The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-07-08
Last Of Sergeant Hannah's Murderers
Taken into Custody,
IS BETRAYED BY A WoMAN
Mrs Melissa Merrill Yields to Temptation Of Large Reward
and Leads Posse to Hiding Place-Both
Men Make Confessions

/ to induce him to return to the bridge,
but he refused. She left bottle OF
whisky with him and made another
appointment with him for Wednesday
night, when she agreed to bring a
| gun and horse to enable him to leave
the country. Leaving the man where
| he was, she returned to the road and
met the posse, to whom she told of the
new arrangement. AS it was intensely
dark it was concluded that to make
search for the man, who was lying
somewhere in the alfalfa field into
which he ran when Heffner appeared,
would be useless and the officers re-
turned to town.
Second Attempt Is Successful.
At the sheriff's office consultation
was held and it was decided not to
wait until the following night to make
the capture, as it was feared Grady
might hear OF or suspect the woman's 5
treachery and make his escape. An
other posse of a dozen or so men was
made up and shortly before daylight
it left and surrounded the field where
Grady was known to be. By the time
the members had taken up the sta
tions agreed upon day had broken
Grady suddenly appeared, having
just awakened, and he saw the posse
and realized that further escape was
impossible. Instead, however, OF
quietly submitting to arrest, he at
tempted to deceive the officers by pre-
tending to be working on the ditch.
to which he walked and followed it
as far as the road, making close
inspection OF the canal at every step.
When he arrived at the fence he cross
ed it and then went under the bridge.
Before he had reached the fence he
had been recognized by Charles Smith,
a member OF the posse. When he
was under the bridge, Sheriff Potter,
who did not know him, ordered Grady
to come out. AS soon as he reappear-
ed Mr.. Smith covered him with his
rifle and gave the command to hold
up his hands. This Grady did and in
doing so showed a razor he had in his
left hand. An order to drop the weapon
was promptly obeyed.
Was Afraid of Torture.
Grady made no resistance to his
captors, but was afraid he would be
tortured and asked them not to burn
him. AS the result of too free i'm
bibing of the whiskey given him by
Mrs. Merrill he was quite drunk and
when assured that he would not be
burned or otherwise tortured seemed
suddenly to regain his spirits and
was quite lively at times. He said
that although they had known that
Fred Morris, the bartender, recogniz-
ed them they had spared his life and
-U
now he should be given SHOW"
Grady's appearance was greatly
changed. He was dirty and unkempt
and looked as though he had been
lying out for weeks, instead of only
a few days. He had cut off his nous
tache SO as to make Identification
harder for those who might be look
ing for him.
Leaving the man in charge of the
others, Mr.. Webb came to town and
informed the sheriff of the capture.
A team was secured and Mr.. Webb
drove back and guarded by Sheriff
Potter, R. L. Nix and Under Sheriff
Sayles, Grady was driven to Laurel,
where he was held until the arrival OF
the Red Lodge train, aboard of which
he was put and taken to Red Lodge.
Makes Confession.
Grady made full confession and
related all the details of the robbery
and murder. His version corresponds
with that of Moser, except that he
shielded his brother, "Jim," whom he
declared to be innocent of any COM
plicity in the affair and to be in total
ignorance of any of the events lead