Great American Crime Stories

by Bill Bowers

  When Chief Kiely finished his final examination of the woman at midnight and sent her back to the holdover to steep, he appeared to be in a satisfied frame of mind, indicating that he had succeeded in obtaining some information of value to the department. When asked to give out the result of the woman’s statement, he replied: “I can’t tell you anything just now. Later on I may do so. I have learned some things which I believe will be of material benefit to the authorities. If it were to make it public, it would be of material benefit only to the rest of the gang, and thus the ends of justice would be defeated.”

  CHIEF DESMOND GIVES OUT NO INFORMATION.

  Chief Desmond was equally reticent in imparting the results of his examination of Logan. It was evident from the Chief’s demeanor, however, that he had received information which might assist him in rounding up the other two train robbers.

  “How about “Butch” Cassidy?” he was asked. “Isn’t it a fact that he was in town with Logan and the woman?”

  “We’re looking that part of the case up now,” was the reply.

  “Isn’t ‘Mrs. Rose’ the companion of Cassidy, and not of Logan?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Didn’t she acknowledge as much to-day?”

  “Oh, she’s been an associate of train robbers for years,” was the reply. “You can’t believe half of what she says.”

  Telegrams were sent by Chief Desmond yesterday to the Chief of Police of St. Paul, Pinkerton of Chicago, President J. J. Hill of the Great Northern, Chief of Police of Wagner, Mont., and to the presidents of the National Bank of Bellefouche, S. D., robbed July 26, 1897, and the National Bank of Montana at Helena, notifying them of the arrests, and informing them that Bertillon measurements and pictures would follow.

  As soon as the identification is complete the prisoners, or Logan at least, will be taken back to Montana for trial. Train robbery is a capital offense in that state, and if Logan is convicted he may be hanged. If he succeeds in defeating this charge, the United States Government officials will prosecute him for forging the signatures to the bank notes.

  One of the most important features which developed in yesterday’s examination of the prisoners and their recent movements is the fact, which is almost certainly established, that George Parker, alias “Butch” Cassidy, another of the train robbers, was in the city as late as Tuesday night, and presumably in communication with Logan and the woman. Two of the operatives of a local private detective agency declared yesterday that they are confident they saw “Butch” Cassidy on the downtown streets within less than a week, and one of the chief operatives of the United States Secret Service declares that he saw Cassidy Tuesday night and shadowed him for more than an hour, in and out of the downtown saloons and cafes.

  The story related by this Secret Service operative to a Republic reporter is an interesting one, and may serve to throw some light on the conflicting statements made to the Chief of Police by the woman yesterday. This operative had in his possession one of the circulars containing photos and descriptions of the robbers. and when he learned Tuesday that a suspect had worked off some of the stolen money on Barnett, he obtained from the latter an accurate description of the man, and then started out to do a little man-hunting on his own responsibility.

  CASSIDY AND LOGAN WORE THE SAME DISGUISE.

  While making the rounds of the downtown saloons he learned that a stranger had visited many of them, and was spending money freely and changing money freely and changing bills frequently. Within the course of an hour the detective found his man. The suspect tallied accurately with the description given by Barnett as to his clothing and jewelry, but he was a blonde, with light hair and a light, short, stubby mustache, whereas Barnett’s customer had black hair and black mustache. Later, the detective learned that the clothing worn by his suspect is the exact counterpart in cut, texture and quality as that worn by Logan, and both affected the same style of rings, tie pin and watch chain.

  The fact that the man he was shadowing was a blonde, instead of a brunette, puzzled the detective, and he followed him for an hour without attempting to have him arrested. As he watched him narrowly whenever occasion offered, it suddenly dawned on him that the man was “Butch” Cassidy. Cassidy has a peculiar, vicious face, which the operative said, once seen would not soon be forgotten, and this was the face of the man he was shadowing. The detective supposed Cassidy was out West, but with this proof confronting him, he abandoned his shadowing tactics and went to the Four Courts to apprise the Chief of what he had learned. When he reached there the officers, had just arrived with Logan in custody, and in the ensuing excitement and bustle no action was taken to apprehend “Cassidy.”

  “I am positive,” said the Secret Service man, that Cassidy, Logan and the woman came here together. The police are under the impression that it was Logan who registered at the Laclede with the woman as “J. W. Rose and wife,” but I believe they are wrong, for two reasons. Logan was stopping at the Lindell, as the detectives learned Tuesday night. He hired a hack to take him out for a ‘time,’ and went up to the Tenderloin. Why should he do that when he had this woman at the Laclede? Criminals of his class are usually faithful to the women who share their fortunes. It is my belief that it was Cassidy who lived with the woman at the Laclede, and Logan took a room at the Lindell, so they would not be seen together.

  “You remember down in Nashville last October, when some of the stolen bank notes were passed, a woman was arrested and is now in jail there? That was Logan’s companion, and he quietly got away when she was arrested. The man who had the desperate fight with the seven policemen down there, in which he made his escape after killing two bloodhounds, was ‘Butch Cassidy.’ Logan rejoined ‘Cassidy’ and the woman at some point later, and the three came to this city to get rid of some of the money.

  STORY OF THE CAPTURE READS LIKE A STORY BOOK.

  The capture is one of the most important made in this city in many years and reflects credit on the men immediately engaged in it. To Detective Al Guion must be awarded the greatest need of praise, since it was largely due to his keenness that the quarry was located and to his coolness, judgment and presence of mind that the capture was a bloodless one. Had it not been for his quick wit the members of the Police Department would, as Detective Brady dryly remarked later, “be now buying floral emblems for some of Bill Desmond’s sleuths.”

  Immediately after the teller of the Mechanics’ National Bank had refused to accept the four $20 banknotes tendered by Max Barnett, as related in yesterday’s Republic, the teller telephoned to John E. Murphy, United States Secret Service Agent, who lost no time in responding. When he learned that the bills tendered were part of the proceeds of the train robbery, Murphy told the teller he had no jurisdiction in the case, as the Government was not a sufferer. He, however, called on Mr. Hoffman, the Pinkertons’ local agent, and informed him of the matter. Hoffman, armed with the pictures of the three train robbers, went to Barnett’s pawnshop and showed them to Barnett. Barnett unhesitatingly picked out Logan’s picture as that of the man who had given him the bank notes in payment for a watch. He gave also an accurate description of the customer’s clothing, jewelry, etc., to the smallest detail.

  At Murphy’s suggestion Hoffman telephoned to Chief Desmond asking him to send a squad of good men down to his office, as he had a big case on hand requiring immediate attention. Four men were sent down posthaste. The nature of the case was outlined and the accurate description and photograph of the suspect were placed in their possession.

  Logan is 36 years old. He was born In Dodson, Mo., and went West at an early age and became a cowboy and “rustler” and, later, one of the most notorious criminals in the Northwest. He is known as a bank robber, train robber, horse and cattle thief, hold-up and murderer. His residence just before the Great Northern express robbery was Landusky, Mont., where he killed Pike Landusky Christmas Day, 1894. He is accused of the rob
bery of a Union Pacific train at Wilcox, Wy., in June, 1899. When pursued by a posse and overtaken he shot and killed Sheriff Joseph Hazen of Converse County, Wyoming.

  Logan’s two confederates in the Great Northern express robbery were George Parker, alias “Butch” Cassidy,” and O. C. Hanks, alias “Deaf Charley.”

  On October 3 Logan and a woman known as Annie Williams attempted to pass some of the stolen money in Nashville, Tenn., and the woman was arrested and is still in jail. Logan escaped. On October 27 Cassidy also attempted to pass some of the notes in Nashville, was detected, and after a desperate struggle, in which he fought his way through seven policemen and detectives, made a sensational escape. Nothing has been heard of Hanks since the robbery.

  VIGIL IS ESTABLISHED OVER THE TENDERLOIN.

