The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-10-20
HAVE PLENTY
OF DYNAMITE
BLAckMAiLERs WELL SUPPLIED
WITH EXPLOSIVES.
MoRE FOUND NEAR HELENA
Northern Pacific Detectives and Blood
Hounds Are Given Another
Fruitless Chase. u

ItSseems to be little trouble for the
seottrn men and others going on foot
along the Northern Pacific tracks
west Of here to find dynamite, either
in small or large quantities, but it
does seem to be an exceedingly diff
cult matter to find the men RESPONSE
BILE for the existence OF the explosive
in the places where it is found. In
fact, 1T seems to be an impossibility,
Notwithstanding patrols, detectives,
deputy sheriffs and blood hounds are
employed without stint by the railroad
company and are continually chasing
about looking for "clues."
Last Saturday eight sticks of the
frisky and treacherous giant powder
were picked up short distance be-
yond Helena. Section men made the
discovery and took the powder back
to town, where the boss of the crew
made report of the find Superinten-
dent Boyle and the company's chief
detective, together with a number of
other. sleutns and trail hunters at
once left for the spot where the find
was made. The exact place was
pointed out to them and they made
a careful observation of it. Then
the blood hounds were permitted to
sniff around, but they could mot strike
the trail; neither could any of the
men sthe party returned Ito Hell.
ena. 1t was learned, however, that
man on horseback and leading a
pack horse had been seen in that
neighborhood Friday might. He ap-
peared to be a prospector, but be-
yond this nothing concerning him
could be learned.
Suspects Are Released.
George Hammond, Ernest Saufty
and James Lake, the trio arrested
near Birdseye last week and taken
to Helena, where they were placed
In Jail on suspicion Of having had
something to do with the placing OF
dynamite on the tracks near there,
have been released. The reason why
Shaufty and Lake We're arrested was
that few days before they had been
put off freight train on which they
had concealed themselves They re-
sented this treatment to the extent of
talking back to the trainmen and
when the dynamite was found it was
concluded by the detectives that they
had placed it there for the purpose
of getting revenge. After having
been kept in CUSTODY for several days,
the men finally convinced their cap
tors that they were innocent They
were given their liberty, but not fur
nished witt transportation back to
the place to the west where they
We're arrested. They were working
men. who had been engaged in the
Gallatin valley and when apprehend-
ed were trying to get into the lumber
regions, where they expected to secure
employment
Hammond also satisfied the detec-
tives that he was not a dynamiter,
but admitted that he had broken into
cabin in Powell county and helped
himself to some food. 1t will be re-
membered that the hounds trailed him
from the track to the cabin and thence
to an old stable where he was arrest
ed. HE had a ham and some ether
things in sack He was allowed to
take the sack and it's contents with
him and when locked up the sheriff
took charge of the collection.
AS soon as he had been DISCHARGED
Hammond began to look about for en-
ployment and in few hours was at
work in a hotel in the humble ca
pacity OF dishwasher. He was per-
mitted to remain at liberty only
very short time. Almost before he
could get his hands wet the sheriff
OF Lewis and Clarke county rearrested
him, this time ON a dispatch from the
sheriff of Powell county, who said
the man would be prosecuted for
breaking into the cabin and stealing
the ham. Hammond did not seem
worried and told where he had cached
the ham, saying that as soon as he