The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-01
BERT BELD IN BOULDER
Brought From Washington to
Answer for Murder.
HE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED
Charged With the Murder of Thomas
Denny at Whitehall in 18o6-He
Was Picked Up With a
Band of Tramps.
Special Dispatch to the STANDARD.

Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Boulder, Jan. 31.-Sheriff Henry L.
Sherlock of this county returned this
morning from Mt. Vernon, Wash, with
the prisoner alleged to be Bert Beld
alias "Brocky" Beld, who is accused
of numbering Thomas Denny at White
hall in this county in September, 1886.
The circumstances of the murder. the
search for Beld, his apprehension by
the sheriff of Skagit county, Washing
ton. and the means taken there for as
pertaining that the man held was
painter and otherwise Identifying him
as the man wanted, We're mentioned in
a recent issue of the Standard, and the
sheriff thinks from this and other cir
cumstances that he has the one wanted.
Mr.. Sherlock, after visiting the gov
ernor at Olympia, where he went to
get the proper requisition for the GRIM
inal, happened to meet at Tacoma John
Berkin of Boulder. who was returning
from California. He learned that there
was a chance for Mr.. Berkin identify
ing the prisoner, as Beld, while at work
around Whitehall, came to Boulder and
painted a wagon for Mr.. Berkin, so he
persuaded the latter to accompany him
to Mt. Vernon. On going to the Jail
break Beld down by the certainty that
he was the criminal and that they
knew him. Mr.. Sherlock first made a
talk. but it did not seem to have any
effect: then Mr.. Berkin tackled him
with a hearty Hello, Beld. You're a
long ways from Whitehall. where
saw you last But il did not phase
him and he never changed countenance
nor colored. neither did he ask what
he was wanted for nor where they
We're taking him. and in fact he said
very little. He was 10th to engage in
conversation, and about the most that
could be gotten out of him was yes and
no. and often not that.
Many times on the railroad journey
back they tried to draw him out, but
with little effect. However, in the Jail
at Mt. Vernon, when they first tried
to talk with him, he said he had tray
eled all over the country, had been in
every state in the union excepting
Montana. Later the conversation drift
ed to the question of tramps and ho-
boes, and he unguardedly spoke of the
time in the fall of 1896 when they We're
driven out of Butte by the carload.
This would indicate quite clearly that
he has been in Montana and had
knowledge of that stirring time. and
it is very likely that he was in the
bunch. In leaving Butte he got as far
as Whitehall, worked around at odd
jobs. and after putting in few weeks
at the saWmill in Perry canyon. re-
turned to Whitehall where, in saloon
he auarreled with Denny and killed
him as he came out of the door.
AS to his Identification by the pic
ture that was sent here by the sheriff
of Skagit county, it is not to be Won
dered at that he was not recognized,
for the picture does not look at all like
the man. 1t is likely that he knew for
what purpose it was being taken and
distorted or changed his features as
much as possible.
Another man who recognized the
prisoner as some one he has seen be-
fore. is Harry Mccullough of Boulder,
who thinks he saw him while here at
work ON Berkin's wagon. Tomorrow
subpoenas will be issued for Thomas
Fox and perhaps others at or near
Whitehall. who were sufficiently we'll
acquainted with Beld while there to
make "a positive statement as to his
identity Mr.. Fox. in whose place the
row between Beld and Denny COM
menced, is not now in Whitehall. but
a short distance south of there in
Madison county near the MayfloWer
mine. George Bowles will also know
him, and there is another who is re-
ported to have seen the shooting.
These parties probably cannot be here
for four or five days and nothing will
be done until then, FOR as the matter
stands now there would be little on
which to arraign the prisoner. lie may
not be taken before a justice, but di-
rectly into the district court. which is
now in session. The man held is not
at all a savage looking fellow. but an
swers the description fairly we'll as to
height build, peck marked about the
nose, etc.
Through the courtesy of Jailer Hal
ford. the Standard reporter was accord
ed the privilege of an interview with
the prisoner, but he was averse to talk
ing. When asked il he knew what he
was wanted for. he said that he had
seen something about it In the papers.
He further claimed that if he had
known while he was in jail in Wash
ington that he was wanted for murder
committed in Montana, he could have
established his Identity well enough TO
show that he was an entirely different
person. This, however. Is not plausible,
because he knew from the first hour
he was i'm jail there who he was sup
posed TO be and why he was wanted
The sheriff had been gathering UP
tramps that committed petty depreda-
tions about the town, and as soon as
he had Beld in jail the description that
he received more than a year before
came to his mind and he went into an
adjoining room. procured it. made the
comparison and said: Your name IL
Beld and you are wanted in Montana.
TO CURE a COLD IN ONE DAY