The river press., 1888-02-01
Where is Henry (Hank) Williams

Gu0 udppy pdA0AGS VI UL0 OIiSA0 duo S1OOul
at their home on the bank of the Teton.
Where is Henry (Hanl) Williams?
A few days ago we gave an account OF
the finding of a valise near the junction of
the Highwood and Shonkin roads about
six miles from Benton The valise is sup
posed to belong to Henry (Hank) Williams
man who worked for three months at
one of Peck & Lacy's ranches. About a
month ago he quit and came to town for
few days. He then engaged to work
for some one on Highwood, whose name
we could not ascertain. He purchased
hat, suit of clothes and valise at the house
posed, went out to Highwood to work
Last Sunday the valise was found setting
on snow drift in plain view, but some
distance from the travelled road, by
Messrs. Lacy, Packard and Evans. It was
brought to town and left at the RIVER
PRESS office for Identification and delivery
to the owner. On Monday evening while
Mr.. Sol Genzberger, of the house of Cans
& Klein, was standing at the desk at the
rear end of the store man came in with
a bundle of bedding and said he had been
requested to leave it there. Mr.. GEM
berger enquired the owners name, and
was told that the blankets were tagged
with the owners name and he would call
for them. Mr.. Genzberger was not near
enough to recognize the man who left the
bundle and has no idea who it was. The
blankets bore the name of Hank Williams.
Several days have elapsed since then and
yet nothing has been heard of the suppos-
ed owner of the valise and bundle of
blankets. The belief is growing stronger
that the man perished on the prairie dur
ing the late severe weather. 1t is sup
posed he started to walk to town carrying
the valise with him, and leaving his bun
die of blankets to be brought in by some
one with a team. The party in whose
charge the blankets were left delivered
them as he was instructed, and had no
knowledge Of the fact that Williams had
failed to reach town. So the matter
stands. Williams may have wandered off
the road and perished; or he may have
found the valise too heavy to carry further,
and left it. and sought shelter at some
friendly ranch on the Shonkin, and will
turn up in due time. We fear the worst,
however, as residents of both Highwood
and Shonkin have been coming in every
day this week and nothing can be heard
of the missing man. It seems to US that
a search party should be organized and an
effort made to find out whether he is dead
or alive.
LATER.
This afternoon after the above was i'm
type, we met Mr. Michael Lynch of the
Weasked if he knew Williams,
and told him the circumstances stated
above. Mr.. Lynch then gave US the fol-
lowing information: About a week ago
while he was at his coral feeding his cat
tie, which was between ten and eleven
o'clock IN the morning, man came from
the direction of upper Highwood walking
and carrying valise hung over his
shoulder by small rope or strap-he
could not tell which. The weather was
very cold and Mr.. Lynch proceeded
with his work while the stranger went
to the house, Mr.. Lynch supposing he
would stay to dinner. The man staid
awhile and then said he would proceed on
his journey. Mrs. Lynch invited him to
stay to dinner, but he declined the invita-
ton, saying he wanted to reach Benton
that night. Mr.. Lynch's place is about
sixteen or eighteen miles beyond where
the yalise was found, proving that it must
have been dark by the time Williams
reached that point. With these facts at
hand there is little doubt but that vii
liams became lost and bewildered, wan
dered from the road and perished If
alive he would, without doubt, have been
heard from before this. A party should
be sent out to search for his body.
Voorhees, Introduces Bill for Admission of
Montana.
4