The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-09-05
A STAGE R0BBER CAUGHT,
Jim MatsOn, a Government Official
and Detective, in the
City,
The RObber Now Under Arrest
and in the Helena
Jail.

Very few people during the last few
days have noticed "a peculiar looking old
gentleman. tall and just a tritie stoop-
shouldered. who has been strolling to and
fro. occasionally chatting with a police
man and all the while wearing an air of
as complete innocence as an old Penn
s%ylvania farmer, yet he has been here
and is in his line one of the best known
men in the United States. His name is
James Matson and he has been in the
employ of the government for thirty
two years.
When seen by a TRIBUNE representa-
tive he proved not unwilling to talk
about old times. 1t seems that Mr..
Matson. or Jim Matson as he terms him
self. was raised among the Indians in
Wyoming and spent his first nineteen
years among the society of those copper
colored gentry.
Tnirty-fivc years ago, long before the
brain of Hon. Paris Gibson ever dreamed
there might be a Great Falls, Jim hunted
buffalo over Montana plains. At the
age of nineteen he entered the service of
the government and has been engaged in
chasing the enemies of society ever since.
For a number of years he was the chief
scout of Uncle Sam and piloted Crook
through a campaign. He is an interest
ing old fellow, peculiar and secretive as
a clam. In ordinary conversation a
hail fellow well met, yet seemingly he
watches every word, as nothing ever es-
capes that could betray a future owe
ment. In short, he is a detective of the
plains, who wears beneath his mask of in
nocence no small amount of shrewdness.
On the left side of his neck he bears a
deep scar made by a bullet some three
months since.
He discussed Montana and Great
Falls in a way that eminently proved his
business foresight, and said he thought
the Cataract city was destined to be a
great metropolis.
When approached, however, on his
business in this locality, he closed up
till he was almost out of sight. He
seemed fully imbued with that modern
heresy which makes all police officials
reluctant to tell a reporter anything.
From piecing together information va
riously acquired it is surmised that Mr..
Matson came here after no less a person
than a stage robber.
Last October, in Lake county. Ore
gon, just adjoining the California line,
there occurred a daring stage robbery.
Single handed the desperate held up a
stage, robbing the passengers and the
United States mail, and succeeded in
procuring about $1,000. A reward of
s2,4OO was offered for his capture. That
was nearly a year ago and ever since
Matson has been on his trail. All
through California he pursued him, over
into Colorado, up through Wyoming,
hearing everywhere about the flying OBJ
iect of his search but being nowhere
able to put salt on his tail. The chase
extended into Montana. Butte and
Helena were visited and finally Great
Falls. While the detective was in the
city on Thursday last the criminal came
in but got away before he was captured.
He arrived. but left at the first oppor-
tunity for Helena. He was arrested there
Friday and will await in the temporary
capital for the Oregon officials. 1t was
impossible to ascertain his name, though
one of his aliases is said to be Watson.
Mr.. Matson was seen and when asked
if the above was true admitted that sub
stantially it was but declined to give
pnn,ns