Daily globe., 1878-11-23
Especial Correspondence of the Globe


Especial Correspondence of the Globe.1
DEADwooD, d. T., Nov. 17.-The case of
the Territory VS.. George w. Bell, tried in the
district co-rt, last week, was in many partic-
ulars one of the most peculiar in criminal
annals. and illustrates, besides the falsity of
friendship and value of circumstantial evi-
dence, the impossibility of securing convic.
ton in capital case in the Black Hills. The
story, briefly told, is as follows: In May
last Charles E. Lee, son of wealthy and
well known Chicago gentleman, arrived at
Cheyenne en- route to Deadwood. White
strolling through the city be was approached
by a smooth-faced and smoother hammered
young fellow, who introduced HIM
self as George W. Bell, and
the two became, in the brief period
of twenty four hours, quitei intimate. At
the expiration of that time Bell Disappeared
On the following day Lee departed upon the
coach for the Hills, and upon the second day
cut overlook Bell at ranch, and upon the
solicitation OF that person paid his fare to
Deadwood, arriving here on Thursday. The
two registered at the Wentworth, where they
remained until the next day, when they
rented cabin, purchased an outfit (at Lees
expense) and went to baching. On Saturday
the two visited the mines. On Sunday aft
ternoon two little boys. climbing over the
hills south of the city gathering flowers
with which to decorate the grave of
the father of cne, who had
the week before been brutalIy
murdered, came upon the corpse of Lee in a
remote and secluded spot his pockets turned
inside out, all valuaSles gone, and bullet
hole in the back of his head.
On the same afternoon Geo. W. Bell
walked into Crook City, eleven miles distant,
where he produced an elegant gold watch,
chain and locket containing, as he repre-
sented, the hair of his mother and after
several Intellectual applications, pawned it all
for $40.
Upon the outside of the case was engraved
"Chas. q. Lee" and upon the inside sspre-
sented by his father on his twenty first birth
day. When questioned, Bell said that his
name was Lee; that the watch was gift to
him as the inscription designated, and that
he desired the money to enable him to reach
home, when he would redeem the memento
After securing the money he repaired to the
stage office and engaged seat
to Bismarck on Mondays coach. That
vehicle arrived at z A. NJ. and with
it news of the murder, which reaching the
ears of Deputy Sheriff Wilson, who was cog
infant of the watch transaction, and he at
once took Bell into custody and returned
him to Deadwood, where he was subsequent-
ly indicted, and where last week he was
placed on trial.
AS will be seen, every particle of evidence
was purely circumstantial, but of the strong
est character. Bell and Lee were seen to
leave the cabin together at 8 o'clock Sunday
morning. At clock Bell was seen return
ing to the cabin alone. A little later he
was seen by neighbor packing
his valise, and in reply to in
quiries where he was going, replied
that his partner had gone to Crook, and that
he was going, too, and that they would be
absent eight or ten days. The officers dis
covered that one barrel of the pistol found
upon Bells person had been recently dis
charged and reloaded, and that the bullet
taken from the head of deceased fitted the
pistol. mystitying circumstance was un-
earthed, however, by learning that on the
Saturday preceding the murder, Bell accosted
q. w. Carpenter, of the Northwestern Ex-
press d Stage company, with O request for
passage to Bismarck upon the depositing of
the watch, afterwards identified as Lees.
This was refused and Bell went
away. The case was forcibly
presented to the jury by the introduction of
the above evidence, and in a strong argument
by District Attorney Miller; but it was of
no avail, for after an absence of twelve hours,
the jury returned verdict of not guilty
Had thunderclap occurred at bright mid
day, this community could not have been
more thoroughly astonished. People sail
ed the jury, and loudly discussed summary
vengeance. The Enterprise teemed with
abuse of the jury and tho prisoner, and
there is no doubt that had not Bell departed
upon the first coach, he would 'ere
this have gone to his last account.
Bells history, as related by himself, is a
romantic and interesting one. His proper
name is Cox, and his father is a minister il,
North Carolina. He left home in 1871,
since which time he has visited nearly every
State and town in the West. At Memphis.
Littlo Rock, st. Louis, Omaha, Cheyenne,
Ogden, Lander, the various forts of the
Northwest, he has filled positions of all
"AAAN'' Nv" SiSihiLe5' tuel III Tue Saloon
business, herding cattle, prospecting the
Big Horn. and, in fact every vocation Incl
dent to the plains, is Well known to him. In
June of last year be visited Dassel Mime
sofa, and married. returning at oncs to the
far wet. where he resumed lis nomadic
life He claims that Lee loaned him the
watch, and upon that statement he hung his
defense, and upon it the jury acquitted him.
Since his release it has transpired that he
IS one of the slickest gamblers with which
this country IS Infested. and that he has fol-
lowed the nefarious calling throughout the
entire Western career. His acquiltal is an
outrage not only upon this community, but
the couatry at large, and as he has headed
yonr way, append a description: Age 26;
height about feet II inches: light COM
plexion and hair: smooth face; large bones;
weight about 18O pounds: neatly dressed in
black, and at a distance presents fine ap-
pearance. In manners he is the most brazen.
stolcal individual ever met, he having the
ability to look person squarely in the eyes,
while coming the most infamous falsehoods
tie has probably gone to Dassel, st. Paul,
etc. T.. f. w.
Capt. Cooks opening. Warren House saloon,
corner Fourth and Jackson. this evening. Big
hot lunct Of Nov 90 1910