  The seasoned thief-takers, knowing the habits of criminals of Logan’s class, deduced that the suspect had not purchased the watch for personal adornment. They argued that he had purchased it either to present to some woman who had caught his passing fancy or to dispose of it to another pawnbroker, thus obtaining “safe” money for the dangerous banknotes he had disposed of. Accordingly, their plan of action was quickly mapped out when they reported to Chief Desmond. The regular force of detectives assigned to watch pawnshops and secondhand stores was detailed to make a thorough inspection of every such place in the city, and Detectives Guion, Shevlin, Brady, John McGrath, Jim Burke and George Williams were assigned to keep a close watch on the resorts in the Tenderloin district.

  The detectives had been in the Tenderloin only a short while when they learned that a stranger answering the description of Barnett’s customer had been changing $20 bills freely during the afternoon, and they re-doubled their watchfulness.

  At 11 o’clock Detective Guion, standing at Twenty-first and Chestnut streets, saw a hack drive westward rapidly containing one occupant—a man. As the hack passed under the glare of the electric light the officer got a fair but fleeting look at the man through the glass panels. He tallied closely with the description of the man wanted, and Guion immediately gave chase to the vehicle. His brother officers were scattered up and down Chestnut street from Nineteenth to Jefferson avenue, and he had no time to communicate with them. The hack was soon out of sight in the darkness, but Guion, by making inquiry, learned that it had stopped at a resort near Twenty-third street. When he reached this address he found that his man had left, after changing a banknote, re-entered the hack and driven east. Believing the suspect was making for Union Station, Guion hot-footed down there, but careful inquiry convinced him that the hack had not been there. Then he took the back track, and learned that the hack had stopped at a resort on Twentieth between Locust and Olive. When be reached there his quarry had disappeared, after changing another banknote.

  ARNOLD CAPTURED BY A CLEVER RUSE.

  Guion worked carefully back to Twenty-first and Chestnut streets, and reached there just as the hack drove up in front of No. 2025. The suspect went into the house, and reappeared a few minutes later. Then he and the driver went into Manley’s saloon on the corner and had a drink. Guion sauntered in casually after them and got a good look at the man he had been chasing. That look stifled all his doubts. He knew then that he was on the right trail, as the description furnished by Barnett fitted the man before him perfectly in every detail.

  Without betraying a hint of his identity or suspicions. Guion allowed the man to depart unmolested. Then he sent runners out in search of his brother officers, and as soon as the suspect entered his hack he jumped on the seat of another hack across the street and ordered the driver to follow the other. The first hack stopped a few yards down the street, and the occupant entered the house No. 2025. Guion alighted and hid in the shadows across the street, awaiting the arrival of the other detectives. They came, hastening cautiously, a few moments later.

  “I’ve got him, boys,” said Guion quietly.

  “Where?” was the ejaculated response.

  “Over there in No. 2025,” was the reply. “Get ready for quick work.”

  The six filed across the street and were admitted by the negro maid. In answer to a question, she said the suspect and the hack driver were in the rear parlor. Then came a brief whispered parley among the officers in the hall, as to the best method of effecting the capture without letting the man inside, whose desperate nature was well known, get the “drop” on them. The problem was solved by Guion.

  CLEVER RUSE PREVENTED FIGHT IN MAKING CAPTURE.

  “We’ll never get him standing here.” he said. “There’s only one way to get him—go in after him. Get ready.”

  With his hand on the knob of the parlor door, his revolver in his coat pocket, Guion was about to push the door open, when the woman of the house appeared from a back room.

  “Here,” she cried. “You can’t go in there; there’s a gentleman in there.”

  Like a flash an inspiration came to Guion. Simulating to the life the manner and speech of a drunken man, he loudly declared, as he opened the door: “What the ---- We’re all good fellows—hic—and we’ve got money to spend.”

  As he uttered these words in a maudlin drawl and reeled through the doorway he saw the suspect seated in a large easy chair near a window at the further end of the parlor. The hack driver sat near him. The suspect looked up, but made no move as he saw Guion reeling unsteadily toward him, evidently believing the intruder was really out on a drunken lark. An instant later, as he caught sight of the other jive detectives crowding into the room, he scented danger and made a quick movement with both hands to his hip pockets.

