The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-12-30
MONTANA BRIEFLETS.
SHORT ITEMS OF NEWS FROM
ALL OVER THE STATE.
What Has Happened in Montana Dur
ing the Past Few Days.

What Has Happened in Montana Dur
ing the Past Few Days.
BUTTE, Dec. q. - Following his
annual custom of giving turkeys to
all married men in his employ, former
United States Senator w. A. Clark
today distributed between 10000 and
12,000 turkeys In Montana, New Jer-
sey, Arizona, Nevada and California.
Single men. not the heads Of families,
were also remembered.
BILLINGS, Dec. 23.--The Society OF
Pioneers of eastern Montana gave its
fifth annual banquet in Odd Fellows
hall in this city last night, and tales
of early days were related by old
timers who secuted over the prairies
of this section long before Billings
was thought of, or the railroads had
entered the state.
GREAT FALLS, Dec. 23.-Despond-
ent over his troubles which had been
augmented by his discharge from the
Boston and Montana smelter a few
hours before, II. II. Warner, p years
of age committed suicide last night
just outside the door Of his lodgings,
in a private house on Fourth avenue
south.
BUTTE, Dec. ga terrible explo.
sion of gasoline in the house OF Mrs.
Henry B. Murray this morning
wrecked the kitchen, set fire to the
cottage, and badly burned Mrs. MUIR
ray and her little baby. Mrs. Murray
placed a kettle of boiling water in a
sink, and then poured gasoline on q
skirt which she wished to clean. I'm
mediately the fumes Of the gasoline
reached the steam from the boiling
water and there was terrific explO.
sion.
HELENA, Dec. 23.-The bOldest rob.
berry which has ever taken place in
Helena happe;ited ut 6:3O O'Clock to-
night when a robber who had been
inspecting diamond rings in the
Jacquemin jewslry store, calmly
walked out at tht front door with a
tray Of them, jnmped into buggy at
the corner of Edwards and Main, and
with his confeder ate, Who was In the
vehicle, dashed uOrthward. Officers
are now securing the country and 1t
is asserted there Is no clew to the men.
The loss is estimated at $1,000.
HELENA, Dec. PAT. D. Tuttle,
secretary of the state board of health,
submitted his annual report to Gov.
erhor Norris today. 1t shows that the
births in Montana exceeded the deaths
by 5ll. Silver Bow had the largest
number of births, l,OS5, and Cascade
is second with 6l3. No other county
reached the 400 mark.
BILLINGS, Dec. 25.-The boarding
cars of Guthrie & Co., railway con
tractors, were burned on the tracks a,
Laurel yesterday, aud an,sunknowr
man was burned to death in one O
them. The origin of the fire was un
known, but presumably started from
the pipe of the man who failed TO make
his escape from the burning cars.
ANACONDA, Dec. PA little blacl
cocker spaniel saved the life of hi
master, Alex Glover, the Oldest resi-
dent of the city of Anaconda. Had i
not been for the call for assistance
given by the dog his master woult
have been frozen to death near tn
, cabin in which he makes his hom
while prospecting % miles west of tn
, city, at the head of Warm Spring
creek.
BUTTE, Dec. 25.-John Christensen
farm hand employed on the Ehrl
Meyers ranch, near Joliet, in tn
southern part of the state, was kille'
Wednesday night, being shot from
behind. A charge from shotgun en-
tered Christensen's head just over tn
right ear. Carl Kline, aged 80, Ger
man aud father.in-law of the owner o
the Meyers ranch, is held in connec
tion with the crime as the result of til
investig alton of the coroner's jury.
BUTTE, Dec. PA complain
charging felonious extortion has bee
filed in Judge Doran's court by tn
county attorney against A. II. Gillett
justice of the peace, Burt Marsh, a
alleged attorney, and William Coulte
constable of Justice Gillette's cour,
> The complaint states that the
fraudulently and collusively conspre
to injure the business and extor
money from VIM. a. Hatchett, bette
known as "Woodya ard Bill,' throug
! the use of their official positions.
LEWIsToWN, Dec. 24.-The wool
=. growers of the Grass Range sectio
e have given their unanimous supper