The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-03
TRUE TALE OF A HOAX
Where the Story of q Railway
Hold-Up Was Born.
INNOCENT ACT MISREAD
In the Start OF a Deer Hunting Party.
the Midnight Romanc;sts Saw tho
Beginning OF a Chase
After Robbers.

Great Northern train held I'D be-
tween here and Butte by highway
men,"
That is the report that came tumbling
into the Standard office about 3 o'clock
yesterday morning.
Deputy Sheriff Joe Daily and a posse
nave gone in pursuit of the robbers"
was the next bulletin.
All over town these reports were
heard. Now, as a rule, Anaconda is a
good moral town and goes to bed at a
sedate and proper hour, but there are
some people who remain abroad even at
so disreputable an hour as a. NJ
more of them than most people think.
Among these night owls and FOUNDERS
the report of the hold-up spread rapidly.
BY o'clock details began to be re-
ceived. There had been two masked
when 1T was about mile below Greg
son Springs by putting torpedo on the
track, and in the cleanup of the pas
sengers and the express box had real
lied a sum between $4,000 and $4,000. A
posse was searching the hills for the
robbers.
All this time the sheriffs office de-
clared it had heard nothing of the hold
up. 1t had an ignorance upon it as
thick as the tongue of the Thanksgiv-
ing day celebrant. The sheriff's office
grew tired answering queries after
awhile, as did the night operator at the
telephone office, and hence the answers
from these relied upon. sources Of ac-
curate information became sleepy and a
trif1e sulky.
OF course there was no ho1d-up. The
story was a fake from the start. The
fnf nr-a csNf !,
the vicinity of Mill creek hunting, not
desperadoes, but deer This is how the
story began:
Deputy Sheriff Joe Daily has an in
ordinate appetite for venison, combined
with a passionate desire to really kill
a deer himself. Some Of his loyal sup
porters say that he has killed deer, but
there are others who laugh and tell of
bootless expeditions the brawny guard
ian of the county's peace has gone
upon. ~
Friday some one unfolded to Deputy
DAILY glowing story of deer having
been seen in the vicinity of Mill creek.
The tale was unfolded with such a COL
orful mass Of detail that it resembled
one of those upto-date visions known
as pipe-dream, yet Deputy DAILY was
unsuspicious
Hugh DAILY and Denny Roach, and in
famed their hearts with a desire for the
chase. No, time was to be lost, said
Deputy DAILY. so late Friday night the
three, armed, as the dime novelist
would put it. to the teeth, set off Cor
Mill creek. The light of determination
was in their eyes and the glory Of the
hunt was strong in their hearts.
Belated travellers on the, road saw
them strike out swiftly. There was
something business-like and eager in
their demeanor. They stopped not to
talk but ever hurried on.
Who, are those fellows who went out
with Joe Daly?" asked some one who
had seen them.
What fellows?"
Why those fellows with guns. They
looked like a posse"
Where were they going?"
Down toward Gregson."
Then, presently, the second speaker
met another man.
Whats Joe Daly going out to Greg
son with pose for Tonight" he
| asked.
Didn't know he went out. Wonder
| what he went out for?"
Don't know. He and two other fell
| lows with guns struck out that way
| awhile ago on the run"
II wonder what they went for?"
| Perhaps it might be the late train.
Is it in yet?'
No, it's late May be that's it."
Shouldn't wonder at ALL" and to the
| next man he met he confided his sus-
| picons. This man met another and
| presently the news was flying from tip
| to tip that the train had been captured
| by highwaymen.
| No word has been received from Dep
uty DAILY and his party. They doubtless
are wandering over the valley of Mill
creek looking for signs of the solid
horned ruminants Of the family cervi-
dae.