The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-08
SURE CASE AGAINST HIM
Tom Howard Will Not Be
Brought Back.
HE WILL PLEAD GUILTY
He Says That Drink and Gambling Are
Responsible for His troubles
He Is Pleasant Young
Fellow.

1t is not likely that Tom Howard, the
man under arrest at Spokane, will be
brought back to Butte to be tried for
the burglaries here, as WORD was re-
ceived yesterday that the police OF Spo-
kane had dead sure case against MIN
and that he had expressed an intent to
plead guilty there.
In an interview in Spokane Howard
told a Chronicle reporter that drink
and gambling were responsible for ms
troubles. A man named Burke, VINO
was arrested with Howard, evidently
was not with him in Butte and knew
nothing about his robberies In this
city. In telling how he became ac-
quainted with Howard, Burke said:
1.-THE first time [ ever saw Howard
was one night about two weeks ago,
when he came into the restaurant ana
asked me if Lew Ferry was WORKING
there. Lew is one of the WATERS there,
but he was not there at the time. How
ard told me he knew Ferry ana want
ed to see him. Howard said he was
broke and thought that Lew would
give him meal. Howard was well
dressed and looked all right ana
gave him his supper. While he was
eating he told me he had no room, but
expected to have some money the
L
where l and my wife roomed and stood
good for his bed The following day he
paid for his room and seemed to nave
plenty Of money.
I'm this way our acquaintance be-
gan. Howard was a very pleasant
young man and often visited my room.
After several days he again said he
was broke and asked my wife TO
pawn a watch for him. 1t was LADY
| watch and the reason that ne gave
| for asking her to pawn it for him was
| that she would be able to get more
on it than he would. She pawned the
watch and as a result Howard was
| arrested the watch proving to be
| one that had been stolen at Butte.
LAS soon as l learned that the watch
| had been stolen, I did all l could to
| assist the officers to locate Howard,
| and told them all l knew OF MN. Inc
night after his arrest ! thought of his
| having had access to my ROOM ana the
thought came to me that perhaps ne
might have hidden some of the goods
there. My wife and I made search
and hidden away in the sofa cover
we found pistol and two watches.
81 now see that the proper thing Tor
me to have done was TO take the
things to the police station ana report
but knew that I was already under
| suspicion on account of the watch my
wife pawned, and very foolshly I de-
cided to take the things out OF the
room before they could be found there
by the detectives. The next day How
| ard, without having had Wofd with
me since his arrest, told the ofilcers ne
had hidden the things in my room.
They came up to look for them, but,
of course, could not find them, ana that
| made things look more suspicious tnal
| ever against me. / told them had
taken the things away, ana 1 Went
and got them and took them to the
station and gave them to the o1flcers.
Shortly afterward they arrested me.
but / am innocent of any knowledge OF
the crimes or that Howard was cfnn-
inal until after his arrest
zone other thing which 1 want to
explain is the silver brick which the
officers say l was trying TO dispose OF
One evening when Howard was IN the
restaurant eating supper he showed
me a silver brick. copper brick anc
number of old coins which he said
he would like to sell to Doc Brown
for his collection. He suggested that
as l was working for Brown | might
make better deal than he could make
himself, and asked me 10 speak tt
Brown about it, and ] did SO. l ait
erward introduced Brown to Howard
and told him that he was the man VINO
owned the bricks and the COINS.
Il have been in the city for seVera
months and have never been in trouble
of any kind before. ] am satlshed tha1
I will get clear of this charge, anc
hope that YOU will be kind enough tt
print my story, so that my friends vii
not judge me too harshly on account
Of the stories which have already peer
published inferring that l was pal o.
Howard's."