Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-01-04
SENSATIONAL
CASE OF RAPE
Two Young Men and Twu Young Girls
Involved in Dis0raceful Affair
at Gilt Edge.
ONE MAN MADE A GET AWAY
In Fathers Effort to Wreak Vengeance
Upon One Of the Men His Own
Daughter Is Injured.
(By our Gilt Edge correspondent

ing condition of affairs was revealed
to the people of Gilt Edge when they
awoke this morning and today the
devlish brutality of two miners of the
Whiskey Gulch crew is the sole topic
of conversation.
Those involved in this terrible al
fair are Mary Flanagan, eldest daugh-
ter of Frank Flanagan, not yet fifteen
years of age, May Sherman, sixteen
year old daughter of F. w. Sherman,
A. Langreen and Chef. Smith. The
two men have for some time occupied
a cabin near the Whiskey Gulch pump
ing station on the tewistOwn road,
but tonight Chef Smith is hunted
fugitive and Langreen is in Jail here
with the Sherman girl. extra guards
being placed around the jail to avoid
any possible attempt of enraged citi-
zens to deal summary justice.
AS near as your correspondent can
gather the facts. they are as follows:
Mrs. Flanagan, wife of Frank Elan,
aSan, ulcu last ldll ltd'iio CiSh' NhAA
dren, the eldest of whom is Mary. 1t
has been Mr.. Flanagan's custom, each
night before retiring to go into the
chidren's rooms and see that they
were all safely and warmly covered
for the night. Last evening he found
all at home and in bed save Mary.
Not having been told that she was 60
ine out that evening, but knowing
there was dance in town Mr.. Flana-
gan returned to town and went to the
hall, where he presumed his daughter
to be, but failed to find her. Inquiry
regarding her followed and meeting
Mr.. Sherman. Mr.. Flanagan inquired
if his daughter was not al the Sher-
man house, about mile from town,
the Sherman and Flanagan girls being
good friends. Mr.. Sherman replied
that he had but recently come down
town and that Mary Flanagan was not
at his house when he left, nor had he
met her on the road. Further search
for his daughter being unavailinS, Mir.
Flanagan decided that probably Mary
had gone to Sherman by different
route than that taken by Sherman
in coming to town, and Mr.. Sherman
Joining him, the two wcnt out TO the
Sherman homestead.
When they found that the Sherman
girl was also missing, suspicious were
at once aroused, and a member of the
Sherman household stated that Ian
green and Smith had been hanging
about the premises tina, evening.
Deputy Sheriff Whitcomb was sum
moned and shortly after midnight, tho
of 10 CHI arj n
Frank Flanagan and his brother, ant
Sherman, approached the cabin whclt
langreen and Smith resided.
In response to summons from the
officer one of the men responded, de
handing to know why they were be
ing disturbed in the middle of The
night and advising their visitors t
proceed The deputy was persisten
in demanding admission and FINAL.
langreen came out. He was advised
of the purpose of the visit. but siren
uOusly denied that the girls were il
the house But the SOUNDS from with
in proved his lie and IN mOmen
Frank Flanagan was upon him, fight
ing like a tiger The efforts of the OF
ficer were necessary to save LanSreel
from being killed right there and il
the melee Chef Smith took his depal
ture-Only partially attired. it is sal
and has not been seen since.
Langreen and the party entered tn
house, where the two girls We're fount
fully dressed, but this Is not consider
ed strange considering that fully hal
hour had elapsed since the officer an
posse approached.
When in the house Flanagan mad
another vicious attack upon Langree
and in this fight accidentally struC
his own daughter blow upon tn
head. which may prove fatal, as he
condition is still very grave, conscious
ness not having been restored unit
this afternoon.
The Flanagan girl was taken to tn
hospital the Sherman girl and LaI
green to the Jail and all day toda
special officers have been securing tn
surrounding country for Smith.
Deputy Whitcomb is being generous
ly praised for his part in the affair
he responded promptly, acted with di
erection and but for his interference
Langreen would certainly have bee
killed by the enraged father OF tn
girl whom he had ruined.
Further developments may arise t
night or tomorrow.
Later-Chet Smith gave himself u