Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-01-11
GANG OF THIEVES.
Canadian Police Believe They Can
Send Thirteen Over the Road.
ICroot Lo1lc vTribnpoN

(Great Falls Tribune).
After over two years of work, hav-
ing covered the territory from Mac
leOd, in the Canadian northwest, to
the city of Salt Lake, Utah, the mount
ed police of the Canadian territories
are confident they at last have in their
possession evidence that will send to
prison for long terms the members of
gang of horse thieves who have long
been operating along the international
boundary and who are known to have
stolen many valuable animals from
farmers on either side of the line.
The last link in the long chain was
completed in Great Falls last night,
it is believed, when John Payne, now
a prisoner in the county Jail, consent
ed to return to Canada without the
formality OF extradition.
For the past two years settlers
along the line have complained to
the mounted police and to Montana
officers of thefts of horses, at times
single animals being taken and at 9th
er times whole bands of horses being
run off. Early in November Stock
Inspector Lea, of Shelby and Sheriff
Taylor of Teton county, who had long
been endeayOring to ascertain who
mad stolen certain horses from the VI
entity of Shelby that were run across
the line and sold, were given a tip by
the mounted police that it would be
advisable for them to arrest Payne,
and after some investigation a COM
plant was filed, accusing Payne of
grand larceny. He could not be found
but finally it was learned that he was
in Utah, and securing a requisition
from Governor ToOle, Teton county
officer went to the Mormon state, 10
Gated Payne and placed him under ar
rest. Payne agreed to return to Mon
tana at once, and he was soon land
ed in jail in Choteau. having been
larceny. His bail was fixed at $1,000
and this he was unable to furnish.
After his arrest, the stealing Of
horses along the boundary continued,
and the mounted police secured au-
thority to station extra patrols along
the boundary. A few days ago, Ser
geant Piper. in charge of one of the
patrols, rounded up seven Indians and
three white men who are known to
have stolen many horses from set
tiers on either side of the line. The
ten thieves, it was learned, had been
selling the stolen horses to three
t'renchmen who arrived from WyOm-
ing few years ago and settled in
that vicinity. For each stolen horse
the thieves received IS, and the
Frenchman, after caching the horses
for a time and changing the brands,
sold the animals to farmers who had
recently arrived in southern Alberta.
The ten thieves and the three French
mn were placed in prison at Macleod
and then it was learned that the
F'renchmen had had extensive deal
ngs with an organized gang of Mon
tana thieves. When they were ar
rested so head of stolen horses were
found in thir possession and the po-
lice soon learned that the Frenchmen
had not only sold stolen horses to
their neighbors. but had run many
animals into British Columbia, sell
ing them there.
The investigation also resulted in
the discovery that Payne, in Jail at
Chouteau, could give much information
of value to the police, and a few days
ago Captain Walker. of the mounted
police, arrived from Macleod, and af-
ter brief visit in this city, where he
consulted an attorney, he went to
Choteau. Upon arriving there he had
no difficulty in persuading the Off
GERS of Teton county to turn Payne
over to him, and last night Payne was
brought to this city, in the custody
of Stock Inspector Lea and Captain
Walker. and was placed in the coun-
ty Jail, being held on charge of
horse stealing, preferred by Captain
Walker. 1t was expected that Payne
might refuse to go to Canada without
extradition papers, and he was given
an opportunity to consult his attOr-
ney, George H. Stanton, but he did
not express any unwillingness to go to
Canada and Captain Walker will leave
with him tomorrow morning.
II Is understood that Payne has
been promised immunity from prosecu-
tion. either in Canada or Teton coun-
ty. IL he will tell all he knows at the
trials of the thirteen men under ar
rest at Macleod, and he has promised
to tell everything. The Canadian q
hcers are confident that he will keep
his promise. and that when he shall
have related the full story OF horse