The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-04
BLAztO AWAY
He Proved a Tartar for the Lone
Highwayman.
A Merry SALOONKEEPER
A Lively Exchange of Bullets Between
b Two Men 1t . Saloon on South
Montana strsst-No One
Was Hurt

In Alexander Gilbert the lone high
wayman struck a tartar Friday night.
Gilbert came within an inch or two of
putting a period to the career Of the
masked gentleman when he attempted
to hold up Gilbert's saloon, but he in
turn came equally as near getting Gil
bert.
Saloonkeeper Gilbert IL a cripple, but
his nerve Is not of the sort that admits
OF highwaymen making a success of
holding him up, as he has proved in the
past when single handed. he put four
or the gentry to flight. Had IL not been
for his infirmity the particular lone
highwayman who figures in this story
would doubtless now be in the morgue
and Gilbert would now be receiving the
thanks Of a grateful community.
Gilbert runs a little saloon which is
located on the west side of South Mon
tana street, just north of Silver Bow
creek. and opposite the Holland street
rink. Friday night he and a friend
were alone in the saloon about IL
o'clock. Gilbert sat in front of the bar
close to the m of the counter. facing
the o He and his friend were con-
versing on general topics, when the
front door opened and a gun was poked
in. 1t was followed an instant later by
a tall. lean Individual wearing a mask.
H % HdpDtItu III tnlS lnSIdnCe tndt III
stead of his u being where IL would
do him no good, 1t was in Gilbert's hip
pocket. The circumstance of his sit
ting with his face to the door was an
other favoring circumstance. When he
saw the gun he knew what was coming,
and before his robbership had gotten
himself well inside. Gilbert had his gun
out. Without waiting longer than
enough TO get his gun in his hand, Gil
bert blazed away. The ball struck the
door casing just above the intruder
head. Only an inch or so lower and
the coroner would have been called in.
The robber was undoubtedly taken
very greatly by surprise by the warmth
of his intended victims reception. but
he did not lose his head. and quick as
lightning, lodged out the door. AS he
did so, Gilbert made his way as quickly
as his lame leg would let him behind
the bar with the idea of making IL a
breastwork. He no sooner got himself
behind the bar than the robber cut
loose. His first shot went wild. but the
secon came dangerously close to the
nervy saloonkeeper. 1t passed through
the bar, barely missing Gilbert's body.
Then the robber took to his heels, and
Gilbert catching a glimpse of him as
he went. fired another shot, but with
out effect.
The attempted holdup was reported
to Sheriff Regain yesterday, and from
the description Gilbert was able to
give of the robber. the officers are conf
dem he Is the same man that held up
Kehoe's saloon at Rocker the night be-
fore. 81
A peculiar coincidence which may
have had something to do with the fact
that Gilbert had his gun in his pocket
and was prepared, was that Friday
afternoon while out OF the fiat the
sheriff HANGED to tell Gilbert of the
Rocker robbery, remarking:
you had better look out. Gilbert, or
they'll be after you some night"
Gilbert laughed off the suggestion,
but the sheriff's remark doubtless
caused him to put his gun in his pocket.
Gilbert's nerve was once before tried
by highwaymen. Four years ago. when
he had a saloon not far from his pres
ent location, o robbers walked in
and got the drop on him. but he got
behind the bar, got his own gun n
began blazing away. driving the whole
gang from the place. The authorities
at Anaconda arrested a man yesterday
on suspicion that he was the Rocker
robber. and Deputy Sheriff Dennis
O'Neill went to Anaconda accompanied
by Jones. one of the men i'm the Kehoe
saloon when it was held up. but the
suspect was not the right party.
NJ. j. Kehoe. proprietor of the Rocker
saloon, called on Chief Mulholland yes
terday n gave the names OF TWO par
ties he suspected. He said he had been
informed the two men left Butte the
night he was robbed and went to Silver
Bow. The next morning they were
back to Butte. He also stated that
one Of the men who had been at his
saloon Thursday night reported seeing
a man standing outside the saloon as
though on the watch, about the time
the holdup occurred. From this n
the fact that Kehoe knows he two men
he referred to. to be hard characters,
he feels sure there were two at least
in the holdup, and that the parties he