Celebrating History: Safe crackers in Gildford

Hingham was a busy community this week in 1914. Information comes from the April 10 issue of the Hingham Review. This is the 14th in this series celebrating 150 years of Montana Territory.

E. A. Lohrke purchased the Review from Berkley Walker and a big announcement was on the front page. Here are three more articles that shared the same page, complete with misspellings:

Gildford Visited By Cracksmen

Quite a number of the citizens of the peaceful little town of Gildford were awakened from their slumber, shortly after midnight last Wednesday, by an explosion that was later found to have blown open the safe in J. C. Mabee’s saloon.

What seemed to be the strange part of the affair was that the explosion took place within thirty minutes after the saloon had closed. As no windows or doors were broken, the yeggmen must have gained entrance into the saloon with pass keys. They had secured their drills and other tools necessary to do the job from a nearby blacksmith shop.

Sheriff Loranger of Havre was immediately notified and he at once started in search for the men. Two hundred fifty dollars in cash, most of which was silver, was taken from the safe.

Two suspicious looking characters were picked up between Gildford and Kremlin, where they were hiding in a dug-out. The two men had thirty-five pairs of shoes in their possession, which it is supposed, were taken during the fire in Gildford a short time ago. The men were taken into custody by Sheriff Loranger for further investigation. The search, however, was kept up by Loranger and J. C. Mabee, and thus far no other suspects have been arrested.

A fire had taken place about two weeks prior, destroying one building and the neighboring meat market owned by J. A. Crites.

Given Hearing Before Justice Pyper

Perry Stevens, of the Goldstone country, arrested on a charge of grand larceny, was given a hearing before Judge Pyper at Havre Thursday of last week. The specific charge against the Defendent is the killing of an animal owned by Black Tail Ranch of which Wallace and Ross are the owners.

The principal witness against the Defendent was Stock Inspector Herron, who has been working on the case for some time, and the evidence produced at the hearing shows that he has the details of the case well in hand.

The State was represented by County Attorney Victor R. Griggs and the Defendent’s attorney was R. E. Hammond. The Defendent was bound over for trial to the District Court which convenes at Havre April 15.

Bridge Contract Let

The O. C. Pepperd Bridge company of Missoula, received the $30,000 contract for three bridges in Hill county, one 12 miles north of Kremlin, one at Turner’s crossing on the Marias river and the third at Pugley’s crossing on the Marias river. The contract was let by the county commissioners March 30, 1914.

Here are some entries from the social page, complete with misspellings:

Local News Items

Now would be a good time to start something for the observance of Memorial day.

———

The C. W. Patterson bungalow is nearing completion and will soon be ready for occupancy.

———

Dr. R. C. Timmons the Veterinary Surgeon of Havre, will be in Hingoam, Saturday, April 18th. Those wishing to consult him should call for him that day.

———

At the school election held last Saturday, Dr. A. A. Hussar was elected to succeed himself as School Trustee for a term of three years.

———

U. S. Commissioner Henry F. Schwartz and J. C. Mabee of Gildford came to Hingham Wednesday morning to lay in a supply of meat. Since the fire at Gildford some days ago a meat famine has been on.

Mrs. Theo. Peterson, of Rudyard, was operated upon this week by Dr. Husser, a large tumor being removed. The operation was very successfull and the patient is again on the road to recovery. Dr. Husser has made an enviable record in surgery since the completion of his Sanitarium here and patients from various points in northern Montana have come here for relief.