The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-30

was pretty heavy to carry. 1t con-
tafned just one big chunk Of ore weigh
ing about 200 pounds.
Meanwhile the thieves had noticed
that . sack was some and began hunt
tng for II. The two watchers dived In
to q bank Of snow and kept quiet The
missing sack was discovered across the
| tracks.
How in HI did 1t get over there7"
inquired one.
No one could give q satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION 1t was q mystery, ana al
1 ter several explanations. the sack was
carried on to the sleigh. A lot OF loose
ore was also placed In the sleigh. The
balance of the ore on the ground was
then covered over with snow and the
| party drove on.
Mdklejohn and Wey followed them
| to town and down into South Butte
They watched the sleigh enter the barn
which IL rented by Charles Jones. and
then they let them go for the night
The police did not hurry the arrest,
as they knew there were others In this
| gang OF organized steaers, and they
wanted to get them all. II possible.
On another night two thieves were seen
at the ore car. but they were different
from the men at work on Christmas
eve. The ore was cached that time In
a barn In South Washington street.
| There were evidently several other
places around town where the ore was
being cached. The police were hoping
each night that they would be able to
find the whole gang at work and make
| a cleanup. But IL was at length con-
cluded to finish up the job Saturday
night.
Messrs. Meikeijohn and wey found
once ono more their favorite hiding place In
the snow. They began their vigil
about 1880 O'Clock and stayed there un-
til the small hours of the morning. For
some reason, the ore train remained
on the siding about all night. and the
thieves had plenty of time to throw on
two In the gang that night. and they
did not lose minute of time. About
2:3O O'Clock yesterday morning the
thieves concluded they had enough.
They brought the sleigh around, load
ed II up with about two tons or ore,
covered the rest of the ore with snow
and drove away.
In going toward town from the point
where the robbery was committed. the
sleigh has to make a long bend around
by the Chinese gardens and the green
house. While the sleigh was covering
this extra ground Meiklejohn and Wey
| went cross lots and intercepted the ore
laden sleigh near the B., A. & p.
! round house. Hold up your hands,"
yelled Wey in his high tenor. Throw
UP your hands," growled Meiklejohn in
his deep bass.
One Of the robbers threw up his
| hands but the other was driving and
he kept hold of the lines. up with
those hands," repeated Meiklejohn in
louder tones yet At this point there
was an interesting and unexpected d.
version. A man came out OF the b.,
A. & p. round house with a double
barreled shotgun. He leveled IL at
Meiklejohn and Wey. cooking 1t at the
same time.
There has been too much holding
up in these parts" said the new conner.
Now you fellows hold up your hands
for a change" The officers managed
to explain things before the trigger
was pulled and the man with the shot
gun went back into the round house.
The two officers with the load of ore
and the two ore thieves drove on to
town. The thieves were taken to the
| county Jail and gave their names as
John Kinney and Frank Smith. Both
have lived in Butte for years. Smith is
a teamster a nd is usually seen with
an express wagon. Kinney has worked
a good deal as a miner and leaser.
Meanwhile Officer Crawford had been
watching Charles Jones barn in South
Butte. AS soon as the arrests were
reported Chief Tebo started for South
Butte and arrested Jones. He made
great protestations of innocence and
called on the officers to examine his
cabin and barn. He showed them
through the cabin and the barn. The
! floor Of the latter was covered with
bran. He declared that he never stole
a pound of ore in his life and did not
have any in his possession and never
! had. Meikletohn and Wey, however
had both seen him in the gang that
operated Christmas eve and they saw
! the load of ore driven into his barn
So Tebo took him to the city Jail where
he now IL. As soon as his prisoner
was behind the bars Chief Tebo re-
turned to Jones barn f, and made a
closer examination of 10 He scraped
away some of the bran from the barn
floor and raised a plank of the floor
ing. There was a dugout under the
| floor and In the dugout were found
nine sacks of ore and a lot of loose
ore. There was probably nearly two
tons of ore there altogether.
The officers are sure there are at
least five in the gang. The three who
have been captured are believed to be
the ringleaders. Jones was formerly
a railroad man and worked for a long
time for the B., A. & p. under Super
intendent Chapman. He probably con-
ceived the scheme Of how the ore
could be taken from the trains. He is
now a teamster and has been troubled
with the police before over larceny
business.
How much ORG may have been stolen
altogether or for how long a time the
stealings have been kept up are only
matters OF conjecture. 1t is believed
most of the stolen ore Is still cached
around town. One sale, amounting to
$500. Is known to have been made TO
the Butte Sampling works. but wheth>
er other sales have been made is not
certainly known, but IL is considered
very probable. The officers concerned.
as well as Superintendent Chapman.
are to be congratulated on the SPLEEN
did work done in the capture of the
thieves. Chief Tebo sent Mr.. Chap
man a dispatch yesterday announcing
the capture. Mr.. Chapman will come
to Butte this morning.
SHAPELY AND CHIC.
Mas Eilsisr Opens Her Weeks Engage