Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-26
Suicide Of the Wretch who
Probably Murdered the
Five People i'm Fergus.
FOUND HANGING IN HIS CELL
The CHASTITY Sight that Met the
( Sheriff's Gaze When He
Went to the Jail.
THE VICTIMS IDENTIFIED.

Helena People Who were Taking . Trip
to Upper Montana -TFele Names Given.
The story OF tho wife Wilber. the
Murderer and Suicide sstimony of
sl.1anee6sr .. the Corener's Inquest.
GREAT FALLS, June 22.-Tspecial to the
Miner by the Rocky Mountain Telegraph
Line .l-Great Falls was amazed to-day
when the news became known that James
Wilber, the murderer, had hanged himself
in his cell last night. Crowds Of people
went to the jail and were allowed tosee the
ghastly spectacle before the inquest. Sher-
iff Downey deemed it proper not to disturb
the remains.
Wilber was placed yesterday in the outer
cell OF the west side on the upper tier. Sol
Yates gave him his supper and at about 8
O'Clock he looked into the corridor leading
to the cells and gave the keys to Sheriff
Downey.
Az soon as the corridor was locked Will
ber evidently tried to kill himself. The
cotton strip which he used loosened and
he fell to the floor. Then he went more
deliberately to work
HE MADE MOOSE
out OF strip torn from blanket. He
placed this on the upper row OF grating.
Then he fastened cotton strip to his neck,
trying it securely. When all was ready he
swung himself from the upper bank in such
q manner that his feet rested against the
bars OF the cell wall. His hands were 80
tied that he could not release himself il
he would. This was the most devilish
feature of the act. Then he hung until
dead, which must have been in about
twenty minutes. He was heard to fall
against the bars, but no person suspected
what he was doing.
The body this morning, presented an aw.
full spectacle as with protruding tongue and
open mouth he hung from the cell grating.
THE MURDERED IMMIGRANTS
were avenged, but not by the law.
At the Inquest, which resulted in q yer.
dict OF suicide, Sol Yates, the jailor, said
that prisoner heard some groaning, last
night, and others spoke Of thud. "Wil-
Der said," continued Sol Yates, that he
did not know what he was arrested for. I
can tell YOU quick said. You are in
jail for numbering these people in the Ju-
dith. You traded off their horses and
wagon
MRS. WILDER, who was present, said she
gave him money to buy the wagon and
horses. Nonsense, says l, where did you
get money to give him2'
"She whimpered. told her the next time
she ought to marry preacher. She left
WILDER and blubbered like q baby. I
locked her up about 9:2O. No one except bis
wife and saw Wilber last night.'
Sol Yates then spoke OF
THE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN.
In answer to inquiries by DR.. Crutcher,
he said that at about or 4 o'clock he
searche thed cell. There were three linen
strips in it which were left there by Ida
Gulden.
When Downey came back he opened the
cell. WILDER was not inclined to talk.
"Jim," said I, this is the cell you riveted
yourself" referred to the time when he
was employed at the jail.
81 said at..the time, iokingly, Jim, yo1
had better leave few rivets loose foryour
self.' 'Wilber replied, mo one will ever put
me in jail again. Iwould die at the door
first"
Sol Yates then described how Sheriff
Downey came to the Jail this morning ut
about O'Clock, and on going to Wilber's
cell found him hanging from the grating,
dead. He had used piece OF blanket to
hang himself.