
Regarding the train robbery Mabel
M. peck of Cheyenne, Wyo., who was
a "tenderfoot" in Malta in 1901, hav-
ing recently come west from Chicago,
and who was employed as clerk In the /
postoffice and store kept by r. w. /
Garland on the north side Of the
Great Northern railroad trackc'
writes:
mot much went on in those days
except at sheep shearing and cattle
shipping time, when the nights were
filled with the noise Of hurdy-gurdys
and the shouts of drunken men.
"At that time the transcontinental
limited did not stop at Malta except
for water. The water tank was Just
about opposite the postoffice. Had
been more observant, might have
seen the bandits, though they prob
ably kept Secreted, boarding the train
on the south side. Climbing the ten
der q few miles west. they held up
the engineer and fireman, Tom Jones
and Mike ONeil, both Of Glasgow, .
Mont. They were. ordered TO uncouple
the engine, take 1t up the track, then ;
come back and hold the sack while !
The robbers filled it with valuables /
rom the express car. The gang blew
)pen the safe and shattered the car, /
badly damaging it. saw 1t that aft |
.rnoon being taken back to Glasgow. /
Pictures were taken of the wrecked '
ar and numbers Of them sold. t
Everything was well planned by the q
Curry gang. The train was stopped c
& a point where Milk river makes a @
'end close to the tracks. They had n
aft in readiness TO cross the river, 9
where horses were tied to make a +
uick getaway. AS the express car was p
eing rifled, members of the gang Q
ept shooting alongside the cars, with F
Winchester rifles, and all passengers
1ere warned to get below the windows. h
is said the sheriff of Valley county g
Tas on the train but powerless to act. 81
1.-THE train auditor and a child, not 81
citing out Of range quickly, were p
not and wounded, the auditors arm
eing shattered. Section men came to Il
ialta after the robbery, looking for r
r. Clay, only Malta physician, to Il
reSs the wounds of the victims until ii
ley could be taken to the hospital d,
Great Falls k
"Dr. Clay at first refused to 20, W
linking it was a practical Joke being fl
layed on him There was so little tt
ping on In those days that many j
ere the pranks played on one an M
her: DR.. Clay was as bad as the bC
st but enjoyed joke on himself b.
al