New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-05
MEN FROM MONTANA
FOOL WALDO'S SLEUTHS
Lead Headquarters Detectives
Straight to Prisoner and Let
Them Take Credit for Arrest.
RANCHMAN C0NFESSES ALL
Admits He Burned His Home,
with Corpse of Friend, IN
Plan to Defraud Life
Insurance Company.

The confession which Arthur dueHeS'
the ranchman from Montana VINO Is
now in the Tombs, is alleged TO nave
made to an acquaintance in this city IS
more like a wild yarn pictured In the
movies" than n story from real me- Dut
the complete account of how sherHt'
lawyer and Pinkerton detective from
a state out I'm the Rocky Mountains hau
the laugh on Commissioner Waldo's de-
tective force is more interesting.
For weeks Robert Lynn Cox, of this
city, attorney for the Association OF Lie
Insurance Presidents, has been in pos
session of facts indicating that Hughes
was in this city and was being haroored
by friends. About ten days ago he told
Odel w. Mcconnell. attorney for the
Montana Life Insurance Company AT
Helena, Mont. that Hughes could De
produced. Mr.. Mcconnell, who is now at
the Waldorf-Astoria, came on at once
Sheriff William Moses Of Rosebud Gun
ty came on also, as did Pinkerton de-
tective. Within q few days negotiations
had been entered into with the friends OF
Hughes and his whereabouts determined
Meanwhile the Police Department had
been notified, and several plainclothes men
assigned to the case. They worked for
week on the tips given by the Montana
authorities. Mcconnell. the attorney;
Sheriff Moses and the Pinkerton detective
had cleared the decks for action. They
knew Just where they could put their
hands on their man. And then they
called in tho three detectives, who mad
been reporting day after day that theV
were close TO their quarry.
Now we're ready" said one CT the
Montanians. The three detectives looked
wise and mysterious. Just wait" they
said. I'VE got him snadowed.'
well, how about yesterday" one or
the Montanians chuckled. you had him
Swallowed yesterday, and he was right on
the ground Why didn't you get him
then?"
Mr. Waldos sleuths still looked wise.
"See here" said a big Montanian, edo
you fellows want to gee Hughes-really
want to see him."
Silence on the part OF the painclothes
men.
We'll, follow u.s." said one Of the Mon
tana men. A few minutes later Hughes
and stool pigeon appeared in front OF
the old Criminal Courts Building in City
Hall Park. Then the three detectives
from Mulberry Street grabbed the ranch
man, which resulted later in the story
given out at Headquarters to the effect
that effective sleuth work on the part OF
the force had resulted in Hughes's capt
ure
THE police did not do thing" said
representative of the Montana authorities
last night. "They tried very hard he
said, land they ought to be given credit
for that, but the work was done entirely
by the representatives of the State OF
Montana and the Montana Insurance
Company"
d. the credit chiefly lay OH Robert Lynn
Cox and Attorney Mcconnell. it was said
yesterday.
The testimony taken In this city by
Arthur d. Strahl, as commissioner for
Montana, in the murder" case, on be-
half OF Hughes's wife, showed 1t TO be in
some respects remarkable.
One of the witnesses testified that
Hughes had confessed to her all the facts
charged by the Montana authorities
against Hughes, namely, that he set his
house afire, containing the corpse OF
friend, who had been killed few weeks
previously. Hughes, according to the
testimony, left at once for New York
and went to South America on cattle
ship. He returned TO New York in June,
and, seeking an old acquaintance of his
wife in Brooklyn. told the whole story,
and then for the first time learned that
his wife was in jail, accused of his muir
der.
"Well might as well confess to you,
runs the testimony. 81 done IL all, and
when l looked back from the hill ] could
see the fire burn for ten miles. and then
I nearly went crazy thinking of what
had done, and / never dreamed that my
poor Sarah (his wife) would suffer for
what had done"
Hughes admitted his fear that he might
be Iynched If he returned to Rosebud
County, as he had heard OF the resent
ment Of the townspeople. According TO
his confession, he said he would wait to
see If his wife was convicted, and If she
was, then he would return and face the
music.
Sheriff Moses went to Albany yesterday
to have Acting Governor Glynn order
Hughess extradiuon. He will probably
start back to Rosebud County with his
prisoner tomorrow.
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