The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1871-11-18
Peter e WetSIe Murdered,
Especial dispatch to the St. Paul Pioneer. I


Norris. MIMI, Oct. 25.-The body of 4
man. supposed to have been murdered, waa
found this morning by r. NJ. Richardson. a
resident Of this place. nenr hay stack. in
The vicinity Of the POlnmc de Terre river.
and about mile north from here. While
repairing his fence around his stacks. Mr..
Richardson discovered the body partly GOV;
cred with hay. When uncovered it presented
. frlghtful appearance. the face having been
entirely eaten away by wild animals. He
Was quite we'll dressed. and must have been
. man Of means On his person were found
On eight.blsccd pearl handled pocket knife;
HlsO pocket book. the contents of which
consisted ut q printed note. drawn by one
Haas, in Montana. year 1871, and made nay.
able to Peter Wctzle. 1t Is not endorsed,
therefore II 10 to be supposed that Peter
Wetzle is the name Of the murdered man.
HIS coai, vest and hat were gone. and his
boots had been taken of and were placed by
his side, His hands were cDvered with
blO"d. On his right side. Just below the
collar hone. was found knife wound, in.
dic'ting that he had "een foully dealt with,
and his clothing near the sound was I'll
saturated with blood The spot WHERE the
body was found is secluded one, and not
often visited. The body must have been
carried there by the murderer who tried T.,
hide his victim by burying him beneath the
h"y. There IRE no appearances If strug.
Cling having taken place. The articles found
upon his person have been taken charge of
by our town people and his remains have
been given Christian burial.
Peter E. Wetzle was well known here.
He was Is years Of age, of German descent.
a shoemaker by trade, temperate, industri.
Gus and Of good character. He formerly
lived in Virginia, NJ T.. visited his rela
tions in Marietta. Ohio. in 1868; returned
ard was ut Salmon City. Idaho. in 1869 In
October 1869. he came to Helena with Harry
IIass-of Bielcnbcrg & Halter. Deer Lodge
and in the spring IT II. started boot
and shoe store At Frcdrickson. lie left here
August 18th, ~. in company with Jacob
Bxcler. a blacksmith. and Henry Mincars,
gunsmith. by team for Salt Lake. Thence
they purposed going TO the Northern Pacific
railroad. and SO write Mr. Haas. He had
not since heard from them until seeing the
above. 1t is presumed they drove their
team overland across Dakota to Morris.
Minnesota. Wetzlc had $500 on his per.
son in money when he left here. Mr.. Haas
paid the note Of 500. but neglected to take
II up He also urged Wetzle t" get q draft
instead If carrying SO much money, but he
thought it safe on his person. Suspicion
rests heavily on person VIII" is readily
identified. and the otlicersof Minnesota have
been fully advised of his description and the
circumstances Wetzle was feet inches.
dark complexion, and had scar from an
axe on the inside of one foot. By this he
can be identified if there is any question of
it. The knife described above was given
him by Harry Haas. He has brother
John Wetzle-living at No. II, Spring Gar.
den Avenue. Allegheny City. Pa, to whom
he sent the New NORTH. WEST We hope
his murderer will he found and meet his
deserving between Garth and sky.