The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-28
he MAY Be ONE Of Them
Capture Of the Supposed Leader Of
the Gang Of Desperate
Footpads.
A Man Named Conley Caught In
Great Falls. to Be Brought
Here,
That He w.s Connseted With
the Robbery and Murder of the
Swsde, swanson.

1t will be remembered that when tn
three footpads who escaped from the police
ON Monday, the 10th inst. were doing n
the town, they we're accompanied by
fourth mana tall fellow. This man wa
with them when they robbed another at at
uptown restaurant, and he 10 believed t
have been the leader Of the gang whicl
fatally assaulted the unfortunate Swed
near the gas works. Early on the SUNDAY
night that the Swede was assaulted thi,
fourth man, who il believed to have beel
the chief Of ths gang, was up town withou'
4 cent in his pocket. IL Is said. After mid
night he was flush Of money. When tht
up town robbery occurred tho brutal rob-
berry Of John swanson near ths
gas house was not known to tho police.
Policeman Soharrsnbroieh had located
three Of the men in the Atlantic beer hall
and had gone up Main street to set Police
man Tracey to help arrest them Not find
ing Tracey he started back. determined to
make the arrest with Policeman Csrlson'a
help. Passing the Cosmopolitan hotel he
saw this fourth man, but decided to get the
others first and pick up the leader on the
way to the city jail. The arrest Was made,
but, it will be remembered, one of them
Sohsrrsnbroich AT Main street and
Broadway, and all got away. The leader
tool flight at the same time and dissp-
psarsd.
Henry Wolfe, barkeeper at the Atlantic
beer hall, had seen all four of the mon and
had served them with drink over the bar.
A few DAYS ago he had occasion to 60 to
Nsihart and stopped over at Great Falls.
While there he saw the nan who is be-
lieved to have been the leader of the gang
of footpads. He fastened back to Helena
and informed Marshal CALVIN of what he
had found out. The city marshal imme-
diately te%leeraphed to Great Falls, asking
the authorities there to arrest and hold the
man, which was done. Marshal Calvin
went down to tbs Falls last night and will
return with his prisoner this afternoon.
The mans name 10 gived az Conley, and his
capture is regarded % important. While
broich was shot, be had been with them at
all other times while in the city, and ia be-
lieved to have taken part In the uptown
and the beating of swanson ct the
gas house. At any rate Marshal Calvin
with him to Great Falls . warr ant for
the arrest Of Conley on the charge OF COM
in the murder Of Swanson.
While it looks like it might be hard to
prove this on him. there is said to be plenty
of oircumstantial evidence to connect him
the affair. It Il said that a gang of
men answering the descriptions of those
were seen at Wiokes a few days be-
the murder. They were there when
swanson and the man who was robbed up
town drew their pay on Saturday, May "A.
They appeared to be hard up and one of
the m offered to sell his watch. The party
to whom he made the offer did not care for
the watch. but wanted to buy a revolver
which one of the men had. The follow re-
to sell, romarking II need that in my
business" 1t ia singular that the sans
men should turn up in Helena at the same
time with the workmen from Wiokes, and
that the Wickes people should have been
~ the victims of the robbers. The
of tho man Conley may help to
clear up the matter, and possibly lead to
The arrest of the other three men.