  Quick as he was, he was too late. Like a flash Guion threw himself upon him, pinioning his right hand with his right and securing his 45-caliber with the left, all in one motion. In another second McGrath grasped his left hand as it rested on the butt of another 45-caliber revolver in the other pocket. Shevlin reached over and drew the revolver out, and the prisoner was helpless. A pair of handcuffs was produced, and within two minutes from the time the officers entered the house their man was ready for the holdover.

  SEARCH OF PRISONER REVEALS A WALKING ARSENAL.

  During the entire time the suspect never uttered a word—not even an oath escaped him, but his dark eyes spoke volumes as he sat in sullen silence regarding his captors. When the officers sized up the prisoner’s 6 feet of brawn and muscle and examined the heavy Colt’s revolvers, they breathed a sigh of profound relief as they realised what might have happened had he obtained the slightest inkling of their presence in the house before they were upon him. Twenty-five extra cartridges were found in the pockets of his coat, evidence that he was prepared to make a desperate resistance if a chance was given him.

  When taken before Acting Night Chief Boyd at the Four Courts the prisoner said his name was John Arnold, but beyond that little information was secured. He was taken down to the holdover and securely guarded, pending his examination by Chief Desmond in the morning.

  *****

  LAURA BULLION RELATES HER CAREER AMONG THE OUTLAWS.

  Companion of Train Robbers All of Her Life, the Little Woman at the Four Courts Clung to the Man Who Had Made a Promise That He Would Give Her Protection.

  BRAVE, THOUGH PRISON BARS RESTRAIN HER FROM LIBERTY.

  LAURA BULLION, The woman who has spent many years among outlaws.

  Laura Bullion, the companion of John Rose, alias John Arnold, alias Harvey Logan, the train robber who carne to grief at the hands of Chief Desmond’s men, is not of the type of woman a person would associate in his mind as the companion of a desperate bandit. There is nothing in her manner, appearance or speech at all suggestive of the “bandit queen” of the wild and wooly regions, whose dash and daring exploits are luridly set forth in sensational dime novel literature.

  The first thought that suggests itself to one’s mind at first view of this frail, sallow-faced wisp of diminutive femininity sitting half hidden in one of the high
-backed chairs in Chief Desmond’s office is: “How in the name of common sense did big, brawny, wicked-looking John Rose, crafty and shrewd in his criminal career, come to select this woman as his companion, the sharer of his criminal secrets? And the only answer as yet set forth by the Hawkshaws, who have propounded the query is that it is a natural selection on the basis of the old theory of the affinity of extreme types.

  By no stretch of the imagination could any one looking at Laura Bullion conceive of her participating in any wild night ride after a daring raid, or of engaging a posse to cover the retreat or secure the release of her mate, after the accepted manner of bandit queens in well regulated novels. On the contrary. Laura would be much more at home on the steering wear of an Arkansas plow, or piloting a potato digger, or frying flapjacks for the men folks. As for shooting, Laura says that perhaps she could shoot a revolver, but she doesn’t know whether the bullet would hit “all of creation.” As for her horsemanship, she says, her feats were confined to riding a roan mare to the pump in her Texas home when she was a child.

  LAURA BULLION WAS REARED ON A FARM.

  In truth and in fact, as gleaned from her own statements and from one of her neighbors who knew her years ago in Texas, Laura is a rather dull, spiritless country girl, a product of Arkansas, reared on a farm and possessing the meager intelligence and education common to that type whose early lives have been spent in and around small isolated villages. She is about 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 90 pounds, and her appearance indicates extreme frailty. Her face is sallow and expressionless, with an entire absence of mobility save when her lips relax ever so slightly in a smile or laugh, exposing a double row of small white, even teeth. Her eyes are of a greenish yellow hue, bright enough, but without any life or expression in them even in moments of excitement. The most prominent features of her face are her prominent cheek bones and aquiline nose, suggesting a trace of Indian blood back among her ancestors. Her whole face is suggestive of dullness of intellect, which is accentuated by her drawling speech. Her voice is low and pleasant.