The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-28
CITY NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Editor Of the M~ontanian on
Bill Fairweather's Death
and Funeral.
Charley Phelps Demeanor While
on the Way to Blackfoot,
Idaho.
lie Library the Proceeds of the
Cor Suit.

One of the men whom Richard Jockey
says met Bill Fairweather in San Francisco
last winter 10 Conrad Kohrs, the cattle king
of Deer Lodge. He is expected here to-day.
Chief Justice Blake and State Treasurer
Hickman are anxious to see him. Both of
these gentlemen were in Virginia City in
August, 1875, and attended the funeral of
the man who took out the first pan of grav-
81 in Alder gulch. Judge Blake was at that
time editor of The Weekly Montanian. He
had a bound volume of the paper before
him yesterday containing a half column ac-
count of the death and funeral of Fair
weather. His death took place at Dailey's
ranch about fourteen miles below Virginia,
a place which WAS in the early
days the headquarters of the road
agents. Rev. 4. G. Tiff preached a very
eloquent sermon at the funeral services.
Treasurer Hickman says everyone ut Vir-
ginia united in giving Fairweather as good
a "send off" as possible. The
M~ontanian account puts Fairweather's
age at about 40 when he
died. He was born near Woodstock, N. H.,
and went to Maine when he was Is. After
the discovery Of gold in Alder Fairweather
went to the Northwest territory, going as
far north as Peace river and Stickeen, and
returned in 1874. Treasurer Hickman
talked with Richard Jockey yesterday
about his meeting Fairweather in Sau
Francisco about W months ago. Mr..
Jockey feels positive that he met the man
who is said to have been buried at Virginia
City On Aug. 25, 1876. He was introduced
to Fairweather by Conrad Kohrs in the
Palace hotel, San Francