Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1889-04-24
WAS 1T VALENTINE ?
HUMAN SKELETON FOUND NEAR
THE KIBBEY- ROAD.
The Theory Offered that il is the Re-
mains of Valentine Who Was
Murdered by Stoner Some
Years Ago.

A TRIBUNE representative accompani-
ed the county commissioners in their
tour of road inspection in the eastern
portion of the country. We traversed
nearly all the settled portion Of that sec
ton and had occasion to note many evi
dences Of progress and of rapid settle
ment at nearly all points. An account in
detail Of the trip will be given in a future
issue, the purpose Of this article being
to relate an incident Of the journey some
what unusual and one that was of special
interest to the scribe.
Upon reaching Kibbey we learned from
Judge Larkin that human skeleton had
been found a day or two before near the
steep grade on the Kibbey ant. Mccarthy |
road, about seven miles from the former |
place. As this was one Of the roads to be
inspected, we started early the next
morning up Limestone creek, accompan-
led by Judge Larkin, and upon arriving
at the grade mentioned commenced u
search for the skeleton and soon succeed
ed in locating it. The bones had not
been disturbed by the party who first saw
them. They were lying beneath pine
tree on the hillside about five rods from
the road and were somewhat scattered.
The bones were gathered in pile by the
party aud as we'll as we could judge, con-
stituted q complete skeleton. They were
in fairly good state of preservation and
in the general opinion of the party it was
not more than four or five years since
they were encased in flesh and blood.
Near by was found some clothing which
proved on investig cation to have been
canvas coat with flannel lining. Moth
ing else of interest bearing upon the
case was found. The skull was appro-
priated and brought to the city to be ex-
amined while the remaining bones were
given as good burial as possible, Judge
Larkin acting as master Of ceremonies.
A solution Of the mysterious find was
naturally sought and Judge Larkin as an
old timer was counted on to furnish it.
He said he had been living in that sec
ton nine years and knew Of no case OF
mysterious disappearance, so that he had
but one theory to offer. Some four years
ago Steve Stoner, a Highwood ranchman,
murdered man he had employed, sim
ply to avoid paying him wages
due. When circumstances began to point
to Stoner's guilt he fed the country and
has not since been heard from. 1t was
then remembered that a man named Val
entine, who had worked for Stoner near
ly two years, had suddenly disappeared
some time before and the belief became
general in the neighborhood that he, too
had been murdered by stoner. Valentine
could get no money from his employer
and he decided to go to Barker and work
a few months until Stoner was ready to
pay him. He was accompanied portion
of the way on this trip and, as the story
| goes, that was the last ever seen of Val
entine. Now the place where the skele-
| ton was discovered is on the direct route
from Hlghwood to Barker and it is not
only possible but highly probable that
the skeleton was that of Stoner's first vic
tim! The place was then fit for the COM
mission of such deed. No one then
lived within six miles of the place. The
murderer could have been protected from
possible view by the clumps of scrubby
pine surrounding, and the loneliness of
the place is well shown by the fact that
the remains were not found until this late
date. There is certainly fair reason to
believe that Valentine, the first victim Of
the fend Stoner, died on that bleak noun
tain side. Until some better theory is Of
fered we are ready to accept Judge Lar
kin's view of the case. -
The skeleton was that of man above
medium size. A portion of the scalp was
found on which few hairs still remained.
They are fine in texture and Of light
color, which conclusively proves that the
remains are not those Of an Indian, a
theory that was for time thought ten
able,