The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-20
THE MYSTERIOUS THIRD MAN IN
HOLDUP.
NOT CONFIRMED BY COLE
Man Who Made Confession Claims to
Know Nothing Of Second
Partner in Crime. -

Butte, Feb. 18.-The latest theory
is that there was a third man in the
Burlington holdup, and that two OF
the bandits agreed, in case a big hau]
was made to STAY Cole, whom they
feared might ~"squeal." Cole says he
knows of no third man, but seems
%astonished at the story of a plot to
murder him.
Was there a third man associated
with Howard and Cole in the plan to
rob the Burlington flyer?
The detectives say yes"
Cole says no"
The officers do not contend that
the third man was at the scene of the
holdup, but believe that he was in
the background holding the bag as
it were to receive the plumber. AS
there was no plumber the third man
wisely dropped out of sight.
With the uncovering of Long
Tom Williams, as the alleged thug
who beat and robbed Alexander A.
Mcdonald, Detectives McFetridge and
Goddard of the railway service, and
Detective Murphy of this city, have
been doing some theorizing, and
should their deductions prove cor
rect, the stories of how the holdup
was planned will prove in some re-
spects erroneous.
In addition to these facts in the
event of a big haul, one of the ban
dts was to be slain.
The holding. up of Mcdonald, it is
urged, was simply preliminary to the
sticking" up of the flyer, and Will
liams planned not only the robbing
of Mcdonald, but was also the general
in planning the train holdup. Instead
of being pulled off on a few days no.
tice, the detectives now believe that
the train holdup was planned several
weeks ago. The scene of the robbery
was visited and the place for tagging
picked out.
The theory is that Williams, Cole
and Howard held daily meetings and
discussed the robbery. 1t was deem
ed best that only two of the party at
tack the train, but that the third
should be near by in case of emery
ency and render aid in the event that
the bandits were getting the worst
of it.
The robbery was so timid that some
one of the men would be seen in the
city both before and Immediately af-
ter the holdup. The third man, who
was to receive the plumber, it is
agreed, was to first return to this
city, and, after caching the loot, was
to circulate among resorts where he
was we'll known.
AS to the report that one of the
robbers was to be slain by his COM
rades, credence is given it by a num-
Der of the officers. The story is that
Coles associates feared his loyalty
and suspected that if he was cornered
he might confess. In order to avoid
such a contretemps, it is reported that
the other two bandits agreed, in case
any considerable amount Of money
was secured, to knock Cole on the
head, plant a bullet in a vital part of
his body and leave it lying neal the
scene of the holdup. The idea would
then go abroad that the man was
killed by one of the trainmen. In
the meantime the other bandits would
meet in this city, divide the plumber
and separate.
Cole Is NonpIussed.
At the county Jail this morning
Cole was questioned regarding the
murderous phase of the robbery. At
first he was silent and seemed a little
nonplussed.
well that is a new one" he said.
But | don't know anything about it
and don't believe there is anything in
it"
How about the third MANI" was
asked.
you've read my confession, haven't
your replied the bandit. Il know
nothing of any third man."
William Wallace, the division coun-
sci for the Northern Pacific Railway
company, is expected to arrive from
Helena this afternoon or evening to
confer with County Attorney Breen as
to the charges to be preferred against
Cole and Howard. The nature OF the
charge has not been fully decided
upon. There is no such crime as