Butte had more than its share of gangsters in her early days. One of many stories told is when gangsters checked into the Butte Hotel — Jere Murphy knocked on the door to their room and when they opened the door they were surprised to see a six-foot, two-hundred-pound, man with eyes like steel and a face as hard as granite.  He said, “My name’s Murphy. There’s a train leaving here at three o’clock.  See that you’re on it.”  And, they were. The nation’s underworld knew about Jere Murphy, Butte’s famous chief of Police.  Jere spent most of his life as a law enforcement officer.  His achievements were legend, he loved Butte, and no one questioned his integrity.  His life ended as a result of a fall that fractured his skull when in a struggle to disarm a man who was threatening the Montana Power Company office employees.

The Montana Standard
Butte, Montana
September 31, 1935

JERE J. MURPHY IN UNIFORM
The picture shows three of Butte's policemen of the timeline.  The late Chief Jere J. Murphy is standing at the right.  Beside him is Clyde Coulter and sitting is Ed Carroll.  The picture was taken in 1894.
The Montana Standard - September 21, 1935