Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-07-18
TRAIN ROBBERY
WAS DARING JOB
IN WAGNER AREA
EXECUTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT;
KID CURRTE CREDITED AS
MASTER MIND

Train robberies except for a few
! isolated instances disappeared with
| the development and increasing pop
ulation of the west, but there are still
many men in Montana who figured
prominently in the pursuits that GUS
| tomariIy followed such robberies Some
| of the robberies were executed with
marked efficiency and through the
/ years have been followed by specula-
ton but not conclusive establishment
Of the facts.
One such robbery was that of the
Great Northern flyer" near Wagner
In July, 1901. Although the redoubt-
able kid" Currie or Curry. whose
career ended In mystery, was credited
with being the master mind Of the
robbery, many OF the facts are to this
day unknown. The loss, however, con-
sisted OF $41 500 and in the robbery
were Incorporated all the melodramatic
features OF q modern western motion
picture.
In the pursuit after the bandits were
sheriffs, Pinkerton men, railroad spe-
cial agents and varied assortment
Of Montana residents. some still iv-
ing. The pursuit covered much Of the
state, the Hole-in-the-Wall territory
near Jackson, Wyo, and other places
celebrated both In fact and fiction and
without conclusive evidence
The badmen involved. however, did
not conform either in appearance or
equipment to those Of fiction, although
their actions conformed acceptably to
those of the characters Of scenarists
and fictionists.
RJors,ey.o mr. onrctvv,fa NJ xgooTa ocn
followed the activities of posses and
Pinkerton detectives and were filled
with predictions OF officers Of early
arrests and the bandits being sur
rounded, only to be followed by stories
of dtsillusionment.
Spectacular Robbery
From hammered front page stories,
the robbery within a few days was
relegated to inside pages, with re-
current revivals and gradual abate-
ment Of interest when after numerous
DAYS the bandits we're still at large
An article In the River Press Of Fort
Benton on July g. 1901, reveals the
speculative nature Of the robbery and
follows:
The criminal record of Chouteau
county was increased Wednesday aft
ny 0lAC u k1lE D@A4Sob ntAQ AAAJAe@
successful train robberies ever under
taken by the profession. Great North
ern west bound flyer was held up by
three bandits near Wagner, a station
a short distance west Of the Valley
county boundary line. and the treasure
box Of the express car was relieved Of
currency and various articles Of value
to an amount estimated as high as
$4,000.
THE robbery was perpetuated IN
broad daylight and among its exciting |
features was the shooting of a brake |
man and a male and girl passenger. |
each Of whom escaped with more or
less serious wounds from the rifles |
carried by the bandits.
THE stories told by the parties who
we're on the train differ IN some minor |
details but all agree that the robbery |
was executed in such an orderly man
ner that 1t was the work Of experts |
at the business. AS the train was leay |
ing Malta, Conductor Smith noticed
what he supposed to be a tramp on
the front end Of the mail car next l
to the engine. He tried to drive him
off after the train started but the
man pulled a revolver and said he
would shoot him.
THE conductor returned TO the /
coaches and as Sheriff Griffith OF /
valley county was on the train ar