The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-29
THEY DID A POOR JOB
Three Highwaymen Try to Hold
Up Fred Ralph.
BUT HE WAS A SPRINTER
He Was Out of Range Before They Could
Get Their Guns On Him-The Police
Make An Intellectual Search
for the Bandits.

Three highwaymen did poor job Of
holding UP Fred Ralph yesterday morn
ing. Their intention was good enough,
but they didn't count ON his being a
Splinter, and he was out of pistol range
almost before they got their guns on
him.
Ralph is a laboring man, about 30
years old. He lives in lower Montana
street and is employed at the Parrot
smelter. Yesterday morning he got
through work about o'clock and start
ed for home. AS he passed the Montana
Central tracks he saw two police Off
GERS. Reaching Iron street, he turned
west and was proceeding along leisurely
when he came to high board fence be-
tween Colorado and Dakota streets. A
gate in the fence stood open and as he
came opposite it three men stepped out.
Simultaneously with the action one of
the three, the one in advance, pulled
black mask down over his face and pre-
scented a gun. He commanded Ralph 10
throw up his hands, and as he did So
his companions followed suit in adjust
ing their masks and drawing their guns.
They had mistaken their man. however,
and should have been prepared IT they
expected to do "A successful job, FOR
Ralph Hid not stop to parley words, but
disregarded the command and took to
his heels. He sprinted like a deer west
en- Iron street till he reached Dakota.
and turning north into Dakota was oue
of sight of the woud-be hold-ups.
Ralph acted so quickly and made such
good time that the highwaymen had not
recovered from their surprise until It
was too late. Once out of their way,
Ralph stopped and collected his
thoughts. He decided to try and capture
the hold-ups and making detour start
rd hack the nlacp he had Scpd the
policemen. but remembering that Officer
James Leyden lived close by, in Main
street, went over and woke him up. Off
Ger Leyden got out of bed and dressed
and went out with Ralph to try and APP
prehend the men who held him up. They
searched the whole lower part of town
for more than an hour, but failed to find
any trace of the hold ups.
Ralph could give only A meagcr de-
scrption of the men, as he had not
waited long enough to size them up very
carefully. All he could remember was
that all We're about the same height,
which he described as medium, of me-
dunn build and all wore dark clothes
and caps. He saw their features, bul
made his departure too hurredly to take
mental note of them and would not,
therefore. be able to identify them if he
should see them again. Ralph had but
little money on him, but nevertheless
counts himself very lucky in view Of
the consequences that have attended
numerous hold-ups of a similar nature
in the past. The matter was yesterday
reported- to the head of the police de-
partment and careful watch will be kept
to prevent further operations of the
gang. The officers are of the opinion
that the hold-ups had not been in town
long and We're not laying for Ralph in
particular, but had just came in on a
train and stopped the first man they
met, being in need of funds.