The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-16
THE TAKING OF SYMES
Detectives Never Lost Track of
the Thief and Murderer.
HE WROTE LETTERS TO HIS GANG
Evidence Against All the Stock Thieves
They Are Supposed TO Have
Killed Another Man.

Oakesdaie. Aug. 15.-Srecial.-Now
that Syr1es. the murderer OF Lon Conlee.
the Sprague marshal is safe in jail there
can be no harm in publishing the account
of Synes' crimes, his escape and how he
was trsiied by detectives. The story be-
gins with the unearthing OF cave in the
country known as The Rocks" in Ad-
ans county, near the Whitman county
line. full account OF which was pub
hshed In the Post-Intelligencer az the
time Symes was the leader of this gang
OF stock thieves, and IL was on his
ranch that the stolen hogs were found in
a natural pen made by hollow basin en-
tirely surrounded By high walls of rocA.
In this basin were found the twenty-seven
hogs stolen from MIR. Hampton.
Symes was at colfax, the county seat
or whitman county, when these stolen
hogs and the so-caIled cave were discov-
cred. He knew nothing of the discovery
until he reached Oakesdale, and was
greatly enraged when he learned of the
discovery. He declared some of the gang
had ''peached." as mot one man in $500
would ever find that cave" Symes and
two others worked ten days IN making an
opening into this corral, into which stolen
stock could be driven.
The arrest Of Symes and the subsf auent
murder of the officer who had him in
charge are already known. Then began
the work OF trailing him. which proved a
difficult task. A weil-known detective OF
Spokane came to Oakesdale after hearing
that this place was headquarters for a
part OF the gang, and began work. For a
time all seemed at sea. Symes hal been
traced through the country near here 10
the st. Marie river in Idaho. then tarough
timber. across streams and over noun
tains. where he deserted his horse,
black mare branded 7HL, with a heavy
leather halter. Here all trace was lost,
and the detective had TO return and re-
locate him, believing, as subsequently
proved correct, that he would stop and
communicate with friends here and en-
deavor TO get his business settled before
leaving the country.
Everything that could possibly ford a
clue was closely guarded and tire mail CT
his friends was watched. At last let
ter came to a man known to be friend
or SymeS This was in an envelope on
which was the advertisement OF a circus.
The letter was also written on a circus
letterhead. and in 1t Symes asked for
money TO be sent TO him at Drummond,
Mont. under the name of o. w. Love.
Here was a clue, and the detective inn
mediateiy wired a detective in Montana
TO go after him Immediately. but the lat
ter could not go at once, and in the
meantime Symes had taken flight The
detective returned and began working an
ing up all the information possible. He
discovered that Symes had not passed
through Oakesdale the night after the
murder, as was at first supposed, but Lad
been harbored in the hills for two days
and fed by the man to whom the letter
was addressed and who had SEM SIS at
one time and $40 at another to the out
law. IL Ia not known whether this money
was ever received by Symes. but the
chances are that IL was not. It was sent
in an envelope and not registered.
Another letter written by the outlaw
came via Sterling, Colo, and III this
Symes gave full directions as to what dis
position should be made of stock and
other personal property. He mentioned
the names of nearly all the members of
his gang. sent his regards to each, and
also enclosed a letter 10 the girl whom
he was going to marry, which ioliows
Address Mrs. Alice Litch, Sterling. Lo-
gan County, Colo.
"My Dear, Loving Friend: I thought
would write you line to let YOU know
that I am well. My dear. / was sorry
that / could not come to see you before
left. ] am sorry that ] had to break
all my promises to you. The day / left
j had the license in my pocket Cor our
marriage. Ny dear. l was not 4 blame.
done 1t in self-defense. The other fell
low started IL, as he thought h rad the
drop, as he had my gun away from me.
My dear, ! will make my promises good
% you yet, IL you think fit. ! have II all
planned so that we can get together again
early next spring, If not this TAIL. Do
not tell any one that you have heard from
me. Write and tell me all the news. but
address to fhe above. ] will c'ose, and
YOU must excuse this short letter and
give my best regards to your mother and
all my love 70 you. | remain ever your
loving friend. FRANK DAVIS.
a. s- ct.
period or mark of any kind is Teen in the
letter. while capitals seem unknown 20
the writer.
These letters also fell into the hands OF
the detective. and were copied. and
man was dispatched TO Sterling, Colo. 10
shadow the mail of Mrs. Iitch, who was
found 10 he sister of Symes. Tho rest
would have been easy. for. having OBJ
tanned a position I'm the postoffice at Ster-
ling, IL could have been easy 10 have
traced letter addressed TO Frank Davis
and TO have obtained the post mark OF all
letters addressed to Mrs. Liten. In
week from the time the detective reached
Sterling Symes would have been captured,
had not Montana rancher stumbled on
10 the identity OF his sheep herder and ar
rested him with club.
mysterious death, which may provo
20 have been a murder committed ry
Symes and his gang. occurred in their
Smith. who escaped from the Jail at
Sprague. and two others Were At tie
house when this supposed murder oc-
Cured. and their story is that the victim
committed suicide by taking poison. This
Will he investigated. and detectives are
now working on clues by which Il IS
hoped 20 convict the entire gang % steal
ing cattle. hogs, horses and all manner Of
property II is also expected to be able
70 prove that the murder Of Coniee was
rrearranged. and that two others will he
connected with the murder as accessories
both before and after the fact
y witness has been secured VINO viii
testify that Symes went 10 IIampton's
ranch for the purpose Of burning lis
house barn and other buildings IN re-
venga for some wrong. real or fauciel.
That when he and his two companions
discovered the hogs Syrnes .sai3: BOYS
les steal those hogs. Thai viii ne good
revenge. ard We can burn the IS
buildings some other time The hogs
we're accordingly stolen. SvFnes stealing
some oats - feed them on the road. Tho
other two rnen drove the hogs q the hid
ing place. and Syrnes tonk 8 trip through
the country. stopping az several ranches
80 he could prove an siibi by those 20
whom he talked
The Durrant Trial.