Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1885-05-06

A most shocking and cold-bloodcd
murder occurred on Sunday, April 26, in
the Agard Bottom, in the extreme north
western corner of Emmons county. The
man murdered was named August LEM,
and clrcumstantial evidence points with
almost absolute certainty toward Chester
Gilbert and Frank Mills as the murdcrcrs
The facts brought out at the inquest were
to the effect that the murder was COM
mitted to gam possession Of a paltry gold
watch, rifle and a belt of cartridges, all
OF which were stolen from the place. AS
an illustration Of the GOODNESS and delib,
Grafton of the assassins, it is stated that
after committing the crime the carefully
locked the door and took the key with
them. The body of Lcnz was found
Wednesday by Mcssrs. Persons aud Ga.
ger, who were his ncighbors was
at Gagcrs house on Sunday, and the two
planned to go to Bismarck on Monday,
Lcnz arranging to leave the key of his
shack with Persons, that the latter might
eat lunch inside while at work near his
place. Lenz failed to put in an appear.
ancc Monday, and eager went to the city
alone. Persons went to work near LEM S
place, and at noon, finding the door
locked, sat down in front Of the shack to
eat. After lunch he placed a paper be-
hind the hasp of the lock, that LEM
might know he had been there. This was
on Monday. AS Lcnz did not appear
Tuesday, Persons and eager went to his
place Wednesday morning, and found the
paper undisturbed. This aroused their
dow they saw the dead body of the mur-
dered man. An examination showed that
Lenz had been shot while in sleeping
position, the ball entering just below the
right eye and coming out at the back Of
his neck. The bullet could not be found,
and it probably went into or between the
logs of the house. Deceased was about
26 years of age.
Gilbert and Mills. the men implicated,
have been living in the neighborhood for
some time, and disappeared on the night
of the murder Hugh Stevenson, son of
County Treasurer Donald Stevenson, sold
Mills a pony. The feet of the animal
were of a peculiar shape, those in front
being broad and the hind ones narrow.
Tracks were discovered in the vicinity of
the murder which were undoubtedly made
by this pony, and this fact at once directed
suspicion toward Mills
On Friday morning Hugh Stevenson
went out to the herd shack and found
that Mills had not been there since Sun
day, and that Chet Gilbert, who had been
stopping in Buchanan's Valley, left Sun
day forenoon. The next seen of them
they were at Alexander Mcdonald s, some
five miles from Lenzs shack. Mr.. Nc
Donald started for Sunday school in the
afternoon, and Mills and Gilbert accom-
panied him short distance, stating that
they were going to Craze their ponies on
the hill. Mcdonald had proceeded but a
short distance when he looked back and
saw the two men going toward his house.
Not suspecting anything wrong. he went
on, but upon returning from Sabbath
school found the window raised and his
revolver and cartridge-belt gone. This
was the last seen of Mills and Gilbert. It
is thought their objective point is the
Saskatchewan country.
As will be seen by the advertisement in
third column of this page, the Board of
County COMMISSIONS ers at their meeting
yesterday offered reward of $500 for the
apprehension of the suspected men. In
addition to this, it is believed Gov Pierce
will offer further amount. 1t is to be
hoped that the newspapers Of the terri.
tory will give prominence to the pub
lished description of the fugltives, to the
end that, if guilty, they may soon dance
| between heaven and earth.