The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-01-18
BANK CRACKSMEN
ARE in CUSTODY
BURNS MAN SAYS THREE GANGS
WORKING MONTANA HAVE
BEEN BROKEN UP
Johnnie Reed, in Jail at Choteau,
Said to be the Brains of One Or
ganization; Arthur Davis Said to
Have Been Another Leader.

have been implicated in the more
than score OF bank robberies COM
mitted in Montana within the last
two years is nearly completed, ac-
cording to w. S. Gordon, manager
of the criminal department of the
Burns detective agency. Fifteen
men and a woman, Gordon said,
are awaiting trial in various jails
of the state, and he intimated that
confessions in the hands of autho-
rites will aid in cleaning up nu-
merous wholesale burglaries.
The officer also talked interesting.
| " upon the so-called master minds,
the safe blowers, outside men and
numerous aides in the widespread
crimes, most of whom lived in Butte
off and on and who are now believed
to be in custody as the result of the
activities of the authorities and of
Burns men in Montana, Utah, Cali
fornia and Washington.
That Johnny Reed, now in jail in
Choteau, and said to be the brains of
one organization; "One-Eye" Dyer,
veteran crook, who is held in Boze-
man, and Arthur Davis, alleged to be
the head of another gang of marau-
ders, who worked in liquor and mar
cotic traffic and burglary, hold long
criminal records in America, was the
statement of the officer about the
three who are well known to Butte
officers.
Mr.. Gordon arrived in Butte from
Bozeman, where he took Daddy"
Marshall, former Havre resort keep
er, who will be charged with com
plicity in the Salesville bank rob-
berry, one of the many perpetrated by
the gangs within short radius of
Butte. The detective was accom-
panied by Inspector E. w. Bavin of
the provincial police of Alberta.
AS the result of months of work
by Gordon and other Burns opera
tives, Chief Murphy of Butte, where
first tips leading to arrests were I'M
covered, and other authorities, ar
rests of many suspects were carried
out in widely scattered sections in a
few weeks time.
Arthur Davis, with his wife, Rhea
Davis, now in the Virginia City Jail.
kept a home in a well-known Butte
apartment house. He was arrested
a month ago in Stockton, Calf. with
a man known as Stevens. who went
by at least dozen aliases. Stevens
was found to be an escaped convict
from the California penitentiary. and
when he was returned to serve out
his time he was quoted as saying, 81
don't want to go back to Montana"
He was around Butte at various pc
RODS in the last few years, Detective
Gordon stated, and was also known
by police in a dozen middle-western
titles.
Davis was taken to the Conrad jail |
| few days ago by California officers |
Ind his bond was fixed at $4,000 |
pending trial for completely in the |
'obbery of the First National bank at |
Talier.
Called Master Mind"
Johnny Reed, good-looking |
Toung man of 29 years, called the |
master mind" of gang by officers,
vas taken to the Choteau Jail sev-
raj days ago from Seattle. He will |
10 charged with the Fairfield bank |
obbery.. He was arrested near Sc
tile on the same night that Davis
7as taken in California, and James
wilson and John Mason, alleged ac-
omplices in burglaries in this state,
1ere taken with him.
Reed, who, while in Butte, rented
he home of prominent people who
yere absent from the city for some
lonths, bears long criminal record
4 Canada, the detective stated. A
areer of crime was started when he
ras IS years ago, according to the
ecords officers hold of him. He was
len arrested in Prince Rupert, Brit
III Columbia, on charge of carrying
revolver. He served short time
Or that offense under an alias. Then
/ 1912 he was sentenced to serve
inc months at Calgary for having
Splosives in his possession. He then
ent under the name of Leslie Ayers.
wo years later he served time at
egina, Saskatchewan, on charges of
arrying concealed weapons and
gain having caps, fuses and explos-
-es. He gave the name of w. B.
isher at that time. In the same
ear, Reed, under the name of Fish
:, was ordered to serve three years
the Saskatchewan penitentiary for
after trial in Regina.
he last record Canadian officers
ave of the man is where he was
to serve four years after
lving been convicted in Moose Jaw
larged with having participated in
10 attempted robbery of the bank
Hall about four months ago, Mr..
ordon said. In that affair the ban
is were frustrated when residents
the little town opened fire on
EN-.
Coffron, who was arrested in Havre I
hen the first move of authorities
as made several months ago, is in
il at Philipsburg awaiting trial for
1sasL T. fAs,