Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-22
THE BARTLETT
BURGLARY
Sam LipsOn Says il Was All
a Fake
HE ASSISTED In THE JOB
Says the Scheme Was Planned Be.
fore They Went to the
Opera House.
HE ASSISTED In THE JOB

'@"i'i So Il ilt III ltlt bstl ~
bankruptcy proceedings in the United
states court, sprung a sensation this
morning when he made the admission
that the recent robbery of the Bartlett
residence, in which he participated was
all a fake and that he had helped the
Bartletts accomplish the job merely
through friendship for them.
The robbery referred to was alleged to
have taken place on a Sunday night
about four weeks ago. a few days prior
thereto Fred A. Bartlett had filed a petit
ton in bankruptcy in the United States
court, stating that his assets amounted to
only S167, although he had sold out his
business for about Sc. 600 to Ras Roches-
ter a few days before. The creditors of
Bartlett maintained that Mrs. Bartlett
had been paid a large sum of money and
had been made a preferred creditor. Fol
lowing this came the alleged robbery.
One Sunday night, several shots were
fired in the neighborhood of the Bartlett
residence on West Broadway. Upon in
v~estigating the matter the police We're
Informed that burglars had entered the
Bartlett house during the absence of the
family and stolen over 81 900 in cash be-
longing to Mrs. Bartlett, which was al
legged to be a portion of the proceeds from
the sale of the store. The witness lip
som assisted in the alleged robbery.
When court convened this morning At
torneys Roote and Shelton, who repre-
scented the creditors of Bartlett, asked
tina Mrs. Bartlett be excluded from the
room while Sam Lipsom was giving his
testimony. The order was made by the
court and Lipsom was sworn. He said
he had worked for Bartlett about three
months last year. About a month ago
Mrs. Bartlett sent for him to call at
the Bartlett house. There he found
Mr.. and Mrs. Bartlett. After some pre-
liminary talk Mr.. Bartlett said the house
was going to be robbed that night; that
Lipsom could save him a whole lot OF
trouble in the courts by being present
when the robbery was committed. II ne
could prove that he had been robbed. he
would have nothing further to fear from
the court. Mr.. Bartlett, he said, spoke
about the money being tied up in the
! courts and that he anticipated troupe
because of he fact that he had turned
over to his wife a portion of the proceeds
of the sale of his store. The witness SAID
the plan outlined was to break open the
rear door which was fastened by a Doll,
then go down to the opera house ana pur-
chase tickets for the play that nlght ana
then return to the house and give the
alarm. Mr.. Bartlett was to fire a revolt
yer at an imaginary escaping ROPER. -.
eve started on the plan at once, Salu
the witness. MT. Bartlett tried to push
the door in but was obliged TO can on me
for assistance. We bOth succeeded III lHe
effort. This was about 8 O'Clock IN the
evening. Then we went down 10 t1e op,
ora house where the Bartletts purchased
tickets for the play. We all returned TO
the house, the Bartletts asking me TO
ccompan them back to the mouse. W
the way back we made up a STORY 10 tell
the police. We We're supposed 10 see q
man running down the back steps anu
bartlett was to shoot. Bartlett entered
.ha house turned on one light and got
tho Gun. but he was too nervous ana ASK
od me to fire it. l went out on the BACK
steps and sho three or four times. lhen
bartlett ran down he yard and l ran
after him.
the nieces In the paper Mrs. Bartlett ask
Cd me- 10 come again to the house. l felt
uneasy and told Bartlett so. he salo
,hat I needn't worry; that he had S!'eoI
in his brothers safe, and II ! got ihtC
trouble he would go my bail. He sale
that 81 800 was all he had left Tor hlhisel
ont Of the sale of the stock
..Wha did he say about the sale tc
Ras Rochester"
"Bartlett came to my house ana wanted
me to go tn the Cunrt and swear lhat
had received the money from MIS- baFt'
lat+ He wanted me to fix up SOM
scheme whereby it could be shown tina
she had paid the money to me. lie safc
he had told people that he had received
over Sc. 900 from Rochester, put had Only
received 81 800 for himself, but he wanted
to protect Rochester.
VIVA agreement as TO pay was Hlao'