The Fake Postal Inspector Who Robbed the Great Northern — and Got Away With Less Than $5

One of the most daring train robberies ever perpetrated in this section occurred last Sunday morning. As usual, the Great Northern was the road selected by the bandit for the easy mark. The government, instead of the railroad, suffered the loss this time.

As the Oriental Limited of the Great Northern reached Bonners Ferry, westbound, a bogus postal inspector tossed his grip and pouch into the mail car and told the clerk in charge that he would return in a moment and accompany the crew to Spokane. Just as the train was leaving the station he entered the car and spoke to the clerk who was working, passing some remarks on the coolness of the weather as he paced up and down the aisle of the car.

It is customary, when an inspector enters a mail car, for him to immediately present his credentials. This inspector failed to present the usual papers, but instead presented a revolver. The working clerk threw up his hands, and was immediately bound by the robber and thrown into a closet at one end of the car. After having done this the robber proceeded to begin the work of rifling the registered mail pouches. While engaged in this work the robber was disturbed by the awakening of the other clerk. Not desiring to be interfered with, he presented his revolver to that clerk also. The clerk accepted the credentials, and was bound, gagged and tied in a chair, with his face in the opposite direction from the robber.

The Oriental ordinarily makes but three stops in the 109-mile trip between Bonners Ferry and Spokane. These stops are at Newport, Colbert and Hillyard. At each of the stations the robber threw off the mail and took on that offered by the transfer clerks, just as though he was the regular clerk, without the transfer men suspecting anything to the contrary.

At Newport the train was held for a period of twenty minutes on account of a hot box on the engine. It is now remembered by the local authorities that the mail car door, on the side opposite the depot, was kept open during all of the delay. The robber had evidently become a little suspicious and was making ready to make a break for the timber south of the city.

When the train reached the yards in Spokane the bandit jumped from the train and disappeared. The Draper bloodhounds were put on the trail and traced the scent to one of the street car lines.

The robbery was not discovered until the transfer men at the Spokane depot knocked at the car door to notify the clerks to throw out the Spokane mail. The robber had six hours in which to accomplish his work, but it is stated by the postal authorities that he only secured a very small sum of money, less than five dollars, as a result of his daring operations.

The First National Bank of Newport was expecting a registered package containing $5,000 from an eastern customer for investment in Newport property, by this train. Later information received by that institution stated that, luckily, the money was not sent on the day expected.

No trace of the robber has been found. The mail clerks disagree as to his description, and the Hillyard transfer man fails to agree with the description furnished by either of the clerks.