The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-07

changed their residence to Montana.
They there met John @. O'Brian. whom
they recognized as John ID. Keller, the
slayer of Badgerly. They communi-
Gated this information to Marshal Dyer,
short time ago. and that official. &C
compauied by Deputy Marshal Hol-
land, Immediately left for Butte, arriv-
ing there last Monday. On that day
Keller was arrested by the deputy sher
III at Woodville, small town near
Butte. Keller was immediately lodged
in Jail, and to a Miner reporter,
made the following statement:
HIS STORY.
~ am an old soldier. having served
the government through the war under
General P. Edward Conner. came to
Utah in 1861 from California. and was
then mustered out July 81, 1866; my
name is John G. D 'Brien."
do you know anything about the
murder they have charged you with 2"
was asked him.
| never heard of it before. have
been in Montana eighteen or twenty
years. Taught school in Meagher
County and IN Lewis and Clark County {;
have worked at carpenter work, and
am carpenter by trade. l have worked
for DIR. Mitchell at Deer Lodge-he
knows me well. came to Butte, and
being an old mining prospector, located
,everal mines and sold them for mere
rifle. moved to Woodville about a
month ago with my wife and family.
NV daughter Kitty is working at the
dress making business st Helena"
How is it, Mr.. O'Brien, that you
have been taken for Mr.. Keller? ?"
Il don't know anything about this
business l am charged With. was at
work mining when these officers ar.
rested me one day. It's game put up
Nv parties here to get m" NINE" He
then gave an account of number of
mInes ne had located and sold.
"Did YOU ever meet in Utah man
named Badgerly?'
II cont know anything about him
or his being killed. sent my discharge
papers to Washington last year. Was
.lded in doing so by Mr.. Kessler, but
don't like to mention that or bring
nv family into this matter any more
than I can help. l didn't get any pen
sion herause was not cIipl led in the
service"
were you injured in any manner
during the war;"
YES, I was shot in the knee and In
the ankle. and was hit on the head with
a cInhhed gum"
"Then, Mr.. O'Brien. you know
nothing of this crime for which you are
arrested?"
ABSOLUTELY nothing. know many
of Brigham Young's destroying angels
are hanging around here, and they have
got it in for me-"
where were you in 1870, 1871, ami
1922"
Il don't know-my wife could tel.
You see have drank too much liquor
IN nv time. That's the cau>e IF all my
troubles; that's what has injured me !;
but have many friends here.
"Have you ever killed a MANI"
Eyes, have killed several men when
I was soldier, but none since then.
Some of them were jack-Mormons
dressed up like indiana"
Since his arrival here, Keller has
CHANGED HIS TACTICS,
md no longer denies that Keller was
be name by which he was known here
but says it was his soldier name,''
O'Brien being his real name. He ad-
mits that he killed Badgerly. and gives
| the following account of the affair:
"He had been discharged from the
army, and was working a mine at
stockton. Bsdgerly, whom Keller ha
known as q soldier, deserted and came
to Stockton. The other did not tell on
him because be old not uish to get him
into trouble. Badgerly began paying at
tentlons to young lady of Keller's &C.
quaintance, whom the latter warned. as
ne thought his former comrades char
acter was not good. The girl told
Badgerly. who determined 10 get even
He armed himself and went to Keller's
cabin, where he fred four shots at the
latter, who was saved by the in'erfer
ence of his wife. Next dav Keller wen
to the saloon. and upon his wlfes adj
| wise, took his revolver along
n case Badeerly should make
mother attempt on his life
At the saloon the two men met, anc
the quarrel was renewed Badgerly
vent b b nd the bar for gun, and was
in The act of levellng it at Keller. who
mad stopped down to conceal himself
when the latter got in the first shot
hitting Badgerly in the mouth. The ba
came out at the back, severing the j1g-
Iular vein. Keller raised his weapon t.
fire again. when BadgerIy staggered ant
fell, expiring in few minutes.
Toe murderer was brought to. Sal
Lake, where Thomas Fitch was EN-
lployed to defend him. He got him ad