Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-02-12

Saw the man first Sunday afternoon at
Pat Mcllugh's saloon. / afterwards had
him rs d prisoner kept him in Nc
flughs saloon; kept him there until
about o'clock midnight, as there was
no Jail fit to put him in. then started
with him, assisted by my deputies, to
take him to my cabin. We had got
within about ten feet of the door, when
crowd of masked man sprang from
behind and from the further side Of the
cabin and overpowered us before re-
sistancc was possible and took the pris-
oner away from us. Ny deputies were
Peters and Quinn. Mr.. McHugh was
with us but was not acting as deputy.
The next place | saw him was on the
hill about quarter of a mile south from
my cabin. | went up with the coroner
and found him hanging to a tree about
four feet from the ground. He was
dead. He made no confession when in
my custody but told me his name was
james Fowler. The crowd jumped
upon me SO suddenly that l could re-
cognize no one.
VIM. Quinn sworn and testified /
was employed by Sheriff Code to help
guard his prisoner, James Fowler. We
stayed at Mcllugh's until about O'CLOCK,
and when we thought everything was
! quiet we started with the prisoner for
Codes cabin. Just as we reached the
! ,hn
came from behind the house and put
ting their revolvers against us, pushed
us into the house and ordered us to
keep quiet. They had ken the pris-
oncr away from Us, and | did not see
any more of him until l went up on the
| hill with the coroner and found him
/ hanging to tree. We cut him down
and took him to the room where he
now Is. did not recognize any person
in the crowd as all were masked and
but few words were said.
| Frank Peters was sworn and testified
substantially the same as previous wit
ness.
Patrick McIIugh sworn and testified
1 | was not acquainted with the deceased
as James Fowler but know him as Ely
Speckcd Billy" for the past five years.
left horse with him and corn to feed
il pe+s--eavs.u Wfliie | went east.
When came back he told me that the
horse had got away and was lost.
bought another of him, and when i got
To Deadwood Geo. Metcalf claimed the
horse as one stolen from him some time
previous On Sunday SAW Ely Speck-
ed Billy" in my saloon. He had a re-
volver and kept pointing it at man
who was with him, making him go and
come at his command. | told him to
/ put the revolver up, which he did and
said he would 90 to camp. l next saw
him i'm the charge of the sheriff, who
brought him to my place and kept him
there until about o'clock ut night. Mr..
Mcliugh testified as to the removal of
the prisoner about the same as previous
witnesses. Further, that he was seized
| by the crowd and showed up against the
house. He told them that he was not
a deputy and they could take the pris-
oncr if they wanted to for all him, he
did not care. The crowd divided some
running off with the prisoner, while the
rest put the officers into the house /
started to follow them to sec what they
were going TO do, but | ran against
double barrelled shotgun and went no
further The crowd handled the sheriff
rather rough but did not appear to want
TO hurt him. Fowier's reputation was
about the worst Of any one in the coun-
try.
S. NJ. Booth sworn and testified:
have often seen the deceased in 1877
and '7s. He was an associate Of Tony
Pastor, Van Camp, Carroll and Lame
Johnney Their rendezvous was at Point
of Rocks below here; they were all
horse thievesPn robbers.
NJ Dempsey sworn and testified sub
stcn:ially as previous witness.
Wm Ackly sworn and testified as to
the arrest Of deceased saw him after
ward hanging on pine tree when he
was cut down. The trail leading up the
hill looked as if he had been dragged to
the place where he was hanged.
oliver c. Garthwait gave his testi-
mony as to cutting down Of the body.
In accordance with the above facts
the following verdict was rendered.
TERRITORY OF DAKOTA, !
). 80 COUNTY or. C'lsrER
An inquisition holden at Custer City,
Custer county, Dakota territory, on the
eth and 9Th days of February, 1881, be-
fore OLIVER c, Garthwait, coroner Of
said county, upon the body Of james
Fowler, alias ely Specked Billy" there
laying dead by the jurors whose names
. are hereto subscribed. The said jurors