Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1902 — HELD UP BY ONE MAN [ARTICLE]

HELD UP BY ONE MAN

Bold Crime in the Train Robbery Line Done on the Northern Pacific. - j HEEOIO ENGINEEB IS A VICTIM Dies at His Post, Shot by the Fiend Who Did the Hold-Up—Blood-hounds Are on the Trail. Missoula, Mont., Oct 25.—Eastbound passenger train No. 2 on the Northern Pacific was held up Thursday night near Drummond, Mont, at a place forty-five miles from this city, and Engineer Dan O’Neill was killed. The train* which Included mall, baggage and express cars, with nine coaches, arrived at Missoula at 10:20 p. m. from Portland and coast cities, and proceeded eastward after a short delay at this station. It arrived after midnight at a place two miles west of Drummond. Here the train was signaled to stop, and the engineer slowed up. While doing so he saw a man creeping toward him over the tender. Dead at Ilia Poat of Doty. ~ Th eman, who was armed, called to O’Niell to stop the train Instantly. The engineer took In the situation at once, and pulling open the throttle tried to start the train at full speed. The robber divined his purpose and fired at him. The shot took Instant effect and the engineer fell dead at his post. The robber then proceeded to rifle the express and mail cars. He plundered the regular mall, and blew open the safe in the express ear, which was wrecked by the explosion. The amount of plunderwhlch he secured is not known at present, but it is supposed to be large. Intense Excitement on the Train. The excitement on the train was Intense. The sudden stoppage of the train followed soon by the explosion spread alarm among the train hands and the passengers. The darkness of the night and the loneliness of the place added to the general scenes of terror. Word of the attack was sent to Drummond, whence It was telegraphed to Deer Lodge, about fifty miles away.

BLOODHOUNDS AFTER THE ROBBER One Man Said to Have Done the Job of Holding Up the Train. Bloodhounds were sent out at once In charge of trusty men and steps were taken to keep vigilant watch for the robbers. It was assumed that at least eight men were engaged in the hold-up, but the latest advices are that one man alone perpetrated this atrocious murder and robbery. Sheriff Prescott with a strong force of men started at once for the scene of the robbery on a special train. The coronfer went with him. Dan O’Neill, the murdered engineer, lived in this city, and had a wife,and five children. lie had been In the service of the Northern Pacific longer than any other engineer. The robber boasted that he was the man who took part In the hold-up of the Southern Pacific train near Portland, Ore., about a year ago. He made this Isiast to the train hands to terrorize them while he employed them to run the train for four miles—that is to two miles east of Drummond. He declared that he would be hard to catch, as he had a horse In the timber. Warden Conley, of the Deer Lodge penitentiary, Is engaged 1n the pursuit with the bloodhounds. The robber blew up the baggage as well as the* express car. The Northern Pacific has offered a reward of ?5,000 for delivery, dead or alive, of the train robber who murdered O’Neill. The mask worn by the bandit was found on a mountain trail two miles from the scene of the holdup, aud after giving the hounds the scent of the mask the animals immediately took up the trail, which was then about eight hours old. - It Is believed that the robber boarded the blind baggage car when the train stopped at a water tank near Bear Mouth. After the robbery the bandit, taking one of the train crew named Berry for a companion, marched down the track without molesting the passengers. After going about u mile and a half he told Berry good-bye and took to the woods.