The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-14
IN The CROOK ROCK
"BOSTON CHARLEY" BECOMES
FAMOUS AS A BUNC0 MAN.
INSPECTOR HAS HIM DOWN PAT
Byrnes' Little Scrap Book Chronicles
the Deeds Of Well Known Butte
Man-Charlie Was. the
Worst Ever.

Some of NIontana's whilom citizens
have obtained distinction through PEI
cultarly unfiattering means. Among
these is Boston Charley" who has
carved for himself a place among th0
professional criminals of America"
fraternity Of persons who have been
pilloried in a book by the great New
York thieftaker Inspector Byrnes.
The class Of individuals in which "Bos-
ton Charley" is catalogued is not large
In Montana, however. so the notoriety
which he has gained casts little retlec-
ton upon this commonwealth.
Many people who knew Charley" in
the days when he was saloon keeper
on the corner Of Galena and Main
streets in Butte VIII be amused when
they learn that he has been placed on
record in Inspector Byrnes' book en-.
titled professional Criminals of Amer
ica," but they may not be surprised.
The book contains the biographies and
pictures of many Of the noted crooks of
the country, and a description of them
and a record Of their crimes. Boston
Charley" whose name is Charles Mason,
is catalogued on page IS, under the
number 80. There is no picture of him.
but there Is a graphic outline of hia
IVOC LOO attractive peISOu nuu SOAlo GIL
rails of his criminal operations.
When Charley" was in business here
as a saloon keeper on Galena and Main
streets he had for a partner another
and better man, who Is well known in
his locality. However, the ,alOon he
ran is not credited in the memories of
old timers as being garden of roses or
a place for the propagation of all the
virtues.
1t is said to have been frequented by
| negroes and Cinnamon principally, Of
| the lowest class. One day, SO the tale
| runs, Chinaman called cOlored
| habitue condemned black person of
| unspeakable antecedents. and an At
| co-Asiatic riot set in that rivalled
geologic upheavei and is still talked
| about. Games were conducted at the
place and the Chinese and the colored
persons often made them hum with
high play and spectacular accessories.
| 1t is some time since Boston
| Charley ran his saloon here and he 10
| now old The record of him printed in
the book of Chief of Police Byrnes says
| that he was As in 1886. That is Is years
ago, and Charley" is now 60. The
| book gives the following description Of
him:
Forty five years old in 1886. Heavy
build. Height. feet II inches. Weight,
200 pounds. Dark brown hair. turning
| gray. Brown eyes, fair complexion.
| Generally wears heavy, reddish
blown mustache; rather fine features.
| A very active man for his size" The
| book says that Charley is a pick
pocket bance and stall, and gives the
| following record of him:
| Record: Boston Charley's principal
occupation is bunco. He has been in
several jais in the East and West, and
has travelled from Maine to California
working various scheme. In New York
| he worked with Jimmie Wilson 143)
and Shang Campbell, picking pockets;
also with Jack Strauss, on the sneak.
He worked in the winter Of 1876 in Bos-
| ton. Mass, with Charlie Love, alias
| Graves, alias Scanlon, and was in the
| scheme to rob man named Miller out
| of $1,000 by the banco game. Charley
fell into the hands of the police, and
| Love escaped. He was afterwards i'm
plicated in a robbery in the Adams
House, where Mrs. Warner Of St. Paul,
Mimi. lost considerable property. He
then left Boston and remained away till
1881 During the interval he is credited
with having served five years in Joliet
prison. Mason's right name is Martis."