The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-01-20
NEW ARRESTS ON ACCOUNT OF
BRIDGER BANK ROBBERY.
BOY FINDS MISSING HORSE
One Of Animals Ridden by Holdups
Found Killed Near Cabin Where
Arrest Was Made.

Red Lodge, Mont, Jan. 17.-Fur-
Their sensation has developed in the
Bridger bank robbery. The bold day
light raid will, according TO the au-
been planned by a woman and exc
cuted with the knowledge and con-
nivance Of at least eight different par
ties, all living in the western part of
Carbon county.
The following persons, Matt Wal
lace, Jeff Lindsay, Will Countryman
and Pat Murray, were arrested at
the Rainy Mcdonald cabin, Rose
bud canyon, the second night after
the robbery.
After this Sheriff Potter dispatch
ed Deputy Harry Smith to the canyon
to arrest Jack Kirly and William
Judenan, and the deputy brought
them to Red Lodge last evening.
Judenan was given his liberty and
Kirby was taken to Billings this af-
ternoon by Sheriff Potter to be placed
in the county Jail there in order to
keep him apart from other suspects.
Among the sensational develop
ments was the finding Of a dead horse.
The animal is supposed to be the one
secured from L. E. Beeman, at Gebo,
by the three robbers while they were
en- route to Gebo. This Beeman horse
was an old broken-down racing ami
NAL and had enlarged ankles.
Some ten days ago Sheriff Potter
received word to come to the west
| end of the county. In answer there
to he sent Deputy Smith to Aosarokee
and there the deputy learned that
| shortly after the bank robbery h
son of Constable Alex Mentsch, while
out hunting horses, mad come across
the carcass of the Beeman animal in
a quaking app thicket,20O yards above
the cabin into which the sheriff had
tracked the fugitives.
Deputy Sheriff Smith was conduct
ed to where the dead horse lay and
found that the head had been cut
off and carried away and that the
foreleg containing the brand had been
uniointed at the shoulder and remov-
ed. This foreleg, with the brand
cut off. was found in the Rosebud
river 500 yards below where the car
cass was found. The other foreleg
of the animal was removed by Depu-
ty Smith, and is now in possession OF
the sheriff's office of this city. 1t has
been positively identified by the en-
larged joint by Mr.. Beeman og Gebo.
The Pinkerton detective, who was
sent to Carbon county by the Amerl-
can Banking association, has amass-
ed a lot of convincing evidence
against the Rosebud gang. Detective
Aiken can tell exactly where each
member of the outfit has spent each
night for the past three months.
He and former Sheriff John Dunn
made a trip over the Musselshell n
through the Lake Basin country on
the trail of Wallace and Kirby, who.
in fu%rtherance of the plan for the
robbery of the bank, are alleged to
have started out on a horse-steallng
esoapade several weeks prior to the
holdup. The detective found where
these two men are said to have stolen
the horses that were ridden to Bridg-
er. He also found where it is said
they had stolen a buffalo robe and
o%vercoat, o%vershoes, ETC., at City
on Thanksgiving evening. The detec-
tive is also in possession of the com
plete history of all the parties impli-
Gated in the transaction. He also
alleges that Jack Kirly used to live
at Miles City, and that his father was
a soldier at Fort Keogh Is years ago.
1t is also alleged, according to Detec-
tive Aiken's story, that Kirlv served
a term in the Deer Lodge penitentlary
for horsestealing, and that he came to
Carbon county early last November.
He says the gang congregated at Mrs.
Reeves ranch on the Rosebud sever
al weeks prior to the robbery, n
there damned the holdup which they
afterwards executed.
By dint of a sweating process Sher-
if Potter has secured partla! con-
| fessions from Pat Murray and Lone
some joe Wallace. Murray's story
is to the effect that he knew
of the plans a week previous
to the time it occurred and he charges
Lonesome Joe" Wallace, Jack kir-
Nv and Judenan with the robbery. He