Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-19

ter noon, his first statement on seeing
County Attorney Ayers was: Turn
Mccoy loose at once. He had nothing
to do with the case in any way. jim
my fully exonerates him."
Mr.. Sherman then related the sub
stance of mis- conversation with his
son. After laboring with him for
long time, Jimmy finally admitted to
him that Mccoy, the colored janitor,
was not implicated in the affair in
the slightest degree, although he said
he had confederates. Urged most
strongly to name them, he finally said
that one man, a "tin morn" gambler.
was in it with him, and that he would
give the name in the afternoon. Mr..
Sherman went back to the Jail later.
and Rev. Henry Quickenden accompan-
led him. To them Jimmy gave his
first confession" He said that his
confederate was the man described in
the morning, and that they had
woman associate. He had given the
man something like $3.50 to get away
upon Tuesday, and that the man and
woman had left the city. He gave
two names and just as soon as Sheriff
Slater learned them, he started out
with Under Sheriff Martin to ascertain
If these persons were real or imagin-
ary. They proved to be creations of
the fertile brain of this remarkable
young criminal. Just what his motive
was in concealing the truth, and get
ting the officers started on wild
goose chase can only be surmised. but
he furnished an explanation later on.
The matter rested there until we'll on
into the night, or perhaps the morn
ing, when he retracted his second
confession and gave out another.
Then commenced confession No. 3,
in which the prisoner said DR.. f. A.
Long was the chief actor in the mur-
der, and that the doctor went in and
robbed the safe at the postoffice while
he remained on guard outside.
Arrest Of DR.. Long.
Upon this information, Under Sher-
if Martin and other officers went to
DR.. Longs residence on Main street,
opposite the Day House, at an early
hour, and placed aim under arrest
1t proved terrible blow to the doc
tor, who was taken to Jail, the while
protesting his innocence. While COM
pletely shaken, there was nothing in
the doctors manner or talk incompat-
ible with his innocence, and he was
placed in cell to await developments.
Along in the morning, the officers
found tnat at the time of the post
office robbery, DR.. Long was not in
the city. He left here several days
before that occurrence for Chicago to
take a post graduate course, and re-
turned only recently. Having satisfied
themselvels beyond all doubt that
Sherman had not told the truth in
associating Long with the postoffice
robbery. he was confronted with the
fact. Such deliberate mis-statement,
it would seem, would be enough to dis
concert any ordinary man in the same
position, but Sherman was out Of the
hole in which he had placed himself
in a minute. He promptly admitted
that Long was not in that particular
crime, and said he had shielded the
real culprit because of his fear of the
two men whose names. together with
one more, he then proposed to give.
The Fourth "Confession.
He then proceeded with his fourth
confession, unless in the numerous
changes the Argus has lost track of
some others. He said that the man
who went inside the postoffice was
Russell Hartop. The prisoner remain
ed outside in the lobby covering the
job. which was quickly performed. The
two men whom he feared we're HartOp
and David Atchison. These men, he
said, together with Walter Couch. were
in practically all the jobs, and with
Long and himself, formed the gang.
His reason for not duplicating Hortop
and Atchison was that frequently dur
ing the past few months, they had
threatened to kill him II he ever told
word duplicating them. He believ-
ed they were quite capable Of carrying
out their threat, as they said they
would follow him to the end of the
earth in order to get him II he divulg-
ed anything. Under fear of these
threats he had left them out of it. and
put Long in Hortop's place in the post
Office affair.
Other Arrests Made.
Upon this statement, the officers
promptly arrested Atchison and Hor.
top. They took the matter quietly,
Atchison remarking that it was "a
| swell dish"
It was found that Couch was work.
ing at Alfonso Jackman's ranch near
Flatwillow, and Deputy Sheriff Tul.
lock left later in the day to arrest
him. He did not arrive with his pris.
Oner until last evening.
Throughout Sunday Sherman stead
| lily adhered to his story and 1t was
reduced to writing according to report
To all the officers as we'll as to his
father he solemnly asserted that he
had told the whole truth at last, AMI
| they were inclined to believe him, yet
far from feeling absolutely sure. The
| fact that when first arrested he had
deliberately implicated an entirely in
nocent man. Mccoy, and his innumer
able additions, amendments, etc.. had
80 beclouded the situation that 1t was
really impossible to feel absolutely
sure that he would not again shift his
position.
During the morning another search