Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-22

me if they wish to. l am prepared
and ready.
His start in Crime.
LESS than year ago had never
felt criminal impulse in my whole
life. There was never the least temp
tation for me to do wrong, and Just
one thing has placed me where am
today-gambling and the evil asso-
Citations that go with 1t. l commenced
gambling early last spring, playing
but two things, twenty-One and the
slot machines. Don't make the mis-.
take of supposing that the slot ma.
chine is an innocent little affair.
would not like to estimate the total
sum have lost that way. You would
not believe how much q man can
lose in one of them by standing be.
fore it and feeding it nickles by the
hour. Well, l had some obligations
to meet as l went along, and most of
my salary went through gambling,
although, of course, occasionally
won. l became somewhat involved.
and in order to keep up, the idea of
robbing some place finally came to
me. l cannot say just now what the
date was, but my first job was at
Joseph Bertrand's store, on Main
street. l remember the occasion we'll
enough. l got little money out of
that ,and believe the next burglary
was at Harry Browns and then came
the Golden Rule in June. BY July my
gambling losses left me in worse
shape, financially, than ever. In ad-
ditiOn to my regular expenses, had
to make payments of $25 each month
at the bank on the lot l was purchas.
ing, and often was compelled to bor-
row from the bank. ] was now so far
advanced in criminal career that
knew it was necessary to keep up
my standing and credit at the bank
by prompt payments, and continued
the rObberies. The Jobs done by me
include the two burglaries at the
Golden Rule, two at Harry Browns,
the meat market, where l got only
IS cents and two robberies at the
postoffice, the first netting me $3.50
in money and $24.5O in money, and
the second $42O in cash.
Decides on Studzinski.
'One evening in August, l was walk
passing Studzinski's, saw the old
paper. He spoke to us, and asked ii
he couldn't sell me something. We
paused a moment and went on.
had heard that Studzinski had good
deal of money in his place, and the
be a good person to rob. l had no
thought of murder at the time at all.
To look things over, l went to his
nj OH iv,r 10, yoc
still open, and commenced to negO-
by similar call few days later,
had couple of loaded guns, but that
did not strike me as at all dangerous,
as had been uniformly lucky SO far.
Well, one night, concluded to try
a ROBBERY, and went up there with
false whiskers in my pocket had
secured this disguise from a mail Or
der house. When l got to the shan.
ty, | put on the whiskers and knock
me through the window. He did not
not admit me, although l told him
come in the day. After that failure,
without any disguise, bargain for the
gun, and, if possible, induce him to
hand me one of the loaded weapons
for examination. Then l intended to
turn the pistol on him, hold him up
he knew me from seeing me before
ami talking with me, and would be
able to recognize me again, but he did
M Gv,o yIyhn I c
employed, and l believed at the time
however well he might describe me
suspicion would never attach to me
| and that he would have to see me
again before | could ever actually be
ing and good reputation to see me
| through.
Clears UP Interesting Point.
"Well, l went up On the night OF
August 22-the night before the mur
Ger, and watched. AL. Heinfcke was
sitting on the walk near his place
and Studzinski was also on the walk
They were chatting. Later on l saw
the old man go for that pail of beer
which BransOn and the rest have said
SO much about 1t was all on the
night before the murder, and shows
just how near right those men were
They were simply off one night. and
told what occurred on Tuesday even
ing instead of Wednesday. Well,
could not do anything that night, ant
let it go over until the next evening
| started from the Argus building fol
the Jews a little after o'clock, TAX
ing nothing with me except a piece
of stout cord, which put in my pock
ct. My idea at the time was to ge,
him to hand me over one of the load
ed guns have referred to. turn it or
hm. make him throw up his hands
then tie them behind him with thu
rope while | robbed him. He, o
course, admitted me at once. suppos
ing I had come to conclude the bar
gain for the purchase Of the gun
, had been figuring on. l tried in ev
ery way to get hold of loaded pistol
but he not bring either OF them out
"a, that failed Then it occurred II
,o get him in a favorable attitude