Caught in the cross-fire of five city detectives as they emerged from the side door of the Finlen hotel with $1,000 in currency and coin, loot of one of the most daring holdups ever perpetrated in Butte, Joe 'Fudge' Barry, a 20-year-old Butte boy, was probably fatally wounded, and Ed Norton, alias "Speedy," a Salt Lake bandit, received a bullet wound in the leg at 12:50 o'clock this morning. Both of the holdups are prisoners in the detention room at the Emergency hospital and all but about $20 of the stolen money has been recovered. An operation was performed on Barry, whose kidney and intestines were punctured by a bullet from one of the officers' guns, at an early hour this morning, but his chances of recovery are slight.
The bones of the lower part of Norton's leg are so badly shattered that amputation is imperative if his life is to be saved. The man declared this morning that he "will go with the leg" indicating that he will resist amputation and would accept death from blood poisoning instead.
Line Up Patrons
It was just after the cabaret had been closed for the night and the late diners, save for a few in the café, had left the hotel that Barry and Norton essayed the holdup. Six men, including Night Clerk Thomas Colton, were in the hotel office at the time, and it was the quick work of "Curly" Darrah, who was in the telephone booth when the holdups entered, in summoning the police that led to their apprehension. J. W. Welch, cigar counter attendant, and Night Clerk Colton were totaling restaurant checks of the day in the enclosure behind the desk in the enclosure behind the desk when Barry entered through the front door. When they looked up Barry had Otto Mengen, Julius Carolina, John Fleming and A1 Burke covered With a wicked looking Luger revolver.
Darrah Through Window.
As Colton started through the gate from the enclosure, Norton entered from a hallway leading to the side door, gun in hand. and covered him. All six were driven behind the enclosure about the desk and forced to lie on the floor. About this time Adolph Sperka, waiter from the café, entered the office with a check and the money in payment for it from the last party in the café. Norton quickly covered Sperka and escorted him behind the enclosure. As he did so (Continued on Page Eleven)...
From The Butte Daily Post