Digging continued for more than three
hours.

“We were about to give up,” said Assist-
ant Superintendent Owen, now Warden of
Oakalla Prison Farm, “and we were won-
dering if our legs had been pulled by a very
smart crook, when Reid suddenly struck
something. It proved to be the bonds from
the Foremost robbery.”

The party attempted to return to Great
Falls and were met by a regular Montana
blizzard. Reid, now relieved of one burden
in his battle to become rehabilitated, did
Trojan duty helping to lift the car out of
snowdrifts, and it was with much luck that
they reached their destination near mid-
n‘ght.

No t'me was to be lost and everything
had to be done in a secretive manner. The
party boarded a fast train north the follow-
ing morning for Lethbridge. Reid was
promptly remanded for eight days by a
magistrate, and again the officers and their
prisoner caught a train, this time for Cal-
gary and Vancouver.

The scene was re-enacted, this time in
Stanley Park. Again it was Reid who dug
up the bonds, placed in a coffee tin.

Thus, in less than three days, nearly
$250,000 had been recovered by the dashing
bandit.

Back in Lethbridge, Reid was arraigned
before the magistrate again, pleading guilty.

Alberta police pleaded for leniency for
the young desperado, and all concerned with
the case believed in his determination to go
straight.

The reason?

REGENERATION DUE TO WIFE

A mere slip of a girl. She had married
Reid, and, hidden behind the scenes, was
responsible for his changed attitude. All
through his period of incarceration she re-
fused to desert him. The Alberta judge was
so impressed that, notwithstanding the ex-
treme gravity of the charge, he granted Reid
suspended sentence for two years.

There was still the Ladner bank charge
to be faced, and Reid had to be returned to
Vancouver.

He begged for a chance to unearth some
more loot.

“It’s in and near Minneapolis,” he told
Assistant Superintendent Owen, “and I

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can’t have police with me. I have to do
this alone.”

Great faith was placed in the former ban-
dit, and, true to his word, he returned bear-
ing more securities. The total amount of
money recovered had reached the astounding
total of $900,000.

With drawn features, and visibly nervous,
Reid pleaded guilty to the charge of rob-
bery before His Honour the late Judge
Cayley.

PoLicE SUPPORT LENIENCY

Commissioner Bryans of Alberta, appear-
ing on the prisoner’s behalf, took the stand.

“After Reid’s release on suspended sen-
tence,” Commissioner Bryans testified, “he
proceeded to Minneapolis to try and re-
cover the proceeds of some of his various
robberies, and he ascertained that $45,000
had been burned. He turned over to me
cash, $25,000 worth of Victory Bonds, cash
coupons, even 47 unused money orders.”

Q. “Have you any opinion to express
as to the efforts which have been made by
this man for the purpose of recovering
stolen property? Anything to say as to
the value of his efforts?”

In the Peace River
Block (the Fort St. John
Trail).

ia]

Compliments of

J. H. TODD & SONS LTD.
Victoria, B.C.

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