The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-07
IS NOW JEALOUS.
One Of . Supposed Gang Of Horse
Thieves May Turn States
Evidence.
Two Men and a Woman Arrested
on . Charge Of
Rustlne.
Deputy sherifs Capture y Portion Of thu
Party. While tho Third surrendsrs
10 tbs Police.

Tit sheriff. Office and the police depart
ment have just succeeded in making nm
important capture Of what they think II a
gang Of horse thieves who have been work.
ing in this part Of the country for over \
Their d~eprsdations have bsen carried
on with suck perfect system that IT has
besn difficult to fastan any particular crime
upon them. though they have been under
suspicion for quite q while. One Of them
served . term in the county jail for pstit
larceny, his otenss consisting Of stealing I
wagon and harness. The expert testimony
in his Case placed the value of the stolen
property at lsss than go, and saved him
from going to Deer Lodge peniten-
tiary for grand larceny. He 10
known a. linn Fleming, and admits
having served . tsrm in the psnitsntiary in
the Dakotas. He 10 believed TO be the
leader Of ths gang. The other Two captured
are Charlie Drake and his wife Nellie. an
attractive girl Of not more than seventeen
years. 1t Is not thought that she had any
active hand in the robberiss, but was drawn
into the operations OF the gang through her
relations to Drake. The latter, however,
suspects nov that there was a little sfsc-
ton on his wifs's part for Fleming that
kept her in the party, and threatens to turn
states evidence against his associates. The
fourth member Of the gang. whom no one
knows, 10 at large. and it 10 thought has fed
the country.
A cabin up in Dry gulch served as a head
quarters tor those in tho gang. From
there, the superstition. and practically tho
nr1nP - thai ~oal> ovnr~o;c-. s~ko <h>
surrounding country, rustling up horses,
changing their brands, and shipping them
to eastern markets. Before coming here
they operated in Deer Lodge county until
the authorities there began to suspect them
and they found it c%onvenisn. to move their
quarters to this side Of the range. Last
fall Fleming and another man were ar
rested on the charge Of stealing a wagon
and harness from John Back, of this city.
The question of value Of the stolen prop
erty reduced the offsnss from the grade of
grand larceny TO that Of petit larceny. This
lot Fleming Oh with . county jan sentence.
Recently . horse and harness was stolen
from the Northern Pacific depot. Tho
crowd in the Dry gulch cabin were
week ago they LETT and went
into the country. Citizens Of BlossburQ ar
rested them the latter part of last week,
0uu uOtluOu tu0 ~aut0OrlCleS mere. BEFORE
the deputy shsriffs from this county could
reach BlossburR the suspected people had
secured their release and fed. Az it after
wards developed they went to Gresnhorn
Ruloh, whore they took possession Of an I'M
occupied cabin. Coming home one day
Drake found his wife and Flem-
ing missing. He suspected that they
had run away. Drake and the unknown
member Of the Rang came to Helena Satur-
day. and tho police, hearing Of il, began
hunting them. Finding the trail getting
rather hot. Drake walked into the city hall
ut an early hour yesterday morning and
g.svs himself up TO Sergeant Callahan.
Meantime Sheriff Jefferis had located the
headquarters Of the gang. Deputy Sheriff
Roddiok was sent to the scene. with Antho-
ny xDouRhetty. They secured the
assistance of Deputy Sheriff Frank
Bell, of Deer Lodge county, and Charles
Stone. The four mon surrounded the cabin
and about 10 O'Clock yesterday morning
Flaming and the woman surrendered. They
offered nc resistance and were brought to
town and locked up in the county Jail.
When Drake heard that they had been
found together he became jealous and said
he would turn states evidence. He ia not
yet q years of age, but has been twice mar
ried. He married the first time when he
was but 16 years old. and was divorced
later. The capture Of the three is consid-
eied as very important.