The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1942-12-17
Gives Much
History Of
Old Jail
Murderers, Bank Robbers,
Others Not So Bad
Held Within Its Walls.
INTERESTING BITS FROM
LIES SEAMY SIDE

LIFES SEAMY SIDE
A very readable article In the
Great Falls Tribune of last Sunday
tells of the dismantling Of the old
county Jail and recounts some of
the IaW-breakers of various de-
grees of badness who had been held
within its walls. The article was IL
Illustrated with pictures of Sheriff
Frank Baney, the old Jail building,
and the new court house and one
showing a number of stills that had
been seized by the sheriff in prohi
bition days Because the article
will recall much interesting history
to the longtime citizens and be-
cause it will recite stirring incidents
to those who have come later, we
reprint it in full below.
The old county Jail, long land
mark of Lincoln county, will soon
be thing of the past. Having
served its purpose, and being con-
demned by the city council, the
building is being razed-
Erected in 1909 by Ed Holt, con-
tractor, . after Flathead county was
subdivided and Lincoln county Gre
ated, 1t housed a varied assortment
of law violators.
Mike Shanahan was appointed
sheriff by the legislature, John Gel
ger became undersheriff and Archie
Hoffman, the first jailer. and the
setup was ready for business.
The first prisoners were Jehn
Cornell and ]. F. Sears who had
robbed the Waller g. Albee store at
Eureka, and horsethief, George
Hindle. Frank Haney then deputy
at Eureka, made the arrests.
Erickson Was Judge
All were tried at the first term of
court Judge John c. Erickson, later
governor Of Montana, presiding,
Ben Maiden was district attorney
and Phil Long, brother of Thomas
ID. Long, was clerk Of court. The
prisoners pleaded guilty and the two
robbers were given two years at
the state penitentiary and the horse
thief six years.
In 1911, Frank Baney who was
the first elected sheriff, took office.
He has held that office continuously
since then with the exception OF the
years between 1915 and 1919. Wave
Brown of Eureka was sheriff during
those four years.
A number of notorious murderers
served time in the old frame build
ing. AL McGouin, criminal with
aliases, who murdered a Woodchop-
per at Troy in 1911 was prisoner
He was given sentence of 10 years
at the state penitentiary.
Peter Little Plume, an Indian
with murderous intent, was placed
here in 1920. He fired at Baney from
ambush while Baney was searching
Frank Gilstrap, wanted for killing
Great Falls policeman. The bulle
entered the sheriffs chest just above
the heart. Little Plume was sen
fenced to life Imprisonment anc
died of tuberculosis.
One prisoner died in Jail. He wa
Jack Clark, alias Pat L. Burke, WIFI
shot and killed Ferd Bockman, cit.
policeman on April %, 1924 Clarl
was fatally wounded by Bockman
1t was later found that Clark ha'
received a dishonorable discharg
from the army.
Three other notorious prisoner
were Sam Anderson and Howar'
Hull who killed Frank Gregsor
Great Northern operator at Eurek
in 1927, and Bill Curry, who muir
dered a Rexford man in 1928.
Bank Robber Caught
Joseph Miller. alias Joe Landel
now serving senfenee-of 80 veal
in Deer Lodge, created a sensatio
in 1882 when he robbed the Fir:
State bank of $4,000 in cash an
travellers checks. He succeeded
making getaway after kidnappin
and tieing up the cashier, Ralp
Tone, in an abandoned building. II
was captured couple of week
later in Portland. He was one
the few to escape from the pen ;
ULnlla Wnlla. had rnhhnd IL q