, 1885-05-31
FOUL MURDER
A Deserter From the Army Shot
and Thrown Into a GuIch.
A Deputy Sheriff in Hot Pursuit of
the Murderers.
FoRr FErrERalAN, May %.

FORT fErTERMAN, May ~.
One of the foulest murders that ever
blotted the history Of this section of the
territory, has just been brought to light
through an accidental discovery made by
a cowboy in the employ ofBoyd Brothers,
on roundup No. 6last evening, about one
mile from Sage creek station on the Nc
Kinney stage road. He was engaged in
herding cattle. and while riding along
watching the herd, his horse stopped near
a high bank overlooking a narrow, deep,
gulch filled with water. into which the rays
Of the sun were shining. CHANGING into
the water for an instant. the man thought
he saw something hka a human foot in
the narrow space where the sun was
shining. On riding a little further on out
of the suns rays the object was no longer
visible, and all was dark in the hole, but
returning to the spot where his horse fnst
stopped it was plainly visible again. His
curiosity being excited, he procured a long
pole, and dragged the bottom of the hole
bringing to the surface a mans boot. Now
thoroughly excited, yet scarcely conscious
that his worst fears were about to be real
lied, he threw his lariat over the boot
and dragged forth to mis- unspeakable hor-
ror, the body of n man apparently not
over 81 years old, which had evidently
but recently been thrown into the hole.
.oolr Ell,1 ur-t1 ro,1 49,, 81 o--.-I
the body to sink it, and a bullet hole in
the back of the head, told the sickening
story of crime. A crowd of cowboys
soon gathered, and the body was
covered as well as possible, and a man
dispatched to Fetterman for the coroner.
1t was too late to return to the scene of
the murder when the man arrived here
last night, but at an early hour this MORN
ing, Justice Slaymaker, having impan-
neled a coroner jury, started for the spot
and held an inquest.
An examination of the ground in the
neighborhood of tho place, showed that
the body had been dragged for some dis
lance from where the man was killed.
There was a pool of blood, lying at the
spot where the murder occurred, and near
it the feathers ola sage hen. From the
position of the feathers, and other marks
on the ground, it was evident that the
deceased was plucking the chicken, when
he received the fatal shot. The ball en-
tered the back OF the neck and went
through the head. Powder marks were
visible in the head and neck, showing
that the murderer stood directly over his
victim. The deceased was dressed in a
complete suit of ducking, such as is issued
by the Government to soldiers. and his
undertaking was also the same as is
worn by privates in the army. There
were no papers about his person, nor any
other means of Identification; he is sup
posed to be one of the men who deserted
from the 9Th cavalry which passed through
here recently.
The station master at Sage creek. testi-
fed to having seen deceased on Sunday
last, in company with two other men. who
called at the ranch for a drink Of water.
They were afoot, and deceased was car
rying a heavy piece of canvas and a car
bine. One of the men with deceased
was dressed in a citizens suit of dark
clothing, was short, dark complexioned,
with sunken cheeks. and no beard. The
other was also dressed in dark clothes,
was short, and apparently not over 90
years old.
The statement OF the station keeper
was correlated by other Witnesses who
saw the three men together. Several
parties testified to having seen the two
men go north on the Mckinney road, one
of them carrying The carbine and piece of
canvas seen in possession of the deceased
on Sunday. The %coroner's jury rendered
the usual verdict.
A party in from Brown springs this
evening, reports that two men answering
the description Of those seen with deceased
on Sunday, were at that station this
morning. Deputy Sheriff Reid has start
ed on their trail and will doubtless over
take them tomorrow. A feeling of hor-
ror pervades the entire community, and
it IS sincerely hoped hat the perpetrators
of this horrible crime, will meet with the
speedy justice they deserve.
GEo. W. METcALF.