The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-06-23
WILDER Hung Himself.
A Desperate Ends his
Career.
They Will Convict Me
This Time"
The Murderer Of the In
nocents Goes to
his Doom.

About midnight Friday night noise
was heard in one If the upper iron cages
OF the county Jail, as though something
heavy had dropped.
4 The other prisoners thought that some
one had fallen out Of his bunk. No fur.
ther notice was taken Of the matter until
about O'Clock this morning, when the
]allor went his rounds and upon looking
into the cell where Willber was confined
ne was seen hanging from the top of his
cell, cold, stiff and dead.
The news of Wilber's suicide spread
through the city like wildfire. Crowds
rushed to the Jail to know the facts.
Sheriff Downing finally gave orders per
mltting the citizens to go in and see the
body as it was found.
His final deed was in perfect keeping
with the demon he has shown himself to
be by his life's conduct. No one but a
fiend incarnate could have conceived and
carried out such means for self-de-
struction. Tearing wide strip off the
blanket on his bed he tied it for a loop
near the top of his cell. For han gman' e
rope he tore a strip off the FELLOWSHIP
| made of new and heavy cotton. Taking
his silk handkerchief he tied hi is right
wrist and ankle together
He then slipped his head into the pre-
pared moose, his body all the time reclin-
ing on his couch. He made slip knot,
into which he put his left ankle and fas-
tened his left wrist to the ankle. Both
feet being thus drawn up so that they
would not touch the floor when he fell, he
rolled himself off the bed and, in mo-
ment was dangling corpse.
It is evident that he contemplated this
deed from the time he was put into the
cell. He said to Il colored fellow pris-
oner, early in the evening, ''They couldn't
convict me OF killing the herd boy, but
they will have no trouble in convicting
me now"
His wife was in during the evening
and had short talk with him in pres
ence Of the jailor and upbraided the Of
ficers here for their earnestness in follow
ing and experimenting him.
To the disposition he has made Of him
self the community can now make no
demurrer-and we are sure no one would
desire to bring back such a monster, that
he might have another chance, through
n%h <o
eludc his just deserts.
Probate Judge Dyas, acting coroner,
summoned jury who Immediately enter
ed upon their duties, cut the suicide down
and thoroughly examined the body and
the appliances Of decease. The sworn
testimony Of his fellow prisoners was
taken at the jail They all testified to
hearing, about 8 o'clock AMI about mid
night, noises like the falling Of heavy
body in the cell above them, where Will
ber was contined: also that he told them
the night before that he could not be con
victed at Cheyenne Of the murder Of the
herd boy; but there would be no difficult
ty in convicting him Of the murder of the
five people on the Judith; also that he
didn't think they would be troubled with
trying him.
The jury then adjourned to
Judge Dyas' office, where several
witnesses were examined - among
them DR.. Gordon, Carrie Curtis, Jailor
Yates aud Mrs. WILDER. His Honor
Judge Dyas also 'rade statement, from
his own knowledge, Of certain important
facts in the history of WILDER and his
wife. County Attorney Taylor, by re-
quest of Judge Dyas, assisted in the ex-
animation.
The examination, which occupied the
larger portion of the day, proved conclu
sively that it was not possible for anyone
to get into his cell and that the hanging
could not have been done by anyone ex-
cept himself Followingis is the verdict of
the coroner's jury:
TERRITORY OF MONTANA, iss
COUNTY OF CASCADE.
At the inquisition holden at Great
Falls in the county of Cascade on the
22nd day of June, A. D. 1889, before me,
John P. Dyas, acting coroner of said
county, upon the body of James WILDER,
there lying dead, by the jurors whose
names are hereunto subscribed, the said
jurors upon their oath, do say that the
said James Wilber came to his death
about the hour of eleven o'clock p. H.,
June 21st, 1889, by strangulation at his
own hands By means of pieces of strips
torn from the bedding contained in the
cell of the county jail, at Great Falls,
Montana, in which said deceased was
then confined.
In testimony whereof, the said jurors
have hereunto set their hands the day
and year aforesaid.
ERNEST CRUTCHER.
JOHN CLINTo'
JOHN X. CAsTNEK,
]. A. MAckN1GHT,
II. R1NGwALD.
DR.. Gordon, at the request of the coro-
ner, made an examination OF the body
while it was yet hanging in the cage and
the following report:
JUNE 22nd, 1SS9.-1O a. MI, Robert