The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-10-10
BEHIND BARS FOR LIFE
Steve Hatiler Found Guilty Of Murder
10 the Second Degree.
HOW HE SHOT GUS TURNER
Turner. He Said, Threatened TO
Take His Gun Away From
Him and Do Rim-The
Prisoners Story.
Special TO the Standard.

Special 10 the Standard.
DEER LODGE, Oct. 9.-The trial Of Steve
Mattlcr, charged with the murder Of Gus
Turner al Garrison on August 4, was
ended this morning, when the jury, after
remaining out all Wednesday night,
brought in verdict finding the prisoner
guilty of murder in the second degree, and
fixing his punishment at Imprisonment in
the state prison for the period of his
natural life. The jury, before agreeing
upon their verdict, stood :hree for murder
in the first degree and nine for murder in
the second degree. The prosecution was
conducted by County Attorney Shaw, as
sisted by j. II. Duffy, while the defense
was represented by William ]. Galbraith,
of Deer Lodge, and c. II. Baldwin, of
Townsend.
The principal witness for the prosecu-
ton was John O'Neill, proprietor of
the O'Neill house at Garrison. He said
that on the morning of the shoot
ing three men, of whom Mattler
was one, ate breakfast at the hotel
Mattler said TO the Others; ~ will
show you how TO get three meals for
dollar.n He threw a dollar down on the
bar and Turner, the attendant, said he
wanted $3.50. Mattler said, "You take
that or go to h-l.n The witness told
Turner TO take that and let him 90. After
few more words he went out and about
five minutes afterward he came back.
He went around To the east end of the
hotel. O'Neill went 10 sec what he
wanted; he grabbed n big pistol which
was stuck in his trousers and said, "lf
you don't get away | will plug hole
through you.n O'Neill went around the
corner 20 the first door at the east end Of
| the building and just then saw Turner
come out Of the door Of the sloreroom.
| Turner went up to Mattler at the
east end OF the platform and said
"Gou go away from here; you have made
trouble enough and with that Matt.
Ter pulled the pistol. Turner tried
20 throw his arm up and get hold of il.
Turner got away from him about six feet
when he fired. AT the first shot they were
standing at the end Of the platform. Az
the second shot they were between six
and eight feet apart, and Turner was try.
ing 10 get away. There was only about a
second between the firing of the first and
second shots. At the third shot Turner
was near hole, and when the third sho,
was fired Turner fell in the hole. lie was
shot in the back.
Mattler took the stand In his own de
fense. He said he arrived at Garrison on
the morning of August in box car will
two other men. He gave one of them q
two-dollar bill and told him TO get som,
whisky at the hotel. The defendent drank
some of the whisky and IL made him sick
at his stomach. After the dispute will
Turner over the dollar. Mattler said h,
went out looking for place where h,
might vomit, so i'll did he feel. When h,
was bending over, SOME one, who il wal
he did not know, struck him on the bacl
of the neck. The defendent continued:
was daled at the time, and turned and sly
O'Nelll and Turner. Inrner made a rush at m
and swung his hand and struck me on the lcI
side Of the neck. and ] Icrked out my gun 4
strike him with Il. He threw up his left hand /
catch my right hand; he had hold of my coa
collar; he was more powerful man than ] an
He looked at me and said. "Nou -
Will take that and blow your brains out with II,
and with that turn released his mold on IN
coat collar aud made grab for the gun, and III
gun went OF and shot over Turner.
jcrked loose from Turner, hut ! was not an
more than free before ] got in his gras
again. holered "StOp, stopl" but he came Ol
and shot Then To warn him of. AZ the trin
Ot The second shot We were getting down tuwar
the hole: got loose from him there lie ha
hold Uf me when the second shot was fired, aud
was running from Turner and looking back !
, him over my shoulder, watching him. | ho
Tered, "St0p, stop lie said, "Iou -- -
-, will get you, and that i AL heard,
|. was excited and he threw me Oii my balance, Jan
| came pretty near falling, and he was near n
and cried "Nou -- - -, | will .,
you" AT the time Of the third shot l
= made demonstration t0 grab me, an
, he could not have been further of tina
/. step. ! was born nj Lafayette, Tipp
canoe county, Ind, May ISIS. My father
living at present at Indianapolis, and Is an alto
ney at law. left home In 1882. My mother
dead. lived with my father up 10 isGs or lsG
had been In Montana before the dltilcllty
I Garrison. ! have been IN Texas, New MeNic
: Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Montana al
, Oregon,
Other witnesses testified that Turn'
+, was scuiiling with the witness when IL
: shooting took place.