The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-25
HOLDUpS AND +.
H~ORSETH|EvES
HAVE CARNIVAL IN BILLINGS
THURSDAY NIGHT.
MAKE TWO GOOD HAuLs.
]. H. Baverly Loses 5000 and
Gilsdorf Bros. Two Riding
s..40 Horses and Saddles.

Gilsdorf Bros. Two Riding
s..4o Horses and Saddles. &
Thursday night was a bad night for
p Billings residents and for a time it
seemed as though there was a reign Of
terror abroad. 1t is nothing more
than what the police have been ex-
pecting and believe is in store for this
city this winter, owing to the ap-
p%earance here of SO many men who
apparently have no means Of liveli-
hood and do not command confidence
among their fellow beings. Never
before in the history Of Billings have
there been so many such men here.
Many of them are toughs from other
fields who have come to Billings seek
ing more c%ongenial quarters, but this
they are not likely to find, as the police
intend making the city too warm for
them to remain long. Those who are
not working and have no means Of liv-
ing will be made to leave the city at
once. M.I E
That the night was a perfect one for
holdups and all kinds of deviltry goes
without saying. It was dark and
stormy and the tough who could not
operate under those circumstances was
certainly a green n The biggest
haul of the night was the holdup of J.
H. Beverley, the contractor, who was
relieved Of about 5000. The day
previous Mr.. Beverley had sold a
house and vas around paying up some
bills until after banking hours when
it was too late to deposit the balance.
He is a man who is never on the
streets at night, but during the night
he was taken sick at his room in the
Cottage Inn. Not being able to secure
any sleep, at about 8 O'Clock he arose
and started to go to Williams &
Baxters' drug store to get some medi-
cine to relieve his pain and produce
sleep. Not being able to awaken any
one there, he went down Minnesota
avenue to the Crystal where he called
for a drink of brandy, and then
started to return to the hotel by cross
ing the railroad tracks at the depot.
Just as he started to go alongside the
brewery warehouse on Minnesota
avenue, he was confronted by a high
waymnn, who thrust a revolver in his
face and commanded him to give up
his money. Beverley complied with
the command. and was then told to go
his way as fast as he could. This he
did, going to the railroad lunch
counter and asking if they had a re-
volver there. Not having one there,
he went to the fire hall and tried to
find a policeman. Failing in this he
visited a restaurant and saloon on the
north side with the same result. Re-
turning to the fire hall he found
Policeman Salisbury and after ex
planning matters, the two started off
down the railroad track toward the
mill, searching among the box cars.
When near the mill the policeman
found the pocketbook on the track,
which Beverley had handed over to
the footpad. 1t vas empty with the
exception of a trunk key belonging to
Beverley. Inquiry at the mill of the
engineer, elected the information
that he had heard two men pass along
there about 10 minutes before, going
east. The pliceman and Beverley
then came up into town and securing
bicycles started to ride to the North
ern Pacific stock yards in the hopes of
o%vertaking them. When about half
way there the policeman struck an
obstacle, throwing him from the wheel
and injuring him so he could not con-
tinue the journey. He told Beverley
to go on and come back afoot on the
track. This Beverley did, but with
out any success. Mr.. Beverley de-
scribes the footpad as being rather
heavy set, with a full face and a
broad forehead.
During the night some person or
persons entered Gilsdorf Bros. barn on
South Twenty-ninth street and stole
two riding horses and saddles. There
are no clues to the robbers, but one of
them is supposed to be a young fellow
who has been working for Gilsdorf
Bros. He did not occupy his room
that night mol has he shown up since.
During his stay here he has had a
partner, who answers very closely the
description Of the man who held up
Mr.. Beverley, and it is presumed that
they either had the horses IN waiting
to escape, or else stole them after the
holdup. The horses and saddles were
valued at about $175 or 5000. A
warrant was issued yesterday for the
arrest of the men and Sheriff Hubbard
sent out three posses after them, one
going south, another west and north
west and the other northeast. At 5
o'clock last evening the report reach
ed Billings that the robbers had been
seen south of the city and it is
thoupht the nosse will he ah1e IN nvar.