The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-07-06

CLOSELY written lines. Mills olo uoI
notice the officers entrance. McTague
had to speak to him several times
before the editor vas aware OF MS
presence.
%, pardon, I didn't see you come
in" Mills exclaimed as he turned from
his desk and faced McTague.
II see you didn't" replied McTague.
THAT must be something interesting
you're reading" he said, indicating n
pages on the editors desk. II thought
I'd have to take it away from you be-
fore you'd know I was here"
Eyes, it Is interesting" said Mills.
It's Just a chapter of the territorys
history misplaced in the book. It should
have been included under the year
1863 and not 1883" :.
what do you meanP" -.
Just another hanging by the Vie1-
lantes." 49,,
"What! Who was hung? Where did
it happen?" McTague asked GREATNESS
ICON Murphy was hung by a party
Of Vigilantes from a railroad bridge Just
outside of Helena yesterday"
"Con Murphy" McTague exclaimed.
why I just read a notice from the
Helena sheriff offering a $1,7OO reward
for his arrest. I put it up IN the o.
flee not more than ten minutes ago"
"Wel, you won't have to worry about
looking for him. He's dead. The story
Just came in by telegraph"
McTague picked up the pages from
the editors desk. In short cryptic
sentences it told of the hanging OF Con
Murphy, Jan. q, 1885.
Murphy had plagued the territory
for several years. Twice he had been
convicted of horse stealing. He served
his first term in the territorial prison
at Deer Lodge without protest.
But when imprisoned the second time
he had broken Jail. Following his es-
cape he had instituted a reign of ter
ror. Horses were stolen, stores robbed,
farmers terrorized. But Murphy could
not be captured.
At last he wa arrested neal Butte.
Vindictive he swore he would not be re-
turned to Helena, where he was to be
tried on the first of a series. OF charges
against him.
Officers who had effected his capture
and responsible for his delivery to Hell
ena, heavily manacled Murphy before
placing him abroad the Utah & North
ELI GIdl1l. 11Uo 4CCV "C4C S14oNnxCo 80
his hands bound together with a short
length of light chain. But Murphy es-
capped.
When the train neared Stuart, with
out a sign of warning, he leapt from
his seat in the railroad coach and threw
himself through a window while the
train was travelling more than 20 miles
an hour.
Taken by surprise at the desperado's
sudden move, the officers could not get
the train stopped until it had proceed
ed almost a mile past the spot where
Murphy made his daring bid for free
dom. When they finally returned to
the scene, no trace of the fugitive could
be found.
After that escape, which astounded
the community by its very audacity,
another series of robberies occurred.
ALI of them were ascribed to Murphy.
It was rumored that he had now ac-
quired a gang of several members, each
man as daring and fearless as him
self.
Murphy was at last captured, again
in Butte. This time he was lodged in
the Butte Jail. Officers decided not
to risk another attempt to take him
to Helena. But once more he foiled
their plans-he escaped.
Efforts to, capture him were resumed
and pressed with double vigor. Early
in. the fall of 1885 he was again taken
into custody Of the lawn Helena
where he was Jailed. ,, s~4
But official relief that their man was:
this time behind the bars from which
could be no escape was shortly chang
ed to chagrin. Murphy sawed his way
from his cell with q file smuggled to
him from the outside, assaulted q guard
and made his way to freedom.