The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-09-13
(By FLYNN

union station was turned into a
slaughter house by h rattle of ma
chine gun fire, loosed. it is believed,
in an outlaw attempt to liberate
Frank Nash, escaped convict, being
returned to Leavenworth, another
drama of the old west was enacted
in a modern setting.
But the Kansas City massacre ended
more brutally than did the attempt of
horse thieves to liberate their two cap
tured companions by holding up the
Helena-Boulder mail stage Oct. "a.
1884. The attempt to free Nash ended
in the death of four officers, woundlng
The Montana incident has something
of humor.
Montana ranchers in the vicinity
of Boulder during the summer Of 1884
had been plagued by horse thieves.
Daring raids and sly, Stealthily night
sallies had taken toll of herds.
Before autumn officers succeeded IN
capturing two men who were charged
with taking part in the robberles. They
were to be tried at the fall term OF
court at Boulder Oct. "a.
Fearing an attempt would be MADE
to hberate the men from the Boulder
Jail if the prisoners were held there,
they were removed to Helena and were
not to be returned to the scene OF their
trail until the day court convened.
AS the SiX-horSe stage made its way
the morning of Oct. "a along the steep,
rock-studded road that wound among
the mountains toward Boulder, the IA
occupants in the coach felt a curious
restraint on their conversation. o..
Several of the passengers were well
known throughout the territory. These
included Judge Decius Wade, Colonel
johnson, Judge Chumasero. the Rev.
l.. L. Wood, w. E. Cullen, E. Warren
Toole, Massena Billiard and Thomas
Carter.
But the other six were strangers to
their companions of the journey. Ihey
took no part in the first attempts OF
Judge Wade, jurist who was to preside
at the Boulder trial that afternoon, n
his friends to make the talk genera!
When the horses ploddingly drew the
stage up the long grade Leading lnto
Boulder and passed a point SIX 9a tss
from that city near the summit OF tne
Prickly Pear grade, Judge Wade recall
ed a robbery two years before.
This was the place the stage was
hello up two years agO, wasn't 1t. Bull
lard?" he asked, turning to the man
beside him.
Eyes" replied Billiard. The robbers
hid behind those rocks Just aneao anu
when the stage made the turn they got
the drop on the driver and cleaned out
the coach"
" It does look like a good place to
attempt something like that SAID
Judge Wade as he leaned o the
coach window and looked ahead.
The ribbon of road wound around
two huge boulders tina guarded one one
sharply rising side OF the NIL stretcneo
toward the summit.
IF anyone were going to hold up
the stage before it reached Boulder
that'd be about the best place. !here
isn't another spot on the road thatd
beat it, said Judge Wade when ne
resumed his seat in the coach.
Al the Judge ceased talking ne
thought he noticed a sign of apprehen.
sion pass over the features OF one OF
the men of the group, who had not
evidenced the usual signs OF friendship
common among travellers OF the per1od.
The man shifted slightly in his seat
and his right hand strayed inside ms
coat. which was buttoned to his throat.
If those horse thieves make an at
tempt to release the two who go on
trial at Boulder today this would be
about the place they'd try IT," continu.
ed Judge Wade, giving no sign ne mao
noticed the nervous movements OF the
"WSat do you mean?" asked Toole:
1.-THE prisoners aren't on this stage.
wondered why, too, when we LETT Hell
ena, for I'd heard they. were being sen1
to Boulder for trial this afternoon"
"Sheriff Cameron of Meagher county,
one of the pricipal witnesses, got Woro
Yesterday an attempt was to be MADE
to release the men before they got to
Boulder" answered Judge Wade.
Everything is being carried out &C
cording to the original plans with the
exception Of sending the prisoners.
They will come tomorrow. Cameron is
following us and is going to try to
capture the others if they start any
AS he finished speaking the stage
was drawing neal the scene OF the
robbery two years before. The driver
turned the leaders and the coach gave
forth a new chorus of squeaks ana
groans as it took the strain OF tne
turn.
A masked man, with a rifle IN his
hands, leaped to the middle or the
road. Another seized the lead team
at their heads. The driver hauled back
on the reins and applied the lron-snoo
brakes.
Inside the coach, the stranger whip,
ped a navy revolver from MS coat anu
backed against door.
stay where you are ne ordereo'
swinging the gun from side to SIDE
in a short arc that covered all the
passengers.
No one made a move. The man
reached behind him through the open
window and unattached the door from
the outside. Pushing it open with a
swing of his foot he felt for the hand
rail on the side.
Don't move" he ordered: you're
covered from the outside and you can't
escape"
He dropped to the road and, without
taking his eyes from the men inside,
called to the masked man who a
stopped the horses.
"Cover those fellows" he ordered.
The newcomer took his place and his
rifle pointed toward the interior OF the
coach. The stranger stepped to n