Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-21
BUTTHTES MURDERED,
CHASTITY Discovery Of Their Remains
In Northern Wyoming by q Par.
ty Of P~rospect0rs.
Details Of the Deed rs Told by One OF
the Finders Of the Bodies Of
the Murdered Men.
Three Reputable Men Killed by One Of
Questionable Character-The
Murderer COnfesses.

On the goth of last May a party o
four prospectors started out from Butte t.
prospect OH the placer mines situate
about ten miles south from Jackson Lake
near the line between Wyoming and Idaho
and east OF the Teton Basin. They wer,
Henry Welter, T.. H. Tiggerman, Gus Kellen
berger and John Tonnar. The terrible new
was received in Butte to-day oil the mur
der OF the three first-named by Tonnar with
the following particulars rs stated by Mr.
Free, one OF the parties who discovered the
bodies of the murdered men:
A party of prospectors, consisting of W
Moberly, Frank Free andD. C. Radcliff had
been over to jackson Lake, and on their
way north they attempted to cross Snake
River, at a point about $50 miles from
Eagle Rock. Here they camped, and one
Of the party, Mr.. Free. went down to the
river to fish. After fishing awhile he MOTTO
ed a very bad smell brought by the wind,
which was blowing up stream. He thought
1T first that perhaps somebody had been
drowned. and 30 he went on down stream,
keeping watch. At q poiut where there
was a high gravel bluff, 200 feet in height,
perhaps, and crumbling into the river at
it's foot there was a sort OF round mound
made OF washed boulders. Mr.. Free look.
ed into a place where there was an open
space between the boulders and saw what
seemed to be q mans boot with blue over
alls sticking into it, as though it might be
a mans leg.
In another opening he could see part OF a
mans hand. He then summoned the rest
OF the party from camp, telling them wha
he had found. While looking at this
mound one of the party called attention
to another still larger mound, saying: IF
there is one man in this there must be two
in that" BY that time he had walked
over and found that a sickening smell
came from the boulders. On looking in
the crevices, clothing could also be seen
there. As it was late in the evening, they
decided to wait until morning before max
ing further explorations. So next morn
ing they opened the upper tomb, the large
one, and
FOUND TWO DEAD BoDIE
on the bluff side, with the head down
the river. The top of the head was
knocked off, as if with an axe. The body
measured about five feet eight inches. He
had on a woolen shirt aud blue overalls
and was bare-footed. His hair was dark
brown. He was lying face down. Decom-
position had so advanced that it would
have been impossible to identity him I'M
also contained a very large man, lying
with his head up stream. He was over
six feet, had brown hair and whiskets, and
wore high-laced shoes. His head was
smashed to pieces, and was tied up in a
grain sack. On opening this sack it was
found that the only portion of the head
which was not in fragments was the lower
jaw. The clothing was in such q condi-
that they conld not tell what it really was.
THE OTHER BoD
The second grave contained the remains
of a man about 5 feet 5 inches high. He
had on a white shirt, blue overalls, and
government shoes. It could not be ascer-
tanned how he was killed except that there
was a bruise on the head. He was lying
face down with his head down stream.
This was on the Sth OF August. After ex-
aminiug the bodies they were reburied, |
the spot marked by monuments, and the
deserted camp was examined. Here was
found a supply Of provisions, the usual
outfit contained in a prospector's camp,
and papers showing the names of the occu-
pants Of the camp to nave been T. H. Tig-
german, Henry Welter, and the third was
afterwards found to be Gus Kellenberger, |
all of Butte. An almanac found in the
camp goes to show that the murder (for |
it was afterwards proven to be) must |
have occurred on the 10th of July. as the |
in the almanac were checked up to |
that day.
THE MURDERER TRAILED.
The party left the deserted camp on the |
18th, starting toward Teton Basin. On |
the 18th a young man entered their camp |
and inquired OF them if they had seen any
thing OF the Dutchmen working over on the
river. He was told that they had not.
The young man then STATED that a man
named John Tonnar, who worked on a
hay ranch close by, belonged to the party
asked for, and said that Tonnar had told
the people in the neighborhood that while
was out hunting they had moved camp
he did not know where they did 60,
SO came over in the Basin to make a
living util he could find out where thew
we're. This aroused the suspicious of the
and they determined that u
TONyAR Vas H MURDERER.
Obtaining the assistance of Mr.. Lapham,
he Postmaster, and of q man named
ireen, who worked in q hay field close
", the party proceeded to the field where
Connar was employed, and captured him.
lie was then fastened to a horse and taken
the Office Of Mr.. Lapham. |;
COMPRISING THE GUILT.
After a short conversation with the muir
lerer. he confessed the deed, but claimed
hat he did it in self defense. He was kent {
'ound and under guard. The next day he
fas arraigned before a Justice of the Peace
It Roseburg, to which place he had been ]
AIKEN. In his evidence before the Magis-
rate, Tonnar claimed that the three mur.
men had been trying to get rid of him,
nd that on July Is he had a quarrel With |
hem. He said Tiggerman (the large man)
'anted to drown him and held him under
later. Next morning he asked Henry ,
Veiter ii he should 60 to work (they were /;
uiiding a ditch and whipsawing lumber). !
Velter replied, mo, Tonnar, we don't want
GU to go to work" Tonnar said, "Well,
hen, l will take my things and co." He
laimed that he was the only moneyed {