Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-18
THE BELL MURDER.
Arrival of the Remains and Their Burial
Details Of the Crime.


The remains of DaniA Bell, recently shot
in Winnipeg, Manitoba, arrived in this city
yesterday morning. They were taken to the
undertaking establishment of Stees Bros,
on Third street. 1t was expected that the
corpse would not be in very excellent con-
dition after the long journey, but it was
found to be in an excellent state of preser-
Walton, and had been most carefully washed,
dressed and packed, all that was necessary
being to place the remains in their fna,
casket. The interment took place in the
afternoon, the obsequies being quite largely
attended.
Mr.. Bell, brother of the deceased, was
found yesterday by a GLOBE reporter, in
charge of the remains. He said the deceased,
as learned from the American Express
companys messenger, had left the
boat, on which he was engaged, with
a companion for the purpose Of getting
some washing, which had been left in Win
nepeg on the previous trip. On their re-
turn, Bell and his companion stepped into
q saloon. Either row was in progress
when they entered, or was commenced short
ly after, but whether the deceased interfered
therein was not distinctly known. At any
being pursued by Gibbon. While thus run,
ming, Gibbon fired, the shot entering Bells
body from behind, above the hip, and pene-
trating the heart. Bells death was instan-
taneous. The murderer escaped for some
| time, but was at length captured, and is now
in custody. Bells companion having also
been locked up, to insure his presence at the
trial as witness.
Subsequently, the reporter met q lady who
had come from Winnipeg with the body,
which she had assisted in laying out. She
knew very little of the ARRAY, but was ac-
quainted with the history of the assassin,
whose misdeeds were we'll known in Mani
toba. Gibbon, she said, was wild, bad
character. He had been sentenced, some
time ago, to term of fourteen years I'M
prisonment, but had been pardoned out. He
was notorious on the border, us he would
commit crimes on one side of the frontier,
and then dodge back to the other, returning
when his acts had been lost sight of.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE DEED.
A GLOBE reporter hearing Of gentleman
| just returned from the scene of the foul
deed, sought him out and elected the fol-
lowing. The"sheds'' spoken of as the place
where the trouble began, is not as reported a
place of ill-fane. There are no such places
within the city limits, an ordinance prohibit
ing them b eing strictly enforced. All such
| places-and they do exist even beyond the
border-are out on the prairie. The sheds
is long tumble down shanty on Postofice
street. 1t is mere shed divided into tene-
ments or rooms by slight partitions, and oc-
cupied by half breeds-men and women and
grown up girls. These people get thei1
living by cleaning offices, doing chores and
it is said taking in-washing. Some of the
boys employed on the steamboat said
that Dan Bell and several Others
went up to Provonchia's saloon, Provonchis
having lived in st. Paul, his place is re-
sort for steamboat men from this city
! After leaving, they proceeded to the .'sheds,'
it was said, for the purpose of getting some
washing done. They entered-Bell and his
companions-and some of them being pref
ty full of bad whisky, were a little noisy
Some one in On adjoining apartment
knocked on the slight partition. Bell:
companions repeated the knocks more
loudly. This enraged the occupants of til,
adjacent room, who burst open the door ani
entered, anxious for row, and it soon be
, gan. The room was in darkness, and Bel
and his mates got out into the street ant
ran as fast as their unsteady heads woult
allow them. They were pursued by tn
other party, and Bell was shot down.
Gibbon, who shot Bell, was in troubl
once before to a rape OH half breed. 70
which he was sentenced for IA years impris
onment. The girl, however, subsequently
cutting up and raising cain generally, causes
: the people to sympathise with Gibbon, ant
!. he was, after two years imprisonment, ibe1
ated. He returned to Winnipeg and becam
notorious as whisky jumper on the border
The government, acting upon the adage Sc
, a thief to catch thief, appointed Gibbon a
special detective for the prevention of tn
I illicit border whisky trade and the detectio
l of smuggling.
a Reporter-Was Bell drunk
Informant belieye he was-at least tha
is what they say.
Reporter-But do you know if he was?
: A Conference.-The is GLOBE reporte
8 Mr.. --.
Informant don't know anything on]
what heard. A P. p. reporter called o
me and told him was only one out of fi1
Q hundred others that happened to be in vii
: nipeg when it happened. know nothin
!. only what heard and read. don't wa,
!, my name in the papers in connection wit
such an affair. And this ended the G1oI
+ reporters interview, for the gentlema
9 ceased to interview worth cent,