The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-01-01
CLARK HANGED.
An Account of the Awful
Murder.
What the Doomed Man Had
To Say.
His Last Minutes-Scene at
The Jail Yard.
MURDER MOST FOUL.

murder was pubIlshed IN our weekly
issue of June 9th, 1888:
1t seems that T. Rogers (the murdered
mani and Peter Lyman had been work
ing on the railroad near Bozeman, and
BY industry anil frugality had accumulat-
ed about $500, which Rodgers carried on
his person. On last Wednesday they
started for Gardiner with a wagon, a
team Of horses and a camping outfit, in
tending to 60 to the Clarke's Fork mines.
While on their journey they stopped in
Rocky canyon and bought some liquor,
Rodgers paying for it, and displaying a
large roll of green backs, This caught
the eye of man named Clark, who was
hanging about the place, and he set to
work to make the acquaintance of the
travellers and finding out their destina-
ton. Learning they were ignorant of
the geography of the country, he volun-
teered to join the party, as he would be
of great assistance to them in packing,
etc. Clark preceded the party to the
Mountain House, where it seems he got
his dinner, pawning therefor his gun.
When Rodgers and Lyman came along
he joined them. When they reached
Pine creek, small tributary of Trail
creek and about five miles from the Vel
lowstone valley, he informed them that
there was the best and only camping
place for some miles. After going into
camp Clark proposed to Rodgers to go up
the creek and fish, and suggested that
they had better take gun along as they
might come across blacktail deer, which
were abundant in that section. They
had not been gone long before Lyman
heard three shots iu rapid succession.
He started up and met Clark, who asked
him to 60 and get butcher knife or axe
for the purpose Of cutting up the carcass
of deer, which he said they had killed.
Suspicious of foul play entered the mind
of Lyman, and instead of complying with
Cark's request he went to camp and
pinned a scrap Of paper on the tent as
follows:
ct. Rogers: Stay in camp till l get
back" PETER LYMAN.
He then went up Trail creek to the
cabin Of Congers Smith, staying there all
night. Next morning he went back to
camp. found the bed undisturbed and
the horse gone. He returned to Smiths
cabin, and together they went up Pine
creek, and into the brush where the
shots had been fired and found the body
Of Rogers. Two shots had entered the
body, one near the point of the chin and
another under the jaw. Rogers sns-
penders had been taken off and tied
around his neck, and by this means the
from the ned pJhnnt six steps. A roll
tanning $3.50, which was in another pocket
was untouched. The discoveries OF tllis
bloody scene Immediately secured help'
and upon complaint before Justice DAVIS
a warrant was issued and placed IN the
hands of constable Hineman. The pnf
suing party went down the Yellowstone
ord found that a man answering Clark
descr;ntion had been at Andy Ringolds
bv,s about 12 o'clock at night and ha'
| boucht some whisky; seemed to b
very much excited, and when aske'
where he was going said he did no
know where. Farther down at saloo
inst above the canyon it. was learne
that about two a. m., on the same n'g'
loud knocking had been heard, but III
answered. A little further on Roger
team was discovered, apparently hav'i
heen abandoned. Mr.. White Calfee, wi
had ioined the party, Immediately reco
n;zed from the description who the me
was 1t seems Clark had worked Il
him, and while in his employ had co
f;ded to him an attachment he had fo'
Miss Hawks, who with her parents
side near Livingston, and Calfee ma
\ sure that there they would find TN
man. To make long story short, y
foes conclusions were right and Cia
was captured at Hawks place. The
counts are conflicting, as to the recove
of the money, but from all accounts
had money at the time, although at
Mountain House he was destitute.
,ro,vod an examination and was brou'
to Bozeman.
THE STORY OF JOHN A. CLARK.
Twas born in Virginia, on the
aav of January, 1852, and lived on
father's farm until March, 1868, wh'
left for California. In 1862 served
nine months in the sth Virginia ca's
After being discharged Ileft for the v
and arrived in Pioneer City in June,
Here mined until 1870. when
. hack to the States with $1,000; stol
at home during the winter OF lS7o-1
Nav 1871 went to South America
landed at Benyagon on the "rd OF :
1871: went through the RepuDlc
Peru, Argentine, Parguary, chill
Central America; was in these kepu
eleven months. Left Gautamaiia
September, 1872 and came to san
cisco in October, 1872; staid there
week, when left for Missoula' Mon
stald all winter at Missoula; III \
left for Elk Creek, Deer Lodge CO
and mined there until the latter p
Auoust 1873. Left Deer Lodge in
ember. 1878 for Walla Walla, Was
ton Territory, to spend the winter
ried the United States mail from
some to Perla Lake, Idaho, for III
g. W;tcher, until January 1873. !
snr;no Of 1875 run the ferry ov
Pen dOrille, on the trail to II
British Columbia, until August,
left here in August, 1876, for
~ Oregon; in September, 1876, was
If man on the steamer, Mountain
~ from the Dallas to the Cascades, a
in the employ of this compan
sentember, 1876, to the middle o
1877. In May, 1877, left for Lew
Idaho, and on my arrival there
out to General Howard as train
on the Nez Pcrce campaign, ant
with him until November, 1871.
ards pack-train men were PAID
dispatched to Walla Walla, W