The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-03
HELD UP IN HIS ROOM
Otto Schoenfeldt Sandbagged at
the Montana.
WAS ROBBED OF $4,000
Knocked Dow From Behind While He
Was Checking Up the Days
Work There Is
No Clue.

While sitting in his room at the Mon
tana hotel. checking up the days bust
ness, Otto Schoenfeldt, a scalper at the
race track, was knocked on the head
and robbed of 81, 400. A old or more
audacious robbery has never occurred
in Anaconda. The scoundrel planned
his work cleverly, executed it in a mas
terly and escaped without
leaving the least trace or clue for the
police to work on.
As was Mr.. Schoenfeldt's habit on
coming from the track, he deposited his
money with the clerk at the hotel and
went in to Inner. After dinner he took
the money, as usual. and went to his
room, ll9, to check up the days
work.
The mone was in the packages, about
81. 800 or 1900 being in "A large bag.
which Mr.. Schoenfeldt dropped on the
floor in a corner near the window be-
sid the table, at which he was going
to work. The other bags he emptied
on the table. This table was some dis
tance from the electric light and as it
grew dark. Mr.. Schoenfeldt moved the
table into the middle of the room, UNI
der the light. Pulling up a chair. he
sat down with his back to the door,
and began his work of checking up the
tickets and cash. The door was un-
locked and possibly ajar.
Just how long Mr.. Schoenfeldt had
been working before his assailant en-
tered is not known. The last thing
Schoenfeldt remembers was the work
he was on. He heard no noise in the
hall. at the door or in his room. The
blow came noiselessly IN like a flash
and was aimed by an arm which
struck straight to the mark.
Mr.. S~choenfeldt has absolutely no
recollection Of what happened, but
from the condition of the room and of
Mr.. Schoenfeldt's clothes and his
wounds. there must have been a des-
perate struggle for a ome between
his assailant and S~choenfeldt There
were two big Welts on the back of his
head and another across the cheek.
His shirt was nearly torn off of him.
and upon his throat. near the wind
pipe, were two deep red finger marks,
where he had been ~strangled in the
struggle.
when Mr.. Schoenfeld came to him
self he was stretched full length on the
floor, his head towards the door. with
the chair fallen partly on top of him.
For a m he was daZed and knew
not what had happened, but as his
scattered senses came back he stag
gered to his feet n CROPPED his way
to the bell.
Charlie NJ. Gould, the bell boy, who
answered the call, found him leaning
against the wall hal dazed and
scarcely able to talk coherently. The
room was in great confusion and
showed evidences Of a short. sharT
struggle. Pool tickets and papers
were scattered all over the floor
Schoenfeldt made the bell boy under.
stand what had happened and sent fol
the officers, who quickly responded anC
were soon on the scene.
1t was some time before Schoenfeld
could tell his story, and even after i
was told there was nothing, absolutel,
nothing for the police to work on
Not a single solitary clue could h,
given which would aid the police il
their search. And he had no suspicion
of any one. He knew that he had bee
nearly killed and robbed of 81, 400. TIL
black bag by the window had bee
overlooked.
At the time the robbery and assault
occurred, shortly after s o'clock. tn
corridors of the hotel were practically
deserted. nearly every one being !
the lobby, where pools were being solo
There was, consequently, every appor
tunity for S~choenfeldt's assailant I
make good his escape in several ways
He could have gone down the stair
, and mingled in the crowd, easily escap
ing detection by the time Schoenfeld
recovered his senses. Fifteen q
twenty minutes gave him every oppoI
tunity he needed for escape.
Just about the time the robbery oC
? Cured Mrs. Ferguson. who, with he
husband, occupies a room on the SAN
@ floor at the other end of the hotel, wa
- packing her run and heard some or
% walk rapidly along the corridor an
- step to the window at the fire escap
: The window was raised n nothin
further was heard by Mrs. FerSusol
After the alarm had been given an e'
animation of the window sill Shove
several small pieces of dried mu
, which looked as If IL had been scrape
: from some ones foot.
: This is Mr.. SChoenfeldt's first seasC
; at the track and has proved an unlucF
: one in one fell swoop, as he VIII haN
= to stand the entire loss himself. NJ
!, Schoenfeldt is "A well-known citiZt
:, of Great Falls. where. a few years ag
he was assistant postmaster and late
organized a troop of cavalry, wht
failed to be included in the call. IT
instrument his assailant used w
probably a sand bag. and Mr.. Schoe'
/. feldt was lucky in escaping with h
= life.
: Drawing for Coursing.
s-..- T.. a. ,n,trSinc ne