The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-31
4 MYSTERY NO LONGER
Russell and Howard One and the
Same Man.
HIS CAREER IN CHICAGO
A Surmise Only In Relation to His In
tentions Toward the Me- From
Chicago Who Believed HIM
to Be q Cattleman.


from Chicago. They were not capitalists
In the large sense. though each OF them
possessed considerable means and were
what might be termed well-to-do. They
were In search OF w. II. Russell. a sup
posed cattieman of Malta. He had Wis
tied Chicago Ia the summer, coming. as
he said. with a shipment of cattle
which he had sold at a very good price
and as. he stated. there had been a train
load OF them. IL might be supposed that
the sum total OF the sale was no small
figure. He vas in search of a child to
adopt. and after some seeking he ran
across these later visitors to Great Falls.
AS these gentlemen desired to avoid
publicity. their names are withheld from
the public, but IL Is sufficient to say
that they took Russell 20 a charitable
Institution and there he found a child
to his taste and after some investigation
he was permitted to adopt the child. n
girl about 10 or L. years old. He placed
her I'm a private school in Chicago and
deposited enough money 10 pay her way
for several months
In the course of these transactions he
became well acquainted with the Chi
cage people; in fact. they invited him
to the o n kept hin there as their
guest for two weeks or more. He talked
re~servedly, but sal enough to convince
them that he owned n very respectable
bunch of cattle and they were not con-
versant enough with Montana life to
catch two or three little breaks which
he let drop. He finally invited them TO
come out to this state and visit him at
the ranch. He also interested them in
a schem to take up some a and
launch upon the wool-growing business.
This scheme was worked out in all OF
its details and then he went home. leav-
ing them TO follow some time in Au-
gust, according TO their plans. Later
he wrote them, advising that the trip be
postponed for a week or more. He
also asked them to purchase certain
articles for him in Chicago. They did
so and by return mail received from him
a draft for the amount of the purchases
and also a respectable sum to be ap-
piled to the care of the little adopted
girl. His plans In regard to the latter
were these: He told the Chicagoans that
he was also about to be married. and.
as " was necessary to leave his wife
alone at the ranch for considerable pc
RODS of time while he was out punch
ing his cattle on a thousand hills.
Following letters delayed the trip on
the part of the Chicagoans. Russell
was communicating a big cattle deal
and was obliged to chase all over the
state. At last some friends of Russell
wrote the Chicagoans from Great Falls
that Russell had sustained an accident.
was very i'll and mioht die, and again
advising that the visit TO Montana be
postponed.
AS 1t happened. the Chicago end OF
the story had tired of the delays and
was ready 10 make the trip. Possessed
Of philanthropic dispositions. they
started for Montana at once. contrary
TO the advice of Russell's friends. hop
ing that when they reached here they
could be OF service to the sick a ana
at least cheer his dying moments. IL
nothing more. Their first surprise zane
shortly after they crossed the Montana
line. Then thew met Senator-elect Ben
Phillips of Malta and he told them he
had never heard of a cattle mar named
w. II. Russell, and being in the same
line of business and in the same cOun-
ty. he thought that he would W. been
very likely to hear had sue a stock
man existed. He ventured the sugges-
ton that Russell was a COW puncher.
who had gone to Chicago with a train
OF cattle and had allowed himself to be
led into some indiscreet blowing.
Somewhat shake in their faith. but
not wholly dismayed, the C~hicagoans
came on to Great Falls and gave sew
eral days to a further search for Rus
sell. They found that he had undoubt-
eddy been here, as his name vas regis
tered at the ark hotel about three
weeks prior to their arrival. They sent
inquiries all ove the state and finally
learned that during their visit i'm this
city he had left Lewistown with n
bunch of cattle. They telephoned that
town, but were a day too late. Then
they sent messages ahead on the line
which he was supposed to be following,
but after waiting two days longer re-
ceived no answer and finally returned
to Chicago verv much puzzled by the
strange behavior of their former guest.
nh. 49, =
them about his possessions, but could
not fathom his motive in remaining
silent and avoiding them. IL was a
nine days wonder. n then in the
rush Of the fall campaign it was for
gotten.
The sequel OF the story and perhaps
the solution of the mystery comes from
Bozeman. The other day a mar Civ
ing the name of Bill Howard worked
of e lot of coyote hides on the county,
securing 1912 in bounty warrants. Prior
to that he and a confederate had duped
Sweet Grass county with III hides. and
as they had an immense number OF the
things left, ii was likely that they
would. II successful. have made a
heavy inroad upon n state treasury.
The balance of the hides were shipped
TO Wv. II. Russell. Deerfield. Fergus
county" Then IL was learned that the
hides had been purchased in Chicago
and that Bill Howard and w. II. Rus
sell were n n the same person. The
concludes the Chicago mystery.
Under cover of a charitable design.
Russell had evidently used his friends
to shelter his purchase OF coyote skins.
Possibly finding that they had a little
ready cash, he planned a darker crime.
That can only be a surmise. however.
But what IL plain Is hat instead OF
one man coming. as had been original
ly planned. two Of them made the trip
to Montana. More than that. Russell
had his fraudulent bounty scheme in
hand and they came too soon for his
plans. He only picked up his cOnfeder-
ate in Fergus county. while the Chi
agoan were in this city. and natural
ly he lid not wish for them TO meet
with him and ask an explanation. Had
they conn later. after the bounty war
ants had been cashed. even had they
discovered that he had no cattle at or
near Malta. he would still nave a roll
IN AaSh and than 10 unnld MT .ax~a