The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-14
SENATOR 0LDS BACK
Return Of the Wanderer After an Al
SenCe of Nearly Three Years
HE'S MANAGING A FARM
His Creditors, II Is Said. Are Not
Anxious to Push Things. Al
though He Left Home
Under Quite a Cloud.

There are a good many people in
Butte, and more in BoZeman, who will
not have to have their memories logged
u second time TO remember L. b. Odds
Who cut quite figure in Montana a
few years ago. He was at one time
member Of the state senate and was
generally known as Senator Odds. lie
lived in Bozeman most Of the time
while he was in Montana, but In the
latter part Of his career was a resident
Of Butte
Mr.. Olds disappeared from this neck
of the woods in the summer Of 1898
and not the slightest trace of his
whereabouts was discovered until yes
terday. Mr.. Odds had borne a very
good reputation, but got badly in the
hole in a mining deal and n good many /
Hozeman and Butte people suffered in I
nsequence His friends to this day f.
Waintlin that he was not Intentionally /
al ana no one would have suffered
Is1 the mine turned out all right. His
confidence that the mine would get him
out OF the mole was SO great that he 4
took desperate chances and when Fall
urr resulted he had no recourse but to
skip.
IL was on Tuesday. June G, 1893, that
Ar. Odds left Bozeman. ana was not
seen again in Montana for years lie |
I'it osteneibly for Basin but did rot
arrive there and Il was believed at the
1me that he had gone East. II was .
several days before his creditors he /
came suspicious but when the officers
we're started after him IT was too late.
lie had gone ,
j. +. Jackson Of Kansas City was the :
man who made the first ,ompiaint S
against Senator Olds, claiming tTat he Q
l3,o swlndled him out OF $4,000 On a {
axe mining deal But there were 7
liners also who had been Intimate '
lends OF Olds, and had every ccr6-
lchce IN him, who suffered through v
TuStlhS MIN. These gentlemen were !
aihohg The most prominent citizens of a
5oHeilah and included Congress snln s
.harles ;. Hartman, Walter Cooper. L
senator Charles W. Hoffman. w =
Northrop. George Cox, II. NJ. white n
cot !. j. Kuntz and r. y. Ferris Il
.neSe gentlemen put s.. 500 apieco int, ! a.
ne Bozeman & Butte Mining conn amy.
enator Olds had secured a lease or
ne Kitty Norris or Spur inlnc. ard
ormed the Bozeman a. Butte MINI. y,
oinpany. II proved. however. To T.. a II
fslnE proposition. 1t was sfa,-r,J 81, u,
lt iaii OF lS92, but in the spring q 1898 50
lnds began to run low. FINALLY IN ~
= money 10 pay the men dds l,or- G,
pWed Sl,50O from the Silver Pow Ma n
olai bank, inducing r. Il. gongdon II
Ia
To avert financial calamity Mr. Odds .,
al used more desperate means "a 81
use FUNDS. lie had property in Boze- II,
an worth about $4,000 After he icrt 70
vas discovered that this had been bu
ortgsged four times over. the total OF
hount asgregating $4,000. Mrs. Olds va
As away from Bozeman at the time
r husband disappeared.
Nhen the officers began to search tor
de they were entirely unsuccessful I'm TN,
uIuE even a clue. It was roportcd tn,
AT ne was in British Columbia and at
W1s reported later that he had been 80
leo on an Indian reservation 4 ,-.ar m,
ter his disappearance. in June iSot En
: Cohedon, who had been ComnelIa1 M,
the silver Bow National bank 10 Ing
IKE good the note he had endorsed for
,ubht SUIT against the stockholders
uhe bozeman a Butte Mining COM A.
u!, anu tAr case was tried i'm this
inty q few months later There W.. p,
o an overdraft of large sun, m no
yer Bow bank. most OF which tho o.
tr stockholders made good by chin Nps
z in $500 apiece. II
interest in the mysterious disap- sta
rance or senator oljs had almost L.
= 3ut when ii was reported ysster- day
that the senator had returned 10 yon
Sc dlgEings. lie is working ON "a i
On AT the head Of Browns e-pIrb -.
M two miles from Silver Bow Jupr- ',.''
J.. This ranch is owned by Mrs i've
cheLl. whose husband died last code
ing. senator Odds arrived there shall
u Nv" weeks ago and is working bull
'I''..-'l-lI'l 'h' Itfin indie
Tar as can BE- ascartainod the cred Tbe
! ',l"lpF 'lds ana the men who Is d
e ms partners in the Boz.uan & man
te Mining company are u.; ais. mon
"a - push things against him. and less
anu WlllhE 20 give him a / sued
hill