Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-13

AFres. - Matthew Morrison on the
Charge Of Aarderiag George Hill.

Arres. - Matthew Morrison on the
Charge Of Narderisg George Hill.
Late Thursday evening 1t became ru-
mored in the city that a murder had
been committed, amsng the Den work
ing on the road in the Snoqualmie Pass,
and that parties supposed 10 be impli-
Gated In the affair had arrived in Seat
tie. The persons suspected were Thos.
Moran. John Rsardon and Thomas
Phelps, who had come down from New
castle on the coal train thursday after
noon. They were taken into custody
by Officer nelly and detained IN the
city jail all night; bat II seon became
evident that there was no evidence on
which to hold then, and Chief Wooiery
released them yesterday morning.
Ihe facts of the case are about as fol-
lows: On last Saturday evening about
: O'Clock a number of the workfnen en-
gagged on the Snoqualmie road were
lounQing in their hats on the shore OF
Lake kItchelas, when II was proposed
that some of them cross the lake TO a
saloon on the other side and procure
whisky for the crowd. In accordance
with this suggestion three of the men.
Matthew Morrison, Thomas Conner and
George Hill tos a small boat aud row
cd to the saloon in question: place
run bv a man Lsmed spencer. Here ali
the men INDUCED To agreater or less ex
tent In drinking and Hill, who WAS a
mere boy, became quite quarreisome
and was accordingly knocked down
once or twice by Tie accommodating
Morrison. After this The three left the
saloon and started On their return To
the camp. This is all that Is certainly
known, and Corners story must be Ia
ken for what followed. He says: when
We arrived at the boat HAl refused to
cross the lake IN the same boat with
Morrison, and after some conversation 1
got into canoe which was near and
asked Hill to come with me. he did 80,
and Morrison pushed of IN the skitf.
After We had started across In the canoe
Hill asked me whe ther ] could swim. /
told him that could, but did not care
to lust then. He then rocked the canoe
from side to side and acted In such an
imprudeut manner that did not judge
il safe to cross the lake with him. |
therefore landed and left Hill in the
canoe, while | borrowed lantern and
walked back to camp. l Went To bed
there at precisely 3 minutes before |
o'clock"
At 2 O'Clock, Spencer, the saloon
keeper, heard cries of murder, and tue
next morning the. body of young Hill
WAS found in the lake. Conner arrived
in this city yesterday and was taken in
to custody by Chief Woolery, the facts
q - ~. ana. mt IN a
tention. Suspicion, howev.r, pointed
much more strongly to the man Nor
rlson, who had not returned to the camp
after the affair and who had acted alto
getner in very strange manner. The
bad feeling existing between him and
Hill, and the sudden disappearance of
Morrison, when taken together, looked
very suspicious; and when it became
known that Morrison had been seen
making his way toward Seattle, the en-
tire police force was instructed to keep
sharp look out for him.
Yesterday afternoon it WAS learned
that the suspected man had been seen
in Seattle, and preparations were made
for his capture. About o'clock last
evening he appeared on the street and
was Immediately taken into custody by
officers Kelly and Lind and taken to
Justice Cams office and put through a
course of questions. His story was
very much confused and he was i'm
pris0ned in the city Jail to await the
preliminary hearing, which will be held
this afternoon.
One of the very peculiar facts in tn is
case is that the entire gang should sud
denly leave work and post off toward
Seattle. Just what prompted this ac-
ton is a mystery. There is said to be
evidence against Morrison which is
KEEP, secret for the present, and which
il of very conclusive character.
The arrest was quietly and neatly
made, and the entire management of
the affair reflects credit upon our police
force, as we'll As upon Judge Cam at
whose Office the plans which led to the
capture were laid.