Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-24
DARING ROBBERY.
A SAMPLE TRUNK STOLEN FROM in
FRONT OF 4 HOTEL.

So away
When the Streets Are Well Filled
The Thief Discovered Immediatel
and the Men Pounced Upon by th
Police with the Trunk Broken Ope1
One Of the NEST daring attempts at rob
berry ever perpetrated in Butte occurre
last night OF q time when the streets ar
far from being deserted, and from q plac
well lighted ON both sides Of the street
IL was the work OF old offenders who hat
only yesterday been released from jai
after serving out their sentences.
The s:45 train from Helena brought owe
last evening Fl. e. Lewis and Thomas
Goodman, two travelling men, with head
quarters in San Francisco. Mr.. LeWli
represents the well known silk manufaetur
ing firm OF Belden Brothers, who are rep
resented in ell the large cities oil the Union
and nave a branch house In San Fran
cisco. He had only one trunk OF samples
with him. consisting Of valuable silk hosiery
and underwear OF
THE FINEST DESCRIPTION
which he had nearly got through using
having telegraphed for the firm to forward
him a new and different line OF samples to
meet him at Salt Lake, which is his des.
tination after leaving here. The trunk
containing them was OF sole leather, cam
vas-covered and weighing 150 pounds.
The contents had been soiied to q slight
extent by handling on the trip since he
started out, and were not worth as much
as when new. but still represented q value OF
OVER THREE HUNDRED
When tho travelling mems trunks were
brought up from the depot. they were left
as usual on the sidewalk in front OF the
Windsor Hotel side entrance. There were
three large ones of Mr.. Goodmans. heavy
iron bound affairs, and the one belonging
to Mr.. Lewis. When the gentlemen came
down from their room for supper about
$50 they were there all right.
After supper they strolled out and re-
turned about 10 O'Clock, when Mr.. Lewis
noticed his trunk missing. He. inquired
about it and
THE STARTLING DISCOVERY
was made that it bad been stolen under
the blaze OF gaslight from the Windsor,
Lange's saloon adjoining and the California
Brewery opposite. which lit up that part
Of Broadway thoroughly. How the theft
could have been done under such draw
backs, with the uncertainty what pair OF
eyes might be on the watch in the darkness
on either side is inexplicable, but still
stranger is the fact that no one noticed the
thieves take the trunk away though, being
near Main street where so many are con-
stantly passing TO q far later hour u tnight.
- 10 1iH1SnlS IN inn aoIno hnw fhav QannnoH
observation.
II POLICE NOTIFIED.
Notice was Immediately conveyed to the
police. Officer Layton happened to be the
first policeman met, and him Mr.. Lewis
told what had occurred and described the
Layton Immediately started on the search.
Layton undertook to search the alley be
tween Broadway and Park, almost opposite
the Windsor. while Murray went down East
Broadway towards the mill to search the
numerous hiding places in yards that way. |
Layton entered the alley and passing the
frame building occupied by w. r. Keithley
as an Office on the left corner of the alley |
and Broadway
NTERED THE YARD
Az ~ "a u OuV DulNAuSt liSh VAICuNS /
behind other outbuildings until
it terminates in a board fence and the
walls OF some outhouses, forming three
Of a square.
Here, amid q collection OF loose hay, old
hoops, tin cans and other litter, Layton
two men standing over a lot OF the
stolen goods. They had cut open the
and had taken out the boxes con.
banning the samples. The boxes they tore
apart and threw aside. and the samples
they were
PACKING AWAY
as fast as they could in a sack formed of a
shirt, with the sleeves tied together at one
end. l.
The officer asked them what they were
doing there and the fellows replied they had
Just happened in there when q couple of |
men made their escape over the fence when |
came up ami they found the trunk
broken open al the officers saw it. After
some time spent in whistling with his call
and finally firing a shot from his revolver
Officer Murray came up and the men were
marched to the lookup where they were
recognized as
OLD OFFENDERS
just been released from custody.
They are known as Mcclellan and Shorty.
The goods were all recovered. The men
we're just about completing their haul
Officer Layton put in an appearance
and collared them. Mr.. Lewis when seen
said it was fortunate he had little more
need OF the samples as they being taken
out OF their boxes and the marks destroyed
ne would have had great difficulty i'm con-
his trip. He placed a value of over
,hree hundred dollars on the goods q. they
ars and said he would have great trouble
n making further Use of the goods here.
lie complimented the police on their 4,