The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-12
OUT OF AN OLD PAPER
The Story Of the First Victim Of the
Law in Montana.
HAD STOLEN TWO HORSES
Three Men Went After Him to
Effect His Capture One of
Them Was Afterward Shot
and Another Was Hung.

citizen of the STANDARD reporter. The
latter confessed igorance of the time or
the place in which the first arrest, made
under the shadow of legal authority, oc-
Cured. "Well, continued his informant.
II have in my possession a copy of the
Fort Benton Record of Feb. 10, 1880, con-
tanning an article upon that subject and
II you would like to see it / will lend you
the paper" The offer was accepted and
the writer was soon in possession of the
pioneer paper of Northern Montana. The
Record of 10 years ago was quite a weekly.
The copy at hand is a nine column folio,
veritable blanket sheet. 1t is number
80 OF volume five, which would indicate
that the paper was then about in the fifth
year of its existence. w. II. Buck was the
editor and proprietor, while the name of
John j. Healy is announced as "local ed
itor and business manager" The former
was one of the founders of the Record and
during his newspaper career in the terri
tory was known as vigorous writer of
considerable ability. He left Montana
several years ago and is said to be living
in New York city, where he secured a good
position through the influence of Richard
Croker, the ex-Tammany leader, who is
relative. Mr.. Healy is we'll known among
the old timers, having been a prominent
days, for several years filling the Office of
sheriff of the county. He was fearless
man in every respect and on moro than
one occasion while sheriff distinguished
himself by numerous acts of brayado in
etfectlng the arrest of desperate charac-
tiers and performing similar acts requir-
ing remarkable display of nerve. He is
now in the transportation of supplies on
the upper Yukon river in Alaska, being
interested in a line of steamboats,. At
present he is in this country on a visit
with his family in Benton and is also
looking after the affairs of the
transportation company, which has
Its head office IN Chicago.
The account contained in this copy of
the Record which the editor heads as THE
First Arrest in Montana" is in the shape
OF communication signed "A. A." The
true name of the author is unknown to
the writer. Perhaps there are men still
living in the state who can give his name.
1t will readily be seen that if alive to-day
he is an old timer of the old timers. His
narrative does not admit of a synopsis so
II is given practically in full in order to
do justice to a subject that is bound to
interest every pioneer as we'll as enter
tain those of us who may perhaps belong
to that class vulgarly known as
tenderfeet:
"In the winter of 1862 | was clerk in
the store of William ]. Terry, sutler to
the celebrated 'Warl expedition then
cantooning near the mouth of the Big |
Blackfoot river in Missoula county. One |
day about the middle of December, | was |
called upon by two strangers who stated |
that they had just arrived from Colville |
and were en- route to salt Lake City. They |
VO N nt.fI, 4
and requested two or three days accom- |
modations with board and lodging. As |
they threw some money in sight, readily |
agreed to let them have a share in the |
use OF the frying pan and layout upon
the floor. In course of time their purses
became exhausted and / had n whiskev
Dill against them amounting to Sl425
One night Williams said to me: you are
a pretty good fellow and we don't want to
DIX you. We have got two horses and
only need one TO pack our bedding. We
will make you a present if you will call
the bill square, readily agreed to the
proposition and a cayuse was duly trans
ferred TO me and branded with the mark
OF the firm / represented. On the fol-
lowing morning the two travellers were
missing as were my horse and several
other things.
AEdllOH IGNealeu inc TACT flaf !
the strangers were two horse thieves and
that they had departed for Deer Lodge.
1 here was no sheriff 10 send after them
as Western Montana in those DAYS
was yet but an unorganized portion
OF Washington Territory. / applied TO
Lieutenant Mullan for relief and that
gentleman authorized me to 60 after the
offenders, arrest them and bring them n /
him Tor punishment. Three of us-Louis | /
Grandmason (since killed., William
Rowland (since hung and myself destiny | {
not yet known started out to make the |
arrest.
I'VE left the Big Blackfoot at the hour
of midnight. Dec. 20. We were anxious to ,
'vertake and pass party of traders con- ,
listing of William Kiplinger and c. Z
-aton, who had started out the previous
lay on "whoop-up" trip to supply the (
Early settlers of Deer Lodge valley with I
'ome announcement" for the approach !
ng mondays. We came upon the Camp
u Tue trauers early in the morning, Just
II tue 1901 OF the Big Grade on the banks !
II the Hell Cate We stopped and had
breakfast with them. At their request r.o :
greed TO travel along with them. II was
cold day and we stopped frequently to
rsrm up. After we crossed the Medicine
Hill, the wind commenced blowing furi- I
usly and Bill Rowland and myself con. J
luded TO hurry ahead and if possible :
each pempsey's on Flint Creek, for the i
light. We took pack horse loaded with '
rub in case we were not able to reach
ur destination before dark.
"Bill Rowland was a desperate fellow =
no had gained notoriety on the overland
quite. Whiskey and cold air worked 81
pom his temper and as he was getting I
lenty of both he soon became very dis \
greeabie. While travelling along in the :,
lint creek hills the burden on the pack u
orse became loosened. This made BIN n
IriOus. tie dismounted and before | II
ould interfere he drew his bowie knife / 1
nd dlsemooweled the poor horse. Know / ~
y him TO be a bad man and not caring =.
} have fuss with HIM ! said very little | -