Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-08-25
ESCAPES AND
SURRENDERS
Remarkable Exploit Of Young Jack
Conners, Who Was Wanted on the
Charge Of Horse Stealing.
STEALS slLvERTHoRNE's GUN
Then Takes Cowboys Horse and
Hits the Trail to Lewistown-
Nov in Jail.

Young Jack Corners, who says he
is 10 years old, and appears to be
about that age, is in the county jail,
and also in a most remarkable pre-
dicament. This condition is entirely
due to his own foolhardiness through
a mistaken idea that if he escaped
from the officer who had him under
arrest, and came in voluntarily, he
would receive much credit for his act.
Arrested by SiIverthorne.
.Conners is the young man who has
been wanted since last June on a
charge Of stealing horses from the
Jimmerfield ranch at Pine Grove. He
was located recently. and Deputy
Sheriff Edward SilverthQrne went out
after the man. He soon got on the
trail and followed Corners to Lodge
Pole creek, in Dawson county, about
120 miles from Lewistown. The ar
rest was made last Monday, and that
night SilverthOrne stopped with his
prisoner at cabin near the N-Bar
outfits roundup. Corners was ex.
ceedingly docile, and his conduct was
such as to disarm suspicion that he
contemplated any tricks. Mr.. Silvers
thorne having laid aside his belt and
gun, Corners waited for an oppOrtun-
ity, and when it came, grabbed the
revolver and belt and made for the
door.
Steals a Horse.
There is no doubt but that the boy
thought he was doing something that
would greatly help his case, which
was mistake number l. He at once
made a graver one, for on reaching
the open, he made for the nearest
horse, gun in hand, and took it away
from the person having it. Being thus
mounted and armed he put spurs to
the horse and took the trail to Lew
istown. Naturally this part of his
scheme was not known to the officer
or cowboys, and there was saddling
in hot haste as Corners sped away.
In few minutes crowd OF cowboys,
with Silverthorne leading them, were
dllCl anu OuI III NlC wy . Au-
tive cunning the chase would have
gained upon him, Corners made for
coulee. and when the posse was close
to him, he got on one side and wait
ed until they had passed, when he
doubled back and rode on to Lewis
town unmolested. He arrived here
last Tuesday, and created something
of sensation when he turned in Sill
verthOrne's gun, explaining how he
came by it. This explanation appear
ed so lame that it was generally dis
credited, and as time went on and no
word was received from Silverthorne,
all sorts of rumors were circulated.
Silverthorne's Friends Alarmed.
Many thought that COnners had
killed Silverthorne, and having lost
his nerve, came on to this city. Un-
dersheriff Ed. Martin at once arrang-
ed to have team sent out from the
nearest point to SilverthOrne that
could be reached by telephone and Sc
cure report. This finally came
Wednesday and relieved all fears. It
was found that Conners had actually
told the truth, and that in an effort to
he'" 'is case by coming in alone and
surrendering, he had robbed the Of.
| ficer and stolen another horse.
Hearing Next Week.
Conners will have hearing before
Justice Of the Peace w. T. McFar-
land next week. probably on Thurs
day. He does not yet fully realize
the serious position that his action has
placed him in, but there will be plen-
ty of time for that knowledge to come
to him. Conners looks like anything
but desperate. and is said to have
had good reputation prior to the
horse stealing episode.
| Deputy Sheriff Silverthorne is ex-
pected back late this afternoon or
this evening. After the escape Of his
prisoner. he naturally thought that
Corners intended to get Just as far
away from this section as possible,
and In pursuing the search for his
man. went further away from any
point where he could be reached,
which was the cause of the long de-
lay In hearing from him. He was
determined to bring back his man,
! and would doubtless have done so had
not the prisoner anticipated him all