The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-04-19

The Trouble which q Trio OF Mon
tana Deputy Sherifs Gave to
St. Paul and Bfatnerd OH
GERS who wanted to
Stop Them.

GERS who wanted to
Stop Them.
Stephen Taylor, ex-county clerk OF
Custer county, who was, 1t is alleged,
concerned in
CERTAIN CROOKED TRANSACTIONS
about which there was q great deal of
talk at the time (sOme thirteen
months since) was recently arrested
at Ell Paso. Texas, and the officers
who had him in charge reached st.
Paul last Friday. with their prisoner.
1t was necessary to lay over a few
hours in St. Paul, M in the mean
time friends of Taylor. believing he
had been arrested without legal au-
thority, got out a writ of habeas cor
pus.
THE WRIT SERVED.
The writ was placed in the hands
| of Deputy Sheriff Clewitt to serve.
Clewitt, Attorney Ives, and an assist
ant found the men deputy Sheri&s
James ConleJ. Frank Conlev. ard
VIM. Smith, of Miles City-and the
prisoner) on the Northern Pacific
train which leaves at 4:O5 p. m. MI.
Ives asked for permission to speak to
Taylor, which was refused. He then
asked to Gee their warrant of arrest
and asked upon what authority Tay-
lor was held. "Upon the authority of
the revolver" was the reply. Deputy
Sheriff Clewitt then served the writ
on James Conley, showing it 10 the
others.
REFUSED AT THE REvoLvER's POINT.
They refused point blank to pro-
duce the prisoner, saying they were
going to take him to Miles City, and
adding; III you think you've got
force enough to stop us, you'd better
try III" emphasizing the threat with
two shining revolvers. By this time
tie train was moving out of the de-
pot, and the st. Paul party left the
train aud returned to Judge Brill.
The Judge at once issued a writ of
attachment for the arrest of COnleys
and Smith. A dispatch was at once
sent TO the sheriff of Grow Wing Co.,
requesting him to board the train on
its arrival at BrAinerd and arrest the |
three men, with the suggestive post
script that they were armed and
would resist and q sufficient force |
successfully to cope with them.
HEADED OFF AT BRAINERD.
On receipt of the telegram Sheriff
Melz organized y posse sufficiently
large TO prevent esc%i'e from tue train
a. the 0epot. due at $50 p. III aud
with a dozen more deputies he board
ed the train as it halted at the lower
junction yard and put q trustworthy
man within every coach door. When
the train reached the depot proper he
ed through accompanied by two
deputies. In the forward sleeper he
the four men described, who,
upon the sherifFs addressing them,
INSTANTLY DREW WEAPONS.
and backed into a corner. Each had
q PAIR of self-cocking r%evolvers, and
each covered his man, q half dozen
rushed to the sheriff's sup
port. The coach was TANNED with
intensely excited people. Three
times as many pi,tols were leveled
the Montana men, who backed up
their assertions with the explanation
Dt how many they would kill on the
movement. The sheriff ex-
planned the situation and his order
for the party's detention. They de-
nandel papers and he had only tele-
grams, but he said it did not make
and difference. They had to stop
with him. They swore they would
not.
Meanwhile the trains time was up,
and the conductor was
ADDING TO THE CONFUSION
oy calling "All aboard" A deputy
sheriff interfered and prevented his
moving the train, while q messenger I
Assistant Superintendent
Root, who instructed the engineer to
wait orders from him. Not knowing
his, however the conductor from q
ear car was pulling the bell cord to !
70 ahead. Finally, expostulation be- {
Dg in vain, the daring sheriff de- ,
handed a surrender of the guns, and j
refused, walked up and took |
hem from the Montana buffers one !
" one, handing thelu over to depu- !
les, and before the belligerent gen. =
lemen could realize what had hap ]
'ened to them. they were hustled out t
f the coach, bag and baggage, and +
+
EN- ROUTE TO THE JAIL. I
Although demonstrating with great =
itterness, all were searched, and the >
Steve Taylor, was locked '
p. Sheriff Smith and the deputies y
were restrained in the cOrri- Y
or. Sheriff Mertz's bravery and u
oOlness cannot be overestimated. He =
entirely unarmed, and of u
lis fact he informed the party, y
ut showed them that escape was y
npossible and resistance would cost y
lem their lives. His nerve saved a
|oody ARRAY, as the party were all n
esperate men. In the jail they re- b
retted that thew had not opened fire, 8.
wing they ought to have fought it L
1t and taken the chances. Toward a.
lidnight the officers were released "
! bail given by Capt. r. L. Ed tt
ards, of Miles City, who stopped Q.
yer to see the result of the trouble. If
be men were returned to St. Paul Ii
le next day. II
ATTORNEY IVES OPINION. 81
Attorney Ives says the action of -,
e deputy sheriffs was q most ia ~,
ant and previously unhearl of case :.
contempt of court, and that they
I'd LAID themselves liable to y fine A,
5000. Taylor's fiiends were of =,
. opinion that he hid been kid f.
lpped. and was being taken back ~
here he might incur vIOlen, e. The 70