The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-16
A CHASE AND A CAPTURE.
Bert Porter, the secretary. Landed In the
County Jail.

Bert Porter, the Secretary, Landed I'm the
County Jail.
Bert Porter. the notorious secretary of
the equally notorious grafter Clara
Bell. LANDED i'm the county Jail last
evening on a charge of burglary. The
circumstance in connection with the
detection, the chase and his capture,
were of an exciting character. and came
near resulting disastrously for Louis l..
Walker. to whose determination the
capture was due.
About 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon
Mrs. Rice. the landlady of the Mon
tana lodging house at the corner of
Maine and Galena streets. was sitting
at the window OF her room. which looks
out on the alley i'm the rear. Her room
was open, and she saw a man pass
down the hall and heard him unloc
the door and enter the adjoining room.
which is occupied by a odger named
John Jones. She thought nothing Of the
matter. as she was accustomed to see
ing tranger come in. until she saw
some clothing being thrown out Of the
window into the alley. She got up and
looked. and saw IL was the stranger
she a seen passing through the
hall doing the work. Porter. for he
was the stranger. saw her at the same
time. and made a break to get away.
She knew that a burglary was being
committed and ran to a window to call
a policeman, but there was none in sight
so she called to Walker. who is in her
employ. and told him to follow the man
and have him arrested. Walker dropped
his work and gave chase. He followed
the burglar along Galena to China alley,
when he turned down and ran to Mer-
curry. then to Colorado N down to
Silver and then east to Main. There
Walker overlook and grappled with
- - H. 49,. \.
knife. began slashing at his captor. He
struck Walker in the right hand. cut
ting a deep cash and causing him to
release his hold.
Porter started to run again. but his
speed was checked by Walker, who
picked up a big rock and threatened to
brain him unless he stopped. Porter
kept going. but slow. and Walker fol-
lowed. threatening to kill him, until a
policeman appeared. Some friends of
Porter by this time put in an appear
ance and tried to make Walker desist.
but he held them back with his rock.
AT the corne of Gold street a man at
tempted to help Walker but was driven
of by Porter's friends
The procession kept moving south
until they passed the residence of Off
Ger Peters. who was in bed asleep. His
family saw what was going on. and
called him. Jumping into his trousers
he ran out and overlook Walker and
his man at Aluminium street, and placed
Porter under arrest. Again he resist
ed, and had to be dubbed into submits
sion and ~handcuffed.
In the meantime a teamster who saw
the chase drove up Main for an officer.
Returning with officer I~ngraham, ON
Ger Peters. with Porter in custody, was
met, who turned the prisoner over to
officer Ingraham to be taken TO Jail.
AT police headquarters Porter's pock-
cts were found literally jammed full of
neckties n other small effects he
found in the room he had robbed. in
Guiding an alarm clock. a watch, sleeve
buttons, etc. He was booked for bur
glary in the day and sent to the coun-
~ Jail. ON looking in the alley II was
found he had thrown a suit of clothes
and a fine silk umbrella out of the win
dow. While being taken TO Jail Porter
was frantic over being captured, and
said repeatedly he wished he had killed
Walker.
Porter planned the robbery through
a chance acquaintance he made with
Jones, the occupant OF the room. TN
latter Is somewhat of a bicycle enthu-
siast. and while riding the day before
met Porter. who accompanied him to
his room and helped clean up Jones
wheel. While there ne had an oppor-
tunity of noticing Jones' effects. which
were good. and doubtless planned the
robbery then. Jones had only been gone
from his room about 10 minutes y~ester-
day when Porter. who had been watch
ing for the opportunity. entered the
lodging house and effected an entrance
to the room by means Of a skeleton key.
After the excitement of the chase was
over Walker found he was quite badly
injured. and went TO DIR. Blackburn for
surgical attention. IL was fOunl that
two Of the principal veins of the hand
had been severed. and IL required sew
eral stitches to sew up the wound.