The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-23
A BONE AND A EANDCuFF.

A BONE AND A EANDCUFF.
Yesterdays INDEPENDENT told exclusively
of the discovery ON the West Boulder Of :
grim jaw bone and the skeleton Of an arm
attached to rust eaten handcuf. II
marks the end of an interesting story 81
crime dating back to the days Of he
Younger brothers and the No rth1ield hank
robbery. When this famous family vas
terrorlzing the northwest and the ia mes
brothers were operating in Missouri, there
lived in Durand, Wis, two brothers named
Williams. They were outlaws, horse
thieves, robbers and murderers, and were
known to have been connected with the
bands Of Frank and Jesse James and after.
wards with the Youngers. The officers
made all efforts to catch them but without
success. In Durand there were also two
brothers named Maxwell who were dsput '
sheriffs. They determined to land
the two Williams and started
out to arrest them for horse
stealing. The four came together and the
Maxwells were killed. Then the whole
community was aroused and posses were
organized to scour the country for tho muir
derers. However, they escaped, and mo-
thing was heard from them for months.
One of the brothers finally worked his way
into Iowa. There he was recognized by a
farmer who arrested him singlehanded and
took him to the county seat. He was taken
hot hn - - he
tried. but during the trial "a mob rushed
through the doors, took the prisoner from
the box and hung him from the court house
steps. The Coroner's jury very kindly
brought in . verdict OF suicide.
The other brother, Con Williams, was
the tougher Of the two. He was big
fellow. six feet tall and finely built. But he
had face that would alone furnish suf-
fcient evidence to send him to the peniten-
tiary and more thorough desperate never
lived in the western country.
~
All Montanians who travel over the N. p.
road know Conductor Tom Laughlin.
A more popular or more trusted employee of
the company cannot be found on the
line. His railroad experience in the
west covers good many years and he has
had many opportunities to see all phases of
western life. In 1882, when the road
reached Billings. he was running train
from that point to Miles City. Billings
was then very tough town, as were all the
towns along the road. Sharpers, dice men,
thieves and murderers followed the
construction and made hay while the
sun shone. One evening about 10 O'Clock
Tom and George Cram. the express mes
senger, were walking down the main street
on their way to the sleeper to retire for the
night. The street was then full Of people
and they were anticipating no trouble.
However. upon approaching the depot
they noticed two men ahead Of them. It
was a bright moonlight night and they
could see the shining barrels of two guns.
Laughlin was unarmed, but Cram had re-
volver in his hip pocket. The men turned
and one of them yelled, ''Throw 'em upp'
Laughlin hastily showed his money back
into his hip pocket and kept his hand
there. ''You throw 'em up"' he yelled to
he highwaymen. Both sides stopped and
eyed each other in hestitating way. Each
Vailed to the other three times to raise
heir hands. but no shooting was done.
Then it occurred to Laughlin that it was
lime for Cram to get action on his gun. He
ookud around and saw the express messen.
.er standing like wooden man with both
lands reaching after the stars. Then, of
course. the Jig was mp and the railroad men
Tom was relieved of his watch
md about SO in money, while the express
Messenger turned over few dollars. The
lighwayman doubtless expected to make a
rood haul from him. After their business
vas finished they coolly walked down the
treet. All of this occurred where 500 men
Eere within hearing distance though the
,lace was off the main street.
-
Laughlin walked back to the street and
'ound Hank Bloom, the city marshal and
leputy sheriff known as "Frenchy' who
vas killed last summer at Big Muddy. He
old them what happened and they agreed
% find the man from the description he
yave. He was certain that the big fellow
was a tough man named Ed
Yards.
The city marshal and Frenohy walked
around to Fosters restaurant and looked
n the window. Some twenty five or thirty
people were then eating but the robbers
,ould not be eeen. They were there how
,ver, and saw the officers through the win
low. They sneaked out Of the back way in
he street. Bloom and "Frenchy" came
back to the main street and were standing
in front of Babcook's store when they were
oined by LauGhlin. The three were talking
# the affair while the crowd was passing
y when suddenly Tom spoke up:
There's the man."
Almost in front Of them was the big six
looter that took q leading part in the hold
ap. Each man went for his gun and
" Frenchy" stepped forward TO the man and
said:
II want you"
The fellow made one jump from the
street and started toward the railroad.
The next instant there was fusilade of
shots. The three men started for the
fugitive while the crowd stopped on the
street and Joined in ths firing Just for the
FUN of the thing. Fully ssventy-hve shots
we're fred at the running man. Suddenly he