Archives West Finding Aid
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Arnold P. Hansen materials related to crimes against Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads, 1920-1950
Overview of the Collection
- Compiler
- Hansen, Arnold P., 1900-1979
- Title
- Arnold P. Hansen materials related to crimes against Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads
- Dates
- 1920-1950 (inclusive)19201950
- Quantity
- 0.36 cubic feet, (1 oversize flat box)
- Collection Number
- Org. Lot 1438
- Summary
- Collection consists of materials that belonged to Arnold P. Hansen, a special agent at Union Station in Portland, Oregon. Materials include a photo album of suspects apprehended for crimes committed against or in relation to the Union Pacific Railroad, as well as a photocopy of a signed confession by Roy DeAutremont to the robbery of a Southern Pacific train near Jackson County, Oregon, in 1923.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Arnold P. Hansen (1900-1979) was a special agent at Union Station in Portland, Oregon, from the 1930s through 1968.
Sources: Information provided by Arnold Hansen's granddaughter, Deborah D. Hansen.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
On October 11, 1923, the DeAutremont brothers (Hugh, Ray and Roy) attempted to rob a Southern Pacific train in the Siskiyou Mountains near Jackson County, Oregon. The brothers ambushed the train as it emerged from a tunnel, then used dynamite to attempt to gain access to the mail car, but set off an explosion so large that it killed the mail clerk and set the car on fire. The brothers also fatally shot the train's engineer, fireman, and brakeman. The DeAutremonts eluded capture for four years; they were arrested in 1927, and all three were sentenced to life in prison.
Sources: "How a botched train robbery led to the birth of modern American criminology," Berkeley News, accessed April 2024, https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/04/30/heinrich-collection-at-the-bancroft-library; "Tragedy at Tunnel 13," Smithsonian National Postal Museum, accessed April 1, 2024, https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/tragedy-at-tunnel-13/exhibition; "DeAutremont Brothers Train Hold-up at Tunnel 13," The Oregon Encyclopedia, accessed April 1, 2024, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/deautremont-brothers-train-hold-up-at-tunnel-13/
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of an album that belonged to Arnold P. Hansen, and which he may have compiled. It contains 23 black and white identification photographs of criminal suspects; each photograph is accompanied by text describing the individual, the criminal incident, and information about the suspect's arrest. Some text blocks refer to photographs that are now missing from the album. Incidents described in the album occurred in Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, and Colorado, and all occurred on or in relation to Union Pacific Railroad trains or property. In addition to the album, the collection includes a photocopy of a signed confession by Roy DeAutremont to the attempted robbery of a Southern Pacific train in 1923; attached to the end of the confession is an interview that postal inspectors and government agents conducted with DeAutremont about the attempted robbery.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Arnold P. Hansen materials related to crimes against Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads, Org. Lot 1438, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Confession (Law)--United States
- Identification photographs--United States
- Suspects (Criminal investigation)--United States--Photographs
- Train robberies--United States
Personal Names
- DeAutremont, Roy
Corporate Names
- Southern Pacific Railroad Company
- Union Pacific Railroad Company
Form or Genre Terms
- photographs
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- DeAutremont, Roy (author)
