Their unsuccessful robbery of a Southern Pacific Railroad express train and the murder of four crew members, known as the Siskiyou massacre, was subject to one of the largest and most extensive investigations in the region.

Normal safety procedures called for slowing the train at the top of the Siskiyou Pass, elevation 4122 feet, to test its brakes before the steep descent into California.

Roy and Hugh climbed aboard the locomotive tender, and forced the engineer Sidney Bates to stop the train while most of it was still inside the 3,108-ft. tunnel (No.

The brothers were armed with sawed-off shotguns, and while Roy watched the engineer, Ray and Hugh went ahead to the baggage-mail car (O&C No.

[1]The brothers were then forced to flee empty-handed while a second conductor ran to a nearby emergency phone and reported the robbery to authorities in Ashland, Oregon.

The bodies of the four victims were found at the scene of the crime: Engineer Bates and fireman Marvin Seng were beside the engine cab-each had been shot in the head; Train passenger/railroad brakeman Coyle O. Johnson was shot four times in the stomach and died from his wounds; the charred body of mail clerk Dougherty was in the mail car.

[7] Police investigators later found a detonator and a discarded .45 caliber pistol at the scene along with three gunny sacks which had been soaked in creosote and dragged along the ground to throw bloodhounds off their trail.

The search party fanned out from Tunnel 13 and discovered a black traveling bag with a railroad shipping tag and a pair of green overalls.

[1] Dr. Edward Heinrich, a chemistry professor at the University of California, was brought in and was able to use early forensic methods to accurately provide a description of the suspects for police.

Upon examining the green overalls found by investigators, Heinrich reported that the suspect was a left-handed lumberjack, approximately 25 years old, with brown hair and fair complexion, was 5'8 in height and weighed 165 pounds, and was described as a man with fastidious habits.

He further explained his findings were based on specific evidence gathered by his investigation of the overalls, which included strands of hair and the presence of Douglas fir needles and fresh pitch from pine trees.

The suspect's height and weight were estimated from the size of the overalls, and the "fastidious habits" were evidenced by some neatly-cut fingernail clippings found in the pocket.

In addition, the receipt for a registered letter was found in the pocket, which police later traced to a $50 money order sent by Roy DeAutremont to his brother Hugh in Lakewood, New Mexico, on September 14, 1923.

News of the Siskiyou massacre had attracted national attention by this time, and investigators received reports of numerous sightings, followed every one of these new leads.

However, a corporal named Thomas Reynolds came forward and identified Hugh DeAutremont as James Price, who had been an acquaintance of his while serving with the United States Army in the Philippines.

He had only recently been stationed on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California, when he recognized DeAutremont from a wanted poster and reported this to his superior officers.

Hugh DeAutremont was arrested within six hours, and while admitting his true identity in custody, he was able to stall his extradition to the United States until March 1927.

[1] Hugh DeAutremont denied knowledge of his brothers' whereabouts, but his capture encouraged federal authorities to redistribute new wanted posters.

Within two months, a report was received that Ray and Roy DeAutremont had been seen in Portsmouth, Ohio, and were discovered to be living in nearby Steubenville under the assumed names of Clarence and Elmer Goodwin.

Hugh was convicted of first degree murder, even though jurors recommended leniency and Roy and Ray DeAutremont both pleaded guilty to the same charges.