The Investigation

Local law enforcement, the railroad’s Chief Special Agent Dan O’Connell, and US postal inspectors led by Chief Postal Inspector NW Charles Riddiford started to gather evidence from the crime scene shortly after the event.

Telegram sent to Jackson County Sheriff Terrill alerting him to the Tunnel 13 crime, received just after 9:00 am on October 13, 1923. (Southern Oregon Historical Society LIB2016.4.1)

Notice released on October 13, 1923, requesting any information from the public regarding the whereabouts and identities of the Tunnel 13 criminals. No suspects had yet been identified by name. (Southern Oregon Historical Society LIB2016.4.1)

Once on the scene, Inspector in Charge of Spokane, Washington, Charles Riddiford, kept in close contact with the Chief Post Office Inspector in Washington, DC, Grant B. Miller, regarding the investigation and manhunt for the DeAutremont brothers. Riddiford would remain on the case the entirety of its duration.

Inspector Charles Riddiford – Inspector in Charge, Spokane, Washington. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

Chief Post Office Inspector Grant B. Miller – Washington, DC (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

Postmaster General Honorable Harry S. New – Washington, DC (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

Over the course of the investigation US Postal Inspectors kept track and stamped this incident report with references to the developments and new files generated in the case between 1923 and 1927. Marked with case number, 57883 D (with the “D” representing a depredation incident), the initial summary reads, "Train hold-up and murder of three trainmen and a Mail clerk in the Siskiyou Mountains of Oregon. October 11, 1923, by the three brothers, Roy, Ray, and Hugh DeAutremont." (National Postal Museum 2013.2011.350)

Gathering and Analyzing Evidence

Diagram of the eight cars of Train 13 situated in Tunnel 13. (Courtesy Shasta Division Archives)

Map by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company depicting the crime scene around Tunnel 13. (Courtesy Shasta Division Archives)

Photographer John B. Palmer of Medford, Oregon, took photos of the crime scene, including this image of the discarded detonator used to explode the mail car’s door. (Southern Oregon Historical Society #007918)

Forensic scientist Edward O. Heinrich recovered this paper crumpled in a pocket of abandoned overalls. From the clothing, Heinrich deduced the build, hair color, and job of one of the perpetrators. Investigators traced the numbers on this registered mail receipt to Roy DeAutremont who had sent $50 to family in New Mexico. This important piece of evidence put names to the suspects. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, Folder 7, PO Inspection Service, Record Group 28, National Archives, Washington, DC)

Wanted Posters

This early wanted poster identifying the three DeAutremont brothers by name is dated October 24, 1923. (Courtesy Shasta Division Archives)

Wanted poster for the DeAutremont brothers featuring portraits and signatures of the accused. This is the fourth issue of the wanted circular, distributed on June 1, 1924. (Southern Oregon Historical Society 1988.11-8.5, MS 672)

Wanted circular (front and back) printed by Chicago Post Office as Job 7-13 A features portraits of the DeAutremonts and a crime scene photo of the burned-out mail car where Railway Postal Clerk Elvyn Dougherty died in the blast and where fire started when the DeAutremonts detonated dynamite to open the locked door and access the valuables they believed were on the train. According to a caption in the investigation case album at National Archives, this is the twelfth wanted notice created, issued on July 23, 1926, with 140,000 copies at a cost of $361.27. (National Postal Museum 1990.0563.3)

The investigation turned into an international manhunt for the DeAutremont brothers. The Postal Office Department sent out over 2,450,000 circulars over the course of four years. The publications in several languages were sent to Latin America and Europe. Circular No. 14 was printed in December 1926 in French. 20,000 copies were made costing $207.31. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

Circular No. 6 Printed November 13, 1923. 10,000 copies made costing $20.00. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

These letters were sent to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in 1925 from police departments in Germany (left) and France (right) in response to information requests about the DeAutremont twins. Authorities believed that Ray and Roy may have traveled internationally. (Southern Oregon Historical Society LIB2016.4.1)

Tips Received about Identifying the DeAutremonts

Throughout the manhunt, law enforcement received numerous tips as to the possible whereabouts of the DeAutremont brothers, perhaps enhanced by the offers of reward. Promising descriptions might be followed-up with requests for handwriting analysis or additional identifying information on the persons in question. Pictured here are eight letters received by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office between 1923 and 1924 claiming information on the case sent from various locations across North America, including (clockwise from upper left): Grants Pass, Oregon; Pasadena, California; Plains, Texas; Victoria, British Columbia; McAlester, Oklahoma; Willow Springs, Missouri; Eureka, California; and Aberdeen, South Dakota. (Southern Oregon Historical Society LIB2016.4.1)

Handwriting analysis was a key investigation tool for postal inspectors. Using the best the Post Office had to offer, letters from each of the brothers were analyzed to help during the manhunt. When Hugh was discovered to be serving in the US Army, postal inspectors used his past letters with his enlistment papers to help confirm his identity.

Request for handwriting analysis sent to the Registry Clerks in Washington, DC from B. Davis Registry Division of Seattle (March 1, 1927): “We are sending to your office on this dispatch pouch J5709-161 from the US Seapost #1 which contains two pouches from Manila. The P.O Inspectors demand that this mail be carefully examined for the possible handwriting or other identifications of the DeAutremont brothers. Be particular to watch for the name “James C. Price,” or the initials J.C.P. on the letters. It might be well to confer with the P.O. Inspectors at your office.” (US Postal Inspection Service, Record Group 28 National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC)

Samples of Hugh DeAutremont’s handwriting dated 1922 were compared with samples from 1927 and the US Army enlistment records of his alias James C. Price. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

Samples of Ray DeAutremont’s handwriting dated 1919-1920 that was compared with samples from 1927. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

Samples of Roy DeAutremont’s handwriting dated 1922 that was compared with samples from 1927. (Photograph in “Picture Story of the Holdup . . . Capture and Conviction of the DeAutremont Brothers” album, US Postal Service Corporate Library)

This report was given after the discovery of Hugh DeAutremont’s alias, John C. Price, in the Army. It is requested that the Sergeant who was responsible for his enlistment be found and interviewed regarding the possible whereabouts of Hugh. (US Postal Inspection Service, Record Group 28 National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC)

Sergeant Albert Gallman, who enlisted Hugh DeAutremont under the alias John C. Price in the US Army, was interviewed in February of 1927. This report was furnished by C.W.B. Long of the Chicago Division and sent to the Inspector in Charge of Spokane, Washington, Charles Riddiford. (US Postal Inspection Service, Record Group 28 National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC)