The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-15
MADE A CLEVER CATCH
William Wallace Arrested for
Numerous Burglaries.
MADE A PLEA OF GUILTY
Several Recent Losses OF Various Kinds
Traced to Hin-He Made a Con-
fession and Wishes to Be-
Sentenced at Once.

Great Falls, Jan. lathe police of
this city made a clever catch of thief
at a late hour last night. For several
months there have been large num-
Der of thefts committed from time to
time and no publication of them made,
in order that the officers might have
an opportunity to locate the thief or
thieves before they took the alarm and
left town. On Thanksgiving night an
overcoat was stolen from the office of
the Park hotel. On Dec % some one
broke into the trunk of II. J. Phinney.
who lives next door to the Burlington
hotel, and took an astrakhan collarette,
some silver knives and forks some
dresses and other articles. On Jan. 8
thieves broke into the saloon of John
Heller through back window and took
an overcoat, suit of clothes and other
articles of clothing. On Jan. II some
one got into the store of Charles E..
French and took a buffalo overcoat
and suit of clothes which had just
come from the tailor and had not even
been examined by the would-be wearer.
The last theft was the one which led
to the arrest at a late hour last night
of one William Wallace. Chief Guerin
found that man had tried to pawn a
buffalo overcoat with Weinberger, the
paWnbroker, on Second street. MI
Welnberger gave a good description of
the man and added that the latter had
asked if the Hunter boys had lately
tried to sell a pair of clippers. This gave
a clue sufficient to work upon. Follow
ing it up, Chief Guerin found that a
man answering to the description given
had been helping the engineer in the
Burlington hotel, run by Mrs. Hunter
lie also slept downstairs with the en-
gineer. A visit to their room and an
examination Of the place brought to
light whole raft of stuff concealed be-
meath the mattress. This mass included
all of the clothing stolen, and with it
Mr.. French's new suit of Clothes which
was still in the original package The
oVercoat was missing
The stuff was taken to the station
and watch was set after the thief lat
1t appears that the latter had started
to walk to Belt and did not return to the
city until last night. Then he went to
his room and asked the engineer to
nave drink. The latter refused Wal
lace looked under the mattress and,
findlng the stuff gone, took to flight
across the river, probably hoping to
catch q freight train. The engineer no.
titled the officers and Grillenberger To-
Gated him in hotel across the river
ana brought him back. He gave the
name of William Wallace and stated
that he was stonecutter by trade, So
years of age. He admits all of the bur
glaries save that al the saloon of John
Heller and said that he had sold the
buffalo overcoat to Georgia Day. who
runs the halfway house on the Belt
road, for S..
wallace was taken this morning be-
fore Justice Race and pleaded guilty to
the charge of burglary, asking that a
transcript of the case be filed in the
district court as soon as possible, that
he might receive sentence at once. This
arrest viii probably cause a temporary
lull at least in the petty burglaries.