, 1890-02-20

-Trumble was a deputy sheriff at Lusk,
but had been relieved Of his commission
after playing fast and loose several weeks.
When appointed he was a reliable and
efficient officer. but took to drink, becsns
IN sbsinthe fend and being really o,azy
a greater portion of the time.
Red Bill Miley, who had been a BOW
outfit cook and a horse "~wranRler." anne
into Lusk 10 the fall Of 1886 and went on
a spree. BE confied to a woman of the
town that he was a member of a band Of
thieves who held a bunch of stolen horses
near Lusk. The woman told Tumble
and he took Miley into custody. After
his story was learned many shrewd men
Of Lusk concluded that the fellow was
simply = liar aud a seeker for notoriety.
Tumble thought he had made . great
capture and in the hope of retrieving in an
official way set about to capture the imag-
mary gang Of desperadoes. When Miley
sobered he retracted his yarn. hut Trum-
BILE would not hear to this and proceeded
to force a confession. The prisoner VS.
frightfully maltreated. He was taken out
on the prairie and dashed on the bare
back with a blacksnake. Trumble kept
his prisoner with him and often jerked
him about violently by the handouts.
Firm citizens finally ~interposed and in
sisted that Miley be detained no lonssr.
Trumble released his prisoner in .
crowded saloon one evening. After tho
manasles were removed the self-oonsti-
tuted officer asked:
Are you a friend Of mine. Miley?"
II don't see how l can be after you
have treated me so. Charley" was the
response.
Trumble drew his revolver and repeated
the question. forcing this answer:
Il presume 1 must be under these con
ditions."
At this there was a lash aud pistol re-
port and Miley fell to the floor. blood
gushing in a stream from his breast. He
groaned p~iteously a few times. gasped
once or twice and died. Trumble was
arrested and brought to Cheyenne.
The killer was indicted at the Novem-
Der. 1886, term. Trial was had in June.
1887. and a verdict of guilty of murder in
the first degree returned the evening of
the 18th inst. The court room wal
crowded to its utmost capacity when
Judge Maeinnis pronounced the death
sentence July 81. fixing Oct. IA, follow
ing. as the day OF execution. A stay of
proceedings to the date set for hanging
was granted in August. Nov. IL, Asso-
ciate Justice Blair issued a further stay to
hold until tho cause could be reviewed by
the supreme court.
A new trial was ordered June 6. of last
year. In December, 1889, the court OF
this county, under the act creating Con-
verse county, ordered the prisoner trans
ferred to Douglas for a lsw trial. Pre-
parations for his trial were coincident
with correspondence between his counsel
and Prosecuting Attorney Harvey, of
Converse. looking to acceptance of a
plea of guilty to manslaughter by Trum-
BILE. and such an understanding was
reached with the result given above.
Trumble's trial here was very ssnsa-
tional. Nearly 100 witnesses were In
attendance, and papers throughout the
country followed the case closely. Walter
r. Stoll made a vigorous and able prose
c%ution. while Judge ]. j. Rowan exerted
himself in defense. 1t was urged that
Tumble feared violence at the hands OF
Miley, but the evidence established the
fact the dead man had been maliciously
murdered.