The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-12
GREAT FALLSSURPRISED
The Arrest Of Claim Agent Smith Caused
a Sensation in the Cataract City.
SPECULATION is RIFE
No One Knows How Much Money
He Took or What He Did With II
-Cossips Are Busy-A Woman
In the Case.

GREAT FALLS, Feb. 11.-There were
rumors here yesterday to the effect that
l.. Is. Smith of this city. claim agent 70
me Great Northern, had been arrested at
Havre for embezziement, but the report
was not generally credited among his
friends. The railroad officials showed an
extra amount of secretiveness when
asked about the case and, altogether, the
pubic was somewhat in the dark until the
arrival OF the west-bound passenger train
this afternoon. Among the passengers
were smith and Deputy Sheriff Ed Hoss
OF LOWS and Clarke county, the former
being In the custody of the Helena officer.
smith had been arrested at Havre yester-
day morning on warrant sworn out IN
Lewis and Clarke county by A. f. Noble.
n Great Northern detective. He was taken
on 70 Helena for trial. The complaint
upon which he was arrested AL
leges that several of his acts of
emoezzlement were committed in that
county. Smiths arrest has created sem
sation and set on foot various rumors az
10 the manner in which he spent money
that he is alleged to have obtained by
fraudulent methods. For several months
gossip has connected the name of the
claim agent with the appropriateness of a
sporting house. who recently completed
and furnished handsome residence. He
is SAID on more than one occasion to have
maoe her presents of large sums of money,
unusually large for a man getting a SAL
airy of 81 800 a year. The same rumor
says that. at Smiths solicitation, 1.-The wo-
man gave up the management of the
sporting house and went to live in her |
new residence. The accused had manv
friends here and they all regret his down. |
fall. He had the confidence of his en-. |
ployers to an unusual degree. About two
years ago detective from Kansas CITY
came here and arrested Smith on a
charge of having defrauded his creditors
when he failed in business in that city
several years ago. The detective got him
on train and would no doubt have sue
ceeded in taking HIM out of the state if
some OF Smiths friends had not inter.
fered. Tho latter had the detective ar.
rested at Benton, charged with kidnap-
ing He was brought back here and. after
spending several days in Jail, was liber-
nied. He went to Missouri to get reuuisi-
ton papers for Smiths arrest and that
was the last heard of him. Smith claimed
hat 1t was piece of persecution. His
friends, as well as the railroad COMPANY.
stood nobly by him, accepting his side of |
lie story. 1t was generally understood
hat he had pretty good pull with the
abroad, through Minnesota connections.
his father. now manager of the Sand Cou. :
ee company store, having once been state :
enator from Leseur county, which ena.
lied him to keep his position. As to the
xtent of his embezzlement, nothing def
lite can be learned. 1t is a question
rhether the company ever will be
BILE to ascertain the exact amount.
wing to the manner in which the money t
'as obtained. 1t is claimed that he re- IL
ssued forged vouchers for alleged claims Il
nade out in the names of fictitious per- Il
ons. These he sent to st. Paul When c
hey were allowed he signed the vouchers
nd pocketed the money. Those in a po-
ltion TO know, say that he could not have i
ad many bogus claims allowed without
he connivance of another party. The
abroad officials here refuse to saw W
neither or not they think he had a con- d,
'derate. The total amount of his en- a,
excitement has been placed at from ST. el
% to $4,000 No one here seems to be in
position to furnish reliable estimate.
hardly seems possible that he managed
get away with such a sum and escape "
,tection. IL
Charles Everett, the self-confessed bow be
irglar, was sent to the reform school to. qU
ly. Dir