The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-01-09
Stevens CHAMP
JAIL BREAKER
LEADER OF MONTANA BANK
RODBER GANG IN CUSTODY
IN CALIFORNIA

In the arrest, the latter part of last
month, If Elmer Stevens, who vas
caught with A. J. Davis, at Stockton,
California, the Burns detective and
al officials declare they have Sc
cured one of the most cunning and
~resourceful jail breakers of the en-
tire gang of bank robbers. Stevens
has not only made a number of at
temrts himself to get out of jail with
out leave and has kept the prison au-
thorities of at least two states busy
preventing his escape, but he is re-
garded as a particularly resourceful
aiding, from the outside, 9th
ers OF the gang who are confined in
half a dozen jails throughout Mon
tina to make their getaway.
Notwithstanding Stevens reputa-
ton was known to Sheriff Jim Smith
and his deputies, no special precau-
tions were taken in this city to guard
a~n;~~4 4 jail delivery of the men,
bers Of the robber gang in the coun-
ty iaiI either before or after the ring
leaders arrest in California. AS
Sheriff Smith said: ave could hand
the prisoners the keys to the jail, and
even then they could not effect their
escape because of the mechanical COM
binatiOns to each of the cells which
must be operated from outside the
bars"
Seven Brought to BOZeman
OF the 81 men and women arrested
in connection with the wholesale bank
robberies in Montana within the past
two and one-half years, seven of the
men were brought to BOzeman to
await arraignment and the perfection
of the states case of prosecution
against them. Of the seven, four are
still in confinement here. They are
"Bad Eye" George Dyer; John A.
Welch, alias, Thomas Martin; Frank
Warren, and Ed. Daddy" Marshall.
The three others who have left here
are Adolph Melcher, of Salt Lake City,
whom, it was learned later was not
directly connected with the Salesville
bank robbery, but who was wanted
by the Madison county authorities
for the robbery of the bank at Ennis
and who was taken to Virginia City
week before last by a Madison county
deputy; Billy Coffron, alleged Cana
dian bank robber, who was released
on Monday of last week on order o.
the district court, as the result o
habeas corpus proceedings brought il
his behalf by Henry Levinski, a Jew
ish lawyer from Butte, but who wa
Immediately re-arrested before he ha
a chance to leave the courtroom, an
taken last Thursday morning to Phil
ipsburg by U~ndersheriff Holland, @
Granite county, and H. A. LOrangel
former sheriff of Hill county, who wa
released three weeks ago under $500
bail bonds and who returned with h
wife to his home at Havre, to ava
summons for his trial in the Februai
criminal term of the Gallatin count
district court in this city.
Stevens Has Long Record
Stevens is being held at StOckto
Calf, pending further investigate
An effort is now being made to co
meet him up with some Of the bal
robberies in Montana, as he is believ
to have been a participant in sever
Of them. He is known as one Of t
most desperate and cunning band
of the 81 now in custody.
Lieutenant Ray S. Grant, Of Gre
Falls, has received from the offici
at Stockton the record of Stevens.
is, according to his W stateme
only % years old. although he has
appearance of a man of 80 and a +
ord of crime extending over 10 ye
that would equal that of men M
older.
Stevens first came to the attent
Of the police at San Jose and Sac
mento. In 1914 he was sent up II
Oakland for burglary under the n;
of Thomas j. Malloy. He has ma
continuous criminal career since
time. After his release from the
ifornia state prison at Folsom In
he vas r~e-arrested under the nam
George Mack for robbery. He Sc