Distinctly Montana Magazine

91 w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m In November 1901, stolen Wagner banknotes surfaced in St. Lou- is. Pinkerton agents traced them to Kilpatrick, who was arrest- ed on November 5. He refused to identify himself. A key found among his belongings led police to a room at the Laclede Hotel, where they encountered Laura leaving with a suitcase filled with forged Helena notes. She was arrested immediately. Questioning her proved futile. The St. Louis Republic remarked it was "like questioning the Sphinx." Superintendent Schum- acher and Chief William Desmond pressed her for names. She responded with silence, yawns, and carefully rationed words. In a swirl of confusion, authorities briefly convinced themselves they had captured the Sundance Kid. A notebook in Laura's pos- session described Harry Longabaugh's appearance in detail. For a time, police believed Kilpatrick was Longabaugh. Telegrams from Texas sheriffs finally confirmed the prisoner's true identity: Ben Kilpatrick, the "Tall Texan." Laura admitted to forging signatures on the stolen notes but de- nied involvement in the robbery itself. She registered at the ho- tel under a false name—J. W. Rose and wife. She maintained that the man she accompanied introduced himself as Cunningham. If she suspected more, she kept it to herself. Newspapers sensationalized her story. Some claimed she led the robbery, firing recklessly beneath a mask. Others called her as- tonishing, staggering, unprecedented—a woman who dared ride with train robbers. The truth was less theatrical but no less ex- traordinary: she had taken part, disguised as a man, and helped facilitate one of the most daring robberies in Montana history. In December 1901, Kilpatrick was sentenced to fifteen years in the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City. Laura received five years in the Missouri Correctional Institution for Women. Even behind bars, her loyalty to Kilpatrick never wavered. They corresponded faithfully. She refused to testify against him. QUESTIONING HER PROVED FUTILE. THE ST. LOUIS REPUBLIC REMARKED IT WAS "LIKE QUESTIONING THE SPHINX." GARDINER, MONTANA 406-848-7777 YellowstoneRaft.com W e have been taking families and friends through the Yellowstone River's exhilarating whitewater rapids since 1978. We were the first raft company to take trips down this wild Montana river, and for over 45 years, we have been your first choice. FOR US VOTE WIN $500 FOR YOUR CHANCE TO 2026 o f BEST M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F

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