Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-09-27
STORY Of JOE WE|R'S CAPTURE
HOW Sheriff Dwyer Eluded the Vip-
lance Of Band of Would-
Be Lynchers.
Inc Brute Pleads Guilty Before Judge
Race and Is Then Sent Ont
of the City.

Q. Friday forenoon, about 11.a,
- - o'clock, Sheriff Dwyer and his prisoner
n Joseph Weir the brute who ravishee
Frank Cuts helpless and afflicted
r lnfant, drove up to the county iail anc
y IN few minutes the prisoner was safel,
]. locked behind the bars in the woman.
II cell in the corridor.
II The story of his capture as told bv tbe
: sheriff is about as follows; The sher;T
3 3 after making inquiries, became salts
@ ned that his man had made for some of
inc ranches to the south of Sand Coulee.
,, anu starting out Wednesday morning,
6 began driving from ranch To ranch
! making inquiries. When he was abont
ID miles out from Great Falls he met
oharies Roberts, ranchar living in the
Tiger Butte district and KNOWING him
W oe personally acquainted with Weir
ne stopped him and asked him if he had
seen Weir lately. Mr.. Roberts, who wae
on his way to the city and in total ignor-
ance of the hellish crime perpetrated near
'ano Ooulee, replied that Weir had come
10 MS ranch that morning considerably
bruised up and had told him that he had
peeh "aylald and beaten by two men
at sand Coulee, who had a orudoa
against him and from whom he
deslred to hide. Mr.. Roberts had left
i'h alone at the ranch in the morning
10 come to town. On receiving this in.
FORMATION the sheriff drove with all
speed 10 the Roberts ranch, sending sew
eral parties of vigilantes whom he met
on the way in other directions so as to
get clear course for himself and nr;s.
onef' In the meantime Deputy Sheriff
oires and George Vernon of Sand Coulee
had also learned that the man had taken
refuge at the Roberts ranch and thew
arrived there before the sheriff rhev
FOUND the door locked and no response
was made to their knocks and demands
eor abundance, although they felt pretty
sure their man was inside. Thew then
procured an axe and broke in the door
anu round Welr stretched out on the
peu' In reply to their question as TO
why ne dld not open the door the wretch
sala that be saw them coming and at the
uistance he mistook George Vernon for
fraak Cults, the father of bis unfort,,-
nate vlctim He further said tnat ne
was guilty of the crime and that be had
confessed 1t to the mother. If it was
not tor that he would plead not guilty,
put ne supposed it WAS now Of no use 10 {
aehy IL. lie cursed himself for not lesv. I
ing the Roberts ranch for the timber
anou' TWO miles away, few hours ear
l'er, as IL Was his intention to do, and I
haia II ne had lone so he would never !
I'a'o peeh caught. He had q lot \
oi PROVISIONS cooked ready to leave :
'uu "S liieFo was rliie and ammunition
III t',e Ca ON No might have escaped ar r
rest for long time or got avav alto
gether. "'''
About this time Sheriff DIVER drove d
up and took the prisoner in charge lie
lost no time in uriving off IT. ;. lonnlv
couIee, "hore he carupeJ till after ,l.rlJ 4
81" then Went TO EioKcila ranch, whore L
90 sta'u llIl day light and then drove in a
10 Town with the prisoner. who talked
Feely wan hlm on the way. telling how =
ne committed the crime, and going into L
I'll IT'S horrible details IN most upcon- A
;erued way >.
Meantime party ct armed meu had
'eo1n lying IN wai5 all night in the eanl +
'!ls south OF town, to render ewjft "
u7ncH 10 The wretch, before he reached
'fcat rails. they were, however, ont
'ltted by tire ehor.Ts strata com, AMI
llef suffering "A good deal from the roI,}
,It about daylight for Sand Coulea So t'
nat When the shrId' and his prisoner +,