The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-05
D0WNEN'S BAD RECORD
A sELF-CONFEssED MURDERER's
RECORD OF CRIME IN MONTANA.
The Owners Nerve and the Delivery
of the Miscreant to the Deputy
Sherin in the Town.

Albert Hense Downen, the self-con-
fessed murderer and highwayman who
is in custody at Denver, has history
of crimes committed in Livingston,
Mont, says the Anaconda Standard cor
respondent, much of which has just
come to light. His first appearance in
Livingston was upon the 26th of April,
1898. On that date he and a companion
were making their way on foot over the
divide from Bozeman. Arriving about
dark at the cabin of Jack Bender on
Fleishman creek. five or six miles west !
of town, they found that no one was at
home, and broke into the cabin While
they were inside ransacking the place
for plumber, Mr.. Bender approached up
on his return from town. Noticing a
light in the place, he cautiously crept
to the window, where he saw the robbers
had gathered up his two rifles, revolver
and ammunition and deposited them upon
a table near the door, being then busted
in filling up a sack with grub and pro-
visions from his larder. Mr.. Bender is
| a man of nerve and he acted upon the
course that first suggested itself to him.
He opened the door, sprang inside and,
grabbing a gun from the table, called
upon the fellows to surrender. Seeing
their disadvantage, they submitted, with
a volley of oaths. Mr.. Bender marched
them to Livingston and handed them
over to his brother, Frank Bender at
that time deputy sheriff.
At the Jail Downen gave the alias Of
Jim Lewis. Tailor Blakely scrutinized
his features closely and at length recog-
nized him as Downen, whom he had
known years before in Missouri. At
first Downen denied his identity, but at
length admitted to the jailor that his
right name was Downen. The robbers
pleaded guilty to the charge that was
preferred against them and were given
short sentences.
When Downen had served his time he
secured employment upon the ranch of
William Kearns, near town, where he
worked for two or three months, being
regarded as an excellent hand at work.
One day in his presence Mrs. Kearns
opened a trunk and took some money
therefrom. In a few days thereafter
+ Downen threw up his job and left. About
two weeks later Mr. Kearns was out at
2 tending to his stable duties after night
fall, leaving no one in the house but two
little girls. In his absence the girls were
frightened by a noise at the window and
their screams brought Mr. Kearns to the
rescue. Passing the window he saw q
man standing there, and supposing he
a | was a neighbor who had promised to
come over that evening" he called to him
to come inside. He received no answer
and so advanced toward the man, when
the latter raised a rifle and fired a shot
into the ground at Mr.. Kearns' feet.
r Kearns still believed him to be his neigh
Dor and thought he was shooting at the
l. dogs which were barking vociferously.
Again he addressed him, saying. Whats
the matter with you? Are you shooting
at the dogs or at me?" For answer, the
y fellow fired several more shots and be-
- gan to back Off Mr. Kearns watched
him as he was making his retreat and
Il saw him stop and strike a light.
i The next morning it was revealed that
the fellow had lit his pipe under cover
Of an umbrella and then left the UNI
y brella. which was recognized as Dow
mems Three days later Kearns saw
ID Downen skulking through an alfalfa
re field and went out and intercepted him
I'd He accused him of attempting to rob hi.
house and admonished him to leave tha
part of the country at once and never re
81 turn, if he valued his life. That wa.
u the last seen or heard of Downen arounC
n l1lNlIlBSlOH
The confession that Downen make
about stealing $500 worth of jewelry anC
r caching it at Livingston is probably cor
rect as we'll as his statement that H.
ly was never able to dig it up. No doub
he is the man who robbed Weigel (
Koehler's jewelry store in Livingston oil
the night of the 4th of July, 1893. En-
nix trance to the store was effected by en-
in terng a room in the rear and removing
section of the dividing partition h.
boring a series of holes through with a,
W. auger The retail value of the watches
chains, rings and revolvers stolen wa
49, in the neighborhood of $780, None Q
~ the articles have ever turned up sine
es and it is quite likely that they have re
Mt, manned hidden all this time where Dow
full men concealed them.
Downen has a brother in Livingston
another in Bozeman and one on a ranc
70 up Shields river. His mother is a fire.
IN quent visit with her son upon til
ranch. His brothers all disown him. Il
is the black sheep of a respectable fan
Rs. lily. One of the most prominent men
Bozeman. who has long been a political
of considerable note, is a brother-in-la
sh- of Downen's