Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-02-24
ALIbI BURGLAR
FOUND IN HOME
OF DR.. SMITH
Alleged Ex-COnvict Seeks Liq-
uor, He Declares; Has Kit .
~
of Tools.

Robert IalntOr, an ex-conV1cI, VINO
by furnishing an abb several months
ago, escaped prosecution in Great
Falls for robbing the Adams residence.
JOB Third avenue north, was caught n
the basement of the DR.. Clark s. Smith
residence, 14O1 Fourth avenue north.
Wednesday morning at 2 o'clock and
placed under arrest on the charge OF
burglary Several burglars tools were
taken from his pockets and outside the
residence were found number of 9TH
er tools believed to have been left
there when he entered the place.
The Smith family is out of the city
and neighbors observed that the sup .
posedly vacant house had an occupant
The police were notified, and Sergeants
D. T. McElliott and Officers Jack
Egan and Ernest Goings reached the
house while the intruder was still in
the basement. Goings remained out
side to watch the exits and the Ser
geant and Egan started to explore the
interior. Egan met Taintor at the
foot of the basement stairs.
Don't shootv' he shouted to the
officer
Says He Sought Liquor.
With hands raised Taintor came out
of the basement and submitted to ar
rest Until the Smiths return it will
be impossible to know whether any
thing was disturbed, but SO far as the
officers could learn their prisoner had
appropriated nothing. At the city Jail
Taintor admitted his identity, acknOwl-
edged that he is under parole from the
state penitentiary and stated. the Of
ficers say, that he entered the Smith
home to steal liquor. He at first gave
the name of John Casson and declared
he was a bridge carpenter, but he
abandoned this story after he had been
recognized by Chief Marcus Anderson.
Outside the Smith residence the po-
lice found a bolt cutter, brace and
two bits, and from Taintor's clothing
lock knife and flashlight. He was
unarmed. Taintor said he came to
Great Falls last Saturday, and rented
shack, where the police found
trunk and gripsack. The shack is
a short distance from the Smith home.
Paroled From Deer Lodge.
Taintor was convicted of burglary In
Butte in 1920 following his arrest jan
uary q of that year, and was sentenced
to serve from one to two years in the
state penitentiary according to inspect
or r. s. Gaunt. A kit of tools sim
liar to those found by the Great Falls
police was in his possession at the time
of his arrest, the records show. He
confessed to eight robberies after his
arrest at Butte, the inspector is in
formed. His parole expires April 25,
1921. and Warden Frank Conley tel
ephoned to Inspector Gaunt Wednes-
day that the man should be tried for
ing returned to complete his former
term.
Taintor was suspected of the Adams
robbery through the Identification of an
overcoat thrown away on the premises
by the burglar. The thief's entrance
into the Adams basement had been de-
tected and he emerged through an out
side window just as Policeman Herman
Rydell was approaching. The thief re-
fused to stop at the policeman's COM
mand and when the officer shot at him
he discarded his coat. which was later
found to have been Taintor's property.
Established an Alibi.
After his arrest for the Adams rob-
berry. Taintor secured a number of af-
fidavits in Butte which tended to estab-
Esh a perfect alibi One of the aft
davits was executed by Chief of Police
J. J. Murphy of Butte, and with 9TH
er similar documents indicated. that
diAtoI Auu fepoEIeu the coaI as Stol-
en- several days before the Adams
home was entered On the night of
the Adams robbery two men leased a
private garage for month and were
seen there with new Essex car that
night. but had disappeared the next
1t was established that Tain
tor had machine of this make. but the
car seen in Great Falls was not iden-
titled as his. Taintor stated at the
police station Wednesday that he had (
lost the machine because of his inabii-
ity to make the payments.
Taintor is 80 years old and has q
yrifo an1 fr-n ahi1Jrav IN,