The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-15
C. N. HOLD-UP
OF LAST YEAR
Express Messenger Smith Has Been
Identifying Participants
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE
Was Recently Acquitted at Nashville,
Although the Evidence of Posses
sion and Passing the Stolen Bills
Was CompIete-Curry and Hanks.

Express Messenger c. H. Smith re-
turned last week from a trip to Knox
vile and Nashville, Tenn, and San
Antonio, Texas. He was accompanied
on his return by Mrs. Smith, who
had been visiting with relatives at
different Wisconsin points. The OBJ
ject of Mr., Smith "trip to Nashville
was to testify as a witness against
the woman under arrest there on a
charge of completely in the holdup of
No. at Malta, Mont. July 3, 1901.
Mr.. Smith was the messenger in
charge of the stolen $4,000 and was
called to testify in regard to that
money. The woman was acquitted
but in Mr.. Smiths opinion it was a
mistake, as the evidence was strongly
against her, there being several wit
nesses who saw her with the money
in her possession, which was proven
10 be booty taken from the train. She
was member of the demi-monde,
and with several other girls of the
same class, she visited a number of
houses of i'll fame and spent money
freely, paying for all her purchases
in 500 bills. In some instances she
cleaned up all the change, and when
asked to spend some of the money
given her she said she wanted to get
rid of the bills. That she was ac-
quilted is due to the reluctance of the
southern juries to convict a woman
When kid" Curry was arrested
at Nashville, some time ago, Mr..
Smith was called to that city to iden-
tify him, and did so beyond shadow
of doubt. Before he saw the pris-
oner he described Curr so accurately
to the chief of ponce that the latter
said there was no use in looking at
the man, as his description tailed
in all respects. Curry is white ele-
phant on the hands of the officers of
that city, and they are in constant
dread of his attempting to escape.
He is closely watched night and day
and every precaution is taken to Keep
his friends from aiding him. Not
only are the city officials watching
him, but it is said that the railroad
company have hired men to be on
guard at all times. One of the Pink
ertOn detectives expressed it as his
opinion that the famous Montana out
law would never be brought TO trial,
as he would escape before that time.
While on his travels Mr. Smith
made trip to San Antonio, Texas,
to try and identify the man who was
shot and killed there some time ago
and who is thought to be Charles
Hanks, one of the men who held up
the train. Owing to the fact that de-
composition had set IN before his ar
rival, it was difficult to make an ac-
curate identification, and Mr. Smith
would not swear positively that it
is the body of Hanks, but is almost
sure in his own mind that it is. The
/ circumstances surrounding the death
of the man give color to this opin-
ion, and it is almost certain that one
man of the famous bandit band has
paid the penalty Of crime Hanks
! brother lives in San Antonio, and he
and several of his friends were
| caught in the act OF passing the
stolen $40 bills. one of the latter
was arrested and confessed, stating
that Charley Hanks had given him
the money and told him if he would
dispose of it he would give him half.
In attempting to do so he was arrest
ed and his story put the officers on
the bandits trail In the fight that
followed the attempt to arrest him
he was killed.
Since the time of the hold-up Mr..
Smith has travelled thousands of
miles to identify criminals suspected
of being implicated in the hold-up
and his evidence has served in more
than one instance to convict It was
his evidence that convicted Ben Kill
patrick in st. Louis, who is now serv-
ing a long sentence for his crimea