The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-20
THE R0BBER.
Highwaymen Hold Up Two Trainers
Near the Race Track Sum-
day Morning.
Patsey Rice Is Very Confident
That He Knows Two OF
the Men.
Two HOrsemsn Arc Arrested and Held
ut tho City Jail Charged With
the Robbery.

Two men are now in the jail ut the city
hall charged with highway robbery. The
particulars of the story make it plain that
it was a deliberately laid-out plan to rob
the man who had the money,
even If it became necessary to
commit another crime. that of muir
der, for the victim has a scalp wound
from a bullet, two shots being fired by one
Of the masked highwaymen. The men
under arrest are Stoney Hancock and +. p.
Tilt. Leroy Stevens was arrested, but
afterward released. The men were en-
ployed by the owners of the racing stables
quartered at the fair grounds, north of the
city. Patsy Rice, who was "held up" is a
we'll known trainer also employed at the
race track. Saturday afternoon Rice re-
ceived $3.50 from County Auditor Beckett,
being part of the sum due on a
sale of some horses. Rice boards
with Mrs. Hancock, mother of Stoney
Hancock, near the race track. The men
charged with the robbery and Ed Bowman,
who was with Rice at the time of the "hold
up" also boarded ut the same place. After
receiving the money from Mr.. Beckett, Rice
went to the boarding house to pay his
bill. Hancock and several Others were
present when Rice took " 500 bills and
some smaller notes out of his pocket.
Hancock said to Rice, You must be
pretty iush," to which Rice replied that he
was and told him how much he had re-
ceived from Beckett. After this Rice and
| Bowman drove into town in q buggy. They
remained here several hours and were IN
the company OF Hancock and +. p. Tilt.
From the story told by one of the men at
the track it appears that Rice paid a num-
Der Of bills about town.
After midnight Rice and Bowman. separ-
ated from their companions and started
in the buggy for the race track. When
| they reached a point near the crossing
of the Northern Pacific and Montana Cen
trail tracks 1--we masked men appeared IN
the road and grabbed the horses bride,
turning him to one side SO as to cramp the
buggy. The sudden stoppage and turning
around of the horse threw Rice and bow
man out. Now occurred something that
gives color to the theory that the highway
men knew Rice had money on his person,
and that Bowman had none. Rice jumped
to his feet and looked into the muzzles of
TWO revolvers, and held up his hands at the
command. One of the men, without feel
ing around, at once thrust his hand into
the pocket where Rice had his money, about
$3.50. No attention was paid to Bowman,
nnd as he was not armed he was powerles5
to help his friend. After robbing Rice the
men started off. The trainer stood for a
few seconds in a half-dazed condition. lie
would make u light for his money anyway.
He ran after the retreating men and
attempted to close with one of the fellows.
Bowman also started to help him. Rice
tore the mask off his man, who fired two
shots, one of which struck him in the head,
ploughing the scalp. Rioe is positive thai
he tore the mask from the face of ston
Hancock, whom he has known intimately
for five years. Both men fled after the
shots were fired, leaving Rice and Bowman
near the road. Th latter took Rice tc
Mrs. Hancock's house and went to town fol
Dr. Kellogg and to notify the police. lie
returned to the boarding house with the
doctor. while Officers Marten and Van.
asse searched for the three men described
by Bowman.
Stoney Hancock was the first mar
brought to the police station, at 2:45 Sui
day morning, by Marten. He was searched
but no money was found On him. At 3:1C
Tilt was brought in by the same officer. ant
at $40 Vanasse appeared with Leroy
Stevens. All of the men denied having any
thing to do with the hold-up. The stronges'
evidence is against Hancock. Rice says he
will swear to the identity OF the mar whose
mask he pulled off. The police think tina
somebody will turn states evidence befor,
long. lnG IfhIHeTS aHN lAeIl eAuDAoye
about the stables at the track did not be-
lieve that Stevens WAS implicated in tn,
robbery at all. They all give him n gooc
character and are ut a loss to understand
why he had been connected with the hold
up. He was released from custody yester
day afternoon.
When the news reached tho stables at 1:3
yesterday morning it created considerable
excitement. A dozen men came from the
track to town TO sec the men but no on
was allowed to converse with the prisoners
DIR. Kelloggsays his patient will bearonnt
again az usual in two or three days. TIL
bullet struck near the base of the skull
cutting a furrow in the skin as it Wen
along, coming out just below the hair Oh
the forehead.
The preliminary examination of Hancocl
and Tilt will probably take place this after
noon or tomorrow before Judge Sanders.
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