The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-17

When asked if this were true, Dotson
declared it was not.
When Benson. the youngest man of
the trio, was telling his story he ad-
| mitted he was a deserter from the
| United States navy. He said he en-
listed at Philadelphia in 1885 and was
placed on board the Essex, Captain
Strong. from which vessel he deserted
the service at Tampa Bay, Fla, Aug.
81 1897. From there he Travelled about,
visiting Pennsylvania, then Missouri
and then Indian Territory. He 1e-
manned in the territory about a year
and then went to Billings, where he
has since made his headquarters.
| Neither Benson or Dotson denies his
identity, but both claim to be inno-
| cent.
In all probabilit the state will not
be ready for preliminary examination
| to-day.
| Humors of a Man Hunt.
| The hunt for Dotson and Benson was
not without its humorous incidents, one
of the most laughable being the desper-
ate pursuit Of two grave and learned
professors from the state agricultural
college in the belief that they were the
| murderers
These erudite gentlemen do not know
of the chase in which they figured, for
it was abandoned before they came in
| sight. Deputy SneflH RODlnSOn tells
| the story as follows:
After spending Sunday night at Lo-
| gan | took the advice of Sheriff Con-
| ley, given to me Sunday evening, and
| went to Townsend Monday morning.
| There / learned that two men driving
in wagon had gone up the White Sui
phur Springs road not long before. The
| description of the men was that one
| was old, with a beard. and the other
was younger. I thought it worth while
| following so got team and with two
| sheriff'S officers from that county
| struck out in pursuit.
| AS we journeyed along up the trail
we would get wind of the two men ev-
cry now and then. 1t was long and
! tiresome journey. Finally, at dis
lance of about is miles from Townsend,
we came to a house in the canyon,
| around which no one could pass without
| being seen. Three young boys We're in
the yard. We accosted them and asked
| if our men had passed. They had.
| Then we asked if they knew who the
men were:
"'Oh, yes they replied They are
professors from the agricultural college
at Bozeman. One is an agricultural eN-
pert and the other an irrigation expert.
| They are out getting specimens and
things
That finished US.
Before going back We instructed the
| boys to look out for our men and prom
| Used them suit of clothes each if they
gave us any information that would
| lead to the arrest of the men. The boys
were to watch the road by day and |
| showed them how to tell if vehicle
passed in the night and if it's wheels
wobbled like the ones of the outfit we
were looking for. They were to pour
water across the road the last thing at
| ioht rio
were asleep the traces would be there
in the morning. l guess those boys are
still pouring water on the road
County Clerk Martin and Clerk of
| the Court Corcoran figure among those
who have been suspected Of being the
fugitives. They are travelling toward
| Yellowstone park. their wagon being
drawn by a small bay team answering
the description of that Dotson and Ben
son drove. A rumor has reached the
sheriff's office that they were held up
by posse near Chestnut and had diff
Guilty in convincing the people of theii
identity.
How Capture Was Made.
The story of the capture of Benson
Dotson and Persinger is an interesting
one. Deputy Robinson tells it as fol-
| lows:
ION returning to Townsend from my
chase after the professors. ! went tc
Logan at II o'clock Monday night. ]
had great faith in Logan, as so many
roads lead through 1t. Early Tues
day morning | got a rig and a livery
man to drive me and started out tC
prospect a road. We had gone but d
mile or so out of town when we came
upon the Dotson- Benson outfit. travel
ing along the road. They had given VI
night travelling and We're going by day
We subsequently learned they campeo
Monday night al Three Forks.
We'll. when we saw them there was
nothing to do. 1t would accomplish
nothing to start a fight there, so We
passed by as carelessly as we could
saying Howdy' to the men.
Don't turn around said | to the
liveryman. Just drive right ahead We
went on for a mile or so to make sure
we had not aroused their suspicious
We arranged that the liveryman would
drive in past them and represent thai
| had been left at a farm.
When we were approaching Logar
with the outfit out of sight ahead of us
| jumped out made detour and go1
into Logan some time after the livery
man. He was just putting up his rig
when the DOtson Benson outfit passed
What did you do with your man?
some one in the stable asked Left him
at ThOmpson's ranch said the livery
Then | began to telegraph. | got in
communication with the Office in Ana
cOnda and with Joe DAILY at Livingston
but finally | got nervous waiting, and
with my liveryman and rig l struck out
again, following the outfit which had
gone toward BoZeman.
On the way there We're several tele-
| phone stations and through them
! learned that Sheriff Fransham and
| Deputy Chapman of Bozeman were
coming from there.
We learned of the men at Central
| Park and felt sure they had gone on
some distance. We didn't wan. to come
| on them. and had planned to make a
detCur somehow, but just beyond Cen
! trail Park we came suddenly upon them
camped at the forks of the road We
passed them and fortunately they did
| not recognize us.
As quick as We were out of sight we
pounded the backs of the horses and
made for Belgrade. There | rushed into
| the telephone station 10 learn the where
abouts of Sheriff F'ransham. While
! was in there he came in.