On October 11, 1923, brothers Ray, Roy, and Hugh DeAutremont enacted their plan to holdup Southern Pacific Train 13 at the south end of Tunnel 13, where the cars would slow and perform a brake check. The brothers’ actions did not go according to their plan, resulting in the violent murders of four workers aboard the train. The murderers shot railroad employees Sidney Bates, Marvin Seng, and Charles Johnson and the perpetrators’ use of too much dynamite on the Railway Mail Service car killed mail clerk Elvyn Dougherty. No valuables are known to have been taken by the DeAutremonts in the attempted robbery.
In attempt to open the mail car door, the DeAutremonts used this stolen detonator along with blasting caps, wire, and dynamite. (National Postal Museum 1991.0025.1)
The explosion on Train 13’s mail car killed Railway Mail Clerk Elvyn Dougherty and set the car on fire. (Southern Oregon Historical Society #06791)
The mail recovered from the site had blown out of the damaged Railway Mail car and escaped the worst of the fire. Post Office Department employees added a printed note to many of the fragile and singed envelopes and letters. The labels read: “This mail damaged by fire and dynamite in holdup of Ashland & Gerber Train No. 13, at Siskiyou, Oregon, October 11, 1923.”
American Telephone and Telegraph Company of San Francisco envelope was postmarked in Portland, Oregon, on October 9, 1923, and the fire on Train 13 subsequently burned and obliterated the address to Jones and Dona[ldson?] of Portland, Oregon. (National Postal Museum 1985.0344.1)
This smoke-tinged envelope has a printed return address of Marshall-Wells Company, Portland, Oregon and the 2-cent postage stamp was cancelled in Portland, OR, on October 10, 1923. (National Postal Museum 1990.0563.1)
Destined for Alameda, California, this mail addressed to Carrie Compton was postmarked "Seattle, Wash. 3 Terminal Sta. / Oct 10 / 11:30 AM / 1923". Following its recovery from the crime scene, a postal employees stamped the upper right corner with the notice: "Damaged in Wreck of / Ashland-Gerber Train 13 / at Siskiyou, Oregon Oct. 11, 1923." (National Postal Museum 1990.0563.2)
This mail, with an address for Lyle S. Vincent & Company of Seattle, Washington, was extensively burned and found with the train car wreckage. (National Postal Museum 2003.2004.3)
This letter addressed to Mrs. Dorothy I. Hall from “Mother” was penned on Royal Neighbors of America letterhead just two days prior to the Tunnel 13 tragedy. The singed mail was returned to the recipient by the Post Office in the envelope at right along with the following notice: “This mail damaged by fire and dynamite in holdup of Ashland & Gerber Train No. 13, at Siskiyou, Oregon, October 11, 1923.” (Southern Oregon Historical Society 2000.50.1-6)
Letters weren’t the only items destroyed in the mail car explosion. This check and statement from “The Hardie Manufacturing Co” in Portland, Oregon, were en route to the “Golden State Milk Products Co” in San Francisco, California, when they were damaged in the blast. (Southern Oregon Historical Society)
Montgomery Ward and Company in Portland, Oregon, elected to accept this check from Clara L. Hastings in Yreka, California, despite it being heavily damaged in the mail car inferno. (Southern Oregon Historical Society)
This photograph was enclosed in an envelope addressed to J. A. Hodge of Oakland, California. The reverse reads: “Barbara Irene Sho.../Age - 1 year. Sept 13th...” (Southern Oregon Historical Society)
Addressed to Mr. Bert C. Thomas of Klamath Falls, Oregon, this singed correspondence was sent from the Interstate Executive Committee of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Oregon and Idaho. Though too fragile to photograph, the typewritten note on the interior is dated October 10, 1923, and reads: “My dear Mr. Thomas, We are enclosing herewith our Treasurer’s receipt for your $5.00 subscription payment to our state work through Mr. Dillon a few days ago. We thank you.” (Southern Oregon Historical Society)
This letter addressed to Miss N. Nichol was severely damaged in the mail car blast. It was returned to the recipient with a notice from the Post Office Department. (Southern Oregon Historical Society 1991.3-7)
