The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1896-06-17
BURGLARS ARRESTED.
A Gang Of Missoula IIOuscbrcal>crs Run
Down by Citizens.

Down by Citizens.
Missoula, June 1.-THE gang of
burglars who ransacl<ed the Wordcn
and Thompson residences on Tuesday
night were run to earth today. The
arrest was made by three citizens,
Harry Thompson, who was robbed,
assisted by Attorneys Jos. X. Wood
and G. Fl. Hall, who went after the
burglars early in the day with a ven
geance.
Since the burglary Thompson has
secured the country for miles around.
Yesterday he and companions follow
ed the left bank Of the Missoula river
along an old trail to a point in the
mountains about two miles east Of
the city. Here three men and a boy
1G years old were camped. The posse
made an examination Of the camp,
and found bars Of soap that had been
stolen from Thompson. The gang
was ordered to come to Jail. They
refused. The posse had warrants.
One Of the gang struck J. X. Wood,
Whereupon the posse pulled rcvolyers
and brought the gang to. town, turn
ing them over to the sheriff. The
posse then returned to the camp and
made Il search, finding two Of Harry
Thompsons guns, all his clothing,
soap, Il tea can and other articles,
also several articles taken from tic
Wordcn residence, and an endless
quantity Of coats, vests, hats, shoes
and d riding bride. The goods were
also brought in and turned over to
the sheriff.
The men gave their names as Ed
Holmes, Ed. Bell and j. billiard.
The boy came here from Ruzenlan on
Tuesday night and claims to be on
his way to the coast. He is kept
apart from the men. The officers
expect he will confess all. Citizens
went wild over the capture made by
Thompson, Wood and Hall, and
came from all sides to congratulate
them.
Repeated efforts were made to get
the boy to confess. He claimed he
came to Missoula Tuesday night,
having been a passenger in Il box
car. Owing to the roughncss Of his
companions on the car he shook them
ut this point. He fell in with the
gang he was arrested with the morn
ing after the burglary and was with
them. .until'arrested. In the afternoon
he was placed in a cell in the wo-
mans department of the jail, with
the intention Of keeping him apart
from the three men, in hopes that
he knew more about the case than he
pretended to, and in time would con-
Tess all.
Early in the evening Under Sheriff
Curran called at the cell and found
the boy crying. When asked the
cause he made u confession to the
officer, not about the burglary or the
gang he was arrested with, but about
himself. For the officer was inform
ed that he was talking to a girl in
stead Of q boy, and her name was
Edna Gardner instead Of Edward
She said her home Was in Trinidad
Colorado. She had run away from
home and disguised herself as (; boy
ITO conceal her Identify. She begged
the officer not to make the fact public
for her relatives sake. She still! per
sisucd that he had nothing to do
with the burglary and was not with
them at the time. She refused to
give her past history and cause Of
'masquerading in boys attire. She
lis evidently about % years of age, a
brunette, with Il clean smooth face,
blue eyes, medium height, weight
about 1876 pounds, an honest looking
face, with cheerful disposition, and,
Of course, a puzzlcr to all who have
seen her, particularly the embryo
officers who arrested her.
Officers are hot on the trail Of the
gang who burglarized the Marguerite
hotel at Bonner. Alex. DcLong, a
ranchcr living cast Of the city, saw
a gang Of four men take Il gun out
of a pile of ties near his place. Word
was sent the sheriif:s Office and the
gang will be caught. The residence
Of II. L. Shapard, near the depot,
came near being burgl"rizcd again
today. When one O.! the household
went upstair, two strange men were
found coming up the back way. Be-
ing noticcd. they dccamped. At
least $50 hobos arc ccntcrcd within a
radius Of 10 miles around Missoula.
The Jail is we'll filed. After recent
burglaries and capture of culprits
from among hobos, the remainder Of
the gangs cannot get mercy 1T Mis-
cNl1|.{ from nj 1 bnr= f,tiifnr. rp,lrtG nr
citizens.