Thomas Hamilton Blanck
Thomas Hamilton Blanck was a criminal operating on the American Old West in the Pacific Northwest between 1891 and his death following a prison break in 1895. He was also known as "Crazy Mike".
Arrest
In October 1894, Blanck attempted to rob the "Mug Saloon" in Seattle, Washington, an event in which a bartender, Charles Birdwell, was killed. A law enforcement officer was also grazed in the neck during the incident. A Seattle detective named Cudihee arrested a suspect a few days after the Birdwell killing, who gave his name as Tom Blanck. Blanck reportedly then confessed to many additional crimes.Confessions made
Blanck admitted to having committed an 1890 burglary in Fairhaven, Washington, in which he had been pursued by a policeman, Peter Brugh. Blanck claimed he shot Brugh twice while making good his escape. Blanck had also shot and killed a friend during a poker game that year, in Weiser, Idaho.Blanck claimed that in January 1891, he and a partner robbed a stagecoach in Nelson, British Columbia. Blanck stated that they had murdered the driver while stealing $4,500. Blanck further stated that in February 1891, he had committed a burglary in Kalama, Washington, for which he was arrested and had subsequently escaped from jail.
On April 10, 1894, Blanck killed officer John Flynn in Helena, Montana. That same month Blanck stated he had killed a Northern Pacific agent, William Ogle, in Belgrade, Montana.
Blanck finished his confessions by admitting to the more recent crimes for which he was responsible. He acknowledged the robbery of several people in the barroom of the Broadwater Hotel in Helena, Montana was committed by him; while the following month, in Meaderville, Montana, he had shot and killed a bartender named Steve Gross, and killed the deputy sheriff who was pursuing him for that crime.
The following day, Deputy Sheriffs Harry Moore and John Ball investigated a suspicious man seen near McMillian, Washington. When the officers ordered the stranger to halt, he shot at and wounded Moore in the breast and escaped. On September 22, after buying a large amount of provisions, a Frank Murphy, age 16, was arrested in South Prairie, Washington, because he fit the description of the accomplice of the man who had killed Officer Jeffrey. After being arrested, Murphy admitted he had been with "Hamilton", but claimed that they had parted company.