The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-08-09
CAUGHT THEIR MAN
Charles PhilpOt, an Escaped Convict,
Found in Oregon.
GONE MORE THAN A YEAR
Had Only a Short Time to Serve
MoTague VIII Bring Him Home
To-Day History of His
Crlmes-Hls Pals.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Thomas McTague. one OF the prison
contractors, will arrive from oregon
with Charles F. Philpot, one OF the
three prisoners who escaped from the
state penitentiary a year ago last June.
Mr.. McTague left Deer Lodge last
week upon receipt OF a telegram from
the officers In Eugene, Ore, announc-
Ing that a man answering Philpots
description. had been captured In that
city.
The story OF the escape OF the pris-
oners Is thrilling one. The three men
were Stuart Russell. Charles +. Phil
uot and Peter Goodness. They were
TRUSTEES and had only a comparatively
short time to serve. Russell and Phil
pot were cowboys. The former was a
partner OF the notoriuos horse thief,
Edmundson. OF Fort Benton. and at
the tlmc OF his escape was serving
his fourth term in the penitentiary.
He was regarded as one OF the most
daring rustlers that ever operated In
Montana. and his body is said TO have
contained innumerable scars received
in fights with pursuing officers He
was an Indian and one OF the most
daring and cunning OF his kind. He
was sent up for five years for stock
stealing on the Crow Indian reserva-
ton. Philpot was a member OF his
gang. He. too. carries many wounds
and marks as the result OF his encoun-
ters with cowboys and conflicts with
sheriffs officers. His sentence was i've
years.
Their behavior while in the peniten-
tiary had been first-class. and the con-
tractors. in consideration OF this fact
and the further fact that but a COM
paratively short time Of the sentence
remained to be served out. permitted
them 10 work about the prison as
TRUSTEES. One day. a year ago last
June. the three men named took to the
hills. A large posse Immediately start
ed out after them. They had been
gone but a few hours when blood
hounds were placed upon their track.
One of the dogs. the most valuable
animal OF Conley & McTagues pack.
evidently caught up with the fugitives.
as he was terribly beaten and died a
few days after his return to the ken
mel at the prison. In the mountains
Goodness separated himself from the
other two and was overtaken and
brought back to the prison. The other
two men walked over the mountains
TO Pioneer. There they broke into a
house. stole a rifle and ammunition
and other supplies. mounted stolen
horses and sped away. During the
chase they were several times almost
surrounded by the pursuing party, but
they were daring and cunning crlmi-
mails. and they eventually succeeded in
getting away. From that day up to
a few weeks ago no trace OF either of
the men was obtained. A short time
ago, however. a dispatch was received
by Messrs. Conley a McTague from
Eugene. Ore, announcing that a man
answering the description Of Charles
+. Philpot was living In that city un-
der the name OF Whitney. The fol-
lowing story OF his capture Is told In
the Eugene Register OF Aug. /:
Away back some time last year a
description OF an escaped convict from
the Montana state penltentiary at Deer
Lodge. Mont. was received In this
city. as follows: Charles +. Philpot-
aged 81. height feet inches. weighs
1853 pounds, bald headed. brown and
prominent eyes. dark complexion. full
features. high and prominent forehead.
straight nose, wide at nostrils, lips
thick and prominent. two center front
teeth larger and more prominent than
the rest; receding chin with small scar
on the right OF same. small ears, sew
eral small scars on back OF head, sew
eral small scars on back OF neck, little
finger OF right hand crooked from first
joint. small scar on right elbow. very
small feet. stoops when walking.
When the sprinter Whitney mad,
his appearance here. Constable Oar
Linton got an idea into his head tina
he was the man answering TO the abov,
description. but as Whitney was yer,
hard man TO engage close enough to de
I tect ear marks. he did not make muci
headway till some six weeks ago, ,whei
he received through another party IN
formation that he. whitney. was NJ
other than the escaped convict from
the penitentiary OF Montana. Charles
r. Fhilpot, for whom the state author
/ tiles offered a reward OF 500.
However. at this time the evidence
al hand was hardly sufficient TO justlf,
arrest, and Philpot. alias Whitney. wa
allowed his liberty till more definite IN
formation could be gained. although
his movements were closely watched.
"a few days ago letter was receiv
ed here that settled definitely all doubt
In Constable Linton's mind. and he pro
ceeded yesterday to make the arrest
Just a little after o'clock while Whit
ney was seated In the door OF the Ho
tel Eugene. he was approached by Con
stable Linton and invited to take
walk up TO the ccnstable's office. Whit
ney consented and they walked UP tn
street together Whitney apparentl
not supecting that he was upon th
verge of arrest. When they had ar
rived at the Office Constable Linto
showed Whitney the description an
other documents bearing upon the al
fair at the same time stating that h
was under arrest on supicion. Afte
having looked them over. seeing no wa
by which ne could crawl out throug
denial. he owned up to the charge
making the statement: 4 am the man
Whitney then stated that he ha
been convicted and imprisoned In IN
Montana peniten;iary for four year
on two counts OF burglary OF two year
each. That he had served out one coun
and at the time OF his escape he Ia
served out three months on the sec
ond and last count. He stated that a
the time he made his escape that
was a trusty working on a farm an
that he escaped with two other prison
ers, Stuart Russell and Peter Good
ness. This was about all that could
learned from him last night. as he wa
feeling badly broke up and was suffer