The new North-west., 1897-02-26
MARION GAMBLE.

MARION GAMBLE.
WARRINGTON, Feb. 0O.-fn the case of Marion
Gamble, sentenced In Montana, Dec. 1S, 1888, to
imprisonment In the prison In Montana for life
for rObbing the United States mails and putting
In Jeopardy the life Of carrier, the president has
committed the sentence to IA years actual Inn
prisOnment.
The above short telegram is Of more
than passing interest to the people of
Deer Lodge. The crime which led to
the sentence of Marion Gamble to i'm
prisonment for life is still fresh in the
memory of many of our people. The
crime was committed in 1883, not in 1898,
as stated in the dispatch, and he was
sentenced on Dec. 18th of that year.
BY reference to the columns of The
New NORTHWEST of Aug. 8, 1888, we
find a full account of the affair which led
to CANDLES trial and conviction. The
story of the robbery is told in very
graphic manner in that issue by Capt.
Mills, then editor of this paper, who
says: "We have made inquiry into the
facts, and as it was an exceedingly we'll
performed piece of work, give it some
what extended notice."
As the story runs, the Gilmer, Sails
bury & Co.'s stage coach left Helena on
Sunday morning, July 80, 1888, for Deer
Lodge, having on boaad IL passengers.
All went we'll with the coach and pas
sengers until they were ascending the
long hill known as "Jones' HILL" about
Is miles from Deer Lodge, when sud
denly, from clump of brush along the
side of the road, "a large gentleman with
an enormous gun" barred the way and
ordered the driver to "Hold up" At the
same instant two other men, armed with
Winchester rifle and double barreled
shotgun, appeared on the scene, and the
hold-up exercises were opened in due
form. The "large gentleman" the leader
of the gang, was addressed by his com
panions as "Mike," and Mike was the
name which Gamble sailed under on that
beautiful Sabbath day.
Gamble Immediately proceeded to
business as soon as the driver of the stage
had thrown up has hands. The passen-
gers were all ordered to "fall into line"
by the Sue of the road, and CANDLES
companions covered them with their
guns, while "Mike" collected the valua-
bles. Owing to the fact that some of the
passengers had managed to conceal
money and valuables in different ways,
the gross amount collected didn't come
up to CANDLES expectations, and he re-
marked that "There ought to be more
money in the party" and began another
search. After searching the coach and
securing the mail pouches and treasure
box, the coach and passengers were al
lowed to proceed on their journey. The
mail pouches and treasure box were
brought to Deer Lodge next day, when it
was found that the pouches had been cut
and some of the letters torn open. The
bottom of the treasure box had been
crushed in with rocks and it presented
sorry appearance.
When the news of the robbery reached
this city and Helena, posses were made
up in each place and started in pursuit Of
the robbers. The posse from Deer Lodge
consisted of Tom McTague and Messrs.
Riddle and Ross, while Helena sent out
Deputy Sheriffs Steele and Roberts. The
robbers were trailed by the officers from
Monday morning till Wednesday, when
they were overtaken and captured by
Messrs Steele and Roberts at Bridge
vile, Gallatin county, and were brought
to Deer Lodge Thursday night and
lodged in jail.
The story of the capture is thus told:
"The robbers went the Priest pass road,
camped, passed north of Helena and
were heading for Bozeman. Finally the
officers above mentioned were given a
pointer, followed in buggy and over
took them at Bridgeville. Two of the
robbers carried rifles, the third drove.
The robbers halted and one went into the
store. The sheriffs drove lazily along
side, got the drop on the two, covered
them safely, and Steele went in and
nipped the third. 1t was neatly done
without any shooting, and the robbers
held up their hands as nicely as stage
passengers"
On Saturday, August 4, 1883, the pris-
oners had preliminary examination be-
fore O. B. O'Bannon, U. s. Commissioner,
and U. S. District Attorney Dewitt ap-
peared for the prosecution. The COM
plant filed was against Frederick Wiley,
Thomas Sheldon and Marion Gamble for
robbing the U. S. mails" On Monday
following they were arraigned in the dis
trict court, but H. r. Whitehill, who had
been appointed to defend them, waived
an examination and they were admitted
to bail in the sum of $4,000 each for their
appearance on the first day of the De-
cember term of court.
When the prisoners were brought into
court, Gamble was Immediately recog-
nized by Hugh O'Neill and others If
Deer Lodge as frank Adams" who was
convicted of grand larceny in Gallatin
county in 1882 and sent to the territorial
prison at this place for the term of one