The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-12-05
RING LEADER OF
AUTO THIEF GANG

kOO1llIluCU lIOLu rage OiCs) /
is a Big Timber youth out of high
school but a year or two, while Eye is
a seasoned man Of the world Of about
35 years of age:
The Big Timber story follows:
"From a Salt Lake City dispatch
of November "a, it appears that
Lawrence Gugler, a youth of Fl of
Gibson is the goat in an auto theft
case in the federal court in that
city. Gugler and Ralph Eye of Liv-
ingston head of the United Motors
Corp. Of that city, also of a branch
house in this city, pleaded guilty to
auto thefts. Gugler got five years
in Leavenworth. Eye got his case
put over until the last Saturday in
February. He told the court how
he had lost $4,000 of his mothers
and aunt's money in the auto bust
ness in Montana, for which he was
reprimanded by the court. He also
had his wife. and two children in
the court room, and proved that he
is now employed as a civil engineer
and craftsman for the Bingham &
Garfield railway. He also told the
court he is trying to repay the mon
ey he lost. In consideration that he
has a family, a huge debt to pay,
and a record free from criminal pro-
ceedings, aside from his exploits
with Gugler, the court is in a guam
Diary what to do and will not act
until February. The dispatch also
says that Gugler is ~confessedly an
automobile thief"
The following story, taken from a
Butte newspaper gives an account of
the activities Of Eye and Gugler, and
the methods of operation of the band
of auto thieves during their three
or four years of stealing and dis
posing of cars in the territory from
Montana to. Utah:
What is believed by government
agents here to spell "finis" for a ma
tionally notorious gang of automo-
bile thieves operating in the west was
the plea of guilty entered Saturday
in federal court at Salt Lake City by
Ralph Eye, a Montana man, to the
charge of transporting stolen cars
from this state to Utah. Eye pre-
viously had pleaded not guilty, but
decided to change his plea. Sentence
was postponed until February.
Brought to Justice
Ralph Eye of Livingston and Law
renee Gugler of Gibson Mont. both
claimed by government officials 20 be
ta.t masters in re art o. picking up
lonesome automobiles AMI finding
them new owners, have Come to the
halls of justice through the work
ings Of the secret service of the gov
eminent, the Butte Office taking a
noticeable hand in their capture.
Gugler is now doing five years in
Utah, having been sentenced some
time ago.
Gugler was the fiscal agent Of the
firm of Gugler and Eye, dealers II
stolen cars, and Eye was the brains
behind the sale. In the course Of
their operations they were successful
in taking three ears in Butte and
one in Anaconda, all Of which have
been recovered through the depart
ment of justice. Their operations II
other cities of the state Melted them
eight in Sweet Grass county, five IT
.EGolden Valley and Saltwater coun-
ties, three in Yellowstone county
two in Park one in Gallatin, offic-
ers claim.
The last car to be recovered Dy
the local government officials be-
longed to Ben Johnson, attendant at
Warm Springs, now in Anaconda
While disposing Of the Butte cars
Gugler, as was his custom, Travelled