The herald., 1895-03-23
A LONG TRAIL OF BLOOD
Many Murders Laid at the
Door of a Desperate
SOME OF HIS MANY CRIMES
A Confession That Made the Man q
Cold.Blooded Murderer
Story Of the Life Of Tom Blanck, the Outlaw,
Who Successfully Planned and Escaped
From the Seattle Jail

SEATTLE, March 22.-Few if any Of the
thousands of people who gazed upon the
dead body of Thomas Blanck as it lay
upon the slab at the undertaking rooms
today realized the enormity of his crimes.
By his own confession he has killed five
people within the last four years and
wounded at least twenty. He was stage
robber, highwayman, burglar and bank
robber. his operations extending from
British Columbia through Montana and
Washington, even to California.
The record of his crimes is as follows
An unknown stage driver, shot down near
Lake Kootenai, B. c., in 1891, for resist
ing hold-up; Steve Crosse, bar ten
der, killed at Meadervile, Mont. in Sep.
tember, 1894; deputy sheriff. killed
about the same time IN the same vicinity
while chasing Blanck; Constable William
Jeffrey, shot through the heart at Pnyal-
lup September 30, 1884, Charles H. Bird
well, shot through the heart at the Mug
saloon in this city October 3, 1894.
Supposed murders, but not included in
his confession: James Skinner, station
agent at Great Belgrade, Mont; Police
man John Flynn. at Helena, Mont.
back to 1891. Blanck's home was in
Schenectady, N. Y. He came West years
ago, and his first crime was committed at
Felson, B. c., when, with a partner, he
held up stage coach containing two
Cinnamon. The driver showed fight, was
killed, and Blanck and his pal got "a, 300
in gold and silver. The silver was too
heavy and was buried, and Blanck said
that so far as he knew it was still in the
ground. They escaped and Blanck went
back East only to return to the Coast in
short time and take part in several
highway robberies and get caught while
committing burglary at Kalama, this
STATE.
He broke Jail and in February. 1891. en-
tered Bingham Holbrook's bank st
Wooley, Wash, but as he had no tools got
nothing except volver. Then he went
to Fairhaven, committed burglary, shot
Policeman Peter Brughn twice and es-
capped mob which pursued him.
Port Townsend saw him next. where he
was arrested, taken back to Falrhaven
but broke Jail and went to California
where he figured in several hold-ups. He
then went to Texas and then East again
but in 1894 came West and on August 18th
of that year while a partner guarded the
outside entrance, Blapck entered the
barroom of the Broadwater Hotel at
Helena, held the bartender up, took $3.50
out of the cash drawer and after driving
out of the saloon several persons who had
entered while he was taking the money,
escaped. He was followed, fight ensued
but the lucky Blanck finally got away.
He had lost most of his clothing in the
fight. and while on the road met an old
man whom he compelled to turn over his
clothes Later he robbed a bar tender at
Marysville, Montana, of about $3.50. AT
Meaderville, Montana, he held upa bar
tender, failed to get any money and killed
him, He was chased and had to kill a
deputy sheriff in order to get away. and
then, coming to this state, he murdered
Constable Jeffrys at Puyallup, and later
killed Bartender Bridwell in this city. for
which he pleaded guilty and received a
death sentence.
He was awaiting a hearing on an ap-
peal in this case when he broke Jail last
Sunday.