In the early summer of 1904, a dedicated officer, Sergeant Robert Hannah, a 51-year-old White male with the Billings Police Department, found his life cut tragically short in the line of duty. On the second of July, a report of a robbery in progress at a local saloon and gambling hall set in motion a series of events that would end in violence. Two suspects had gained entry to the establishment through a rear door, causing a commotion that did not go unnoticed.
Alerted by the
disturbance, a pair of patrons slipped out the front and quickly located Sergeant Hannah, informing him of the robbery underway. Accompanied by the Yellowstone County Sheriff and a detective from the Northern Pacific railroad, Hannah responded to the scene. Upon their arrival and entry into the saloon, they were met by the armed robbers, and a gun battle erupted.
In the exchange of gunfire, both Sergeant Hannah and the sheriff were struck. The sheriff sustained a minor wound to his hand, but Sergeant Hannah's injuries were far more severe. He was shot multiple times and, despite any aid that could be rendered, he succumbed to his wounds later that day. His wife Amelia and their four children, Robert, John, Margaret, and Gertrude, were left to mourn his sudden and violent death.
In the aftermath, law enforcement was successful in apprehending two suspects. During questioning, one of the men confessed to the murder of Sergeant Hannah. However, the course of justice did not run smoothly. Two months after their capture, both suspects managed to escape from the Yellowstone County Jail, leaving the community to grapple with the loss of a respected officer and the flight of his accused killers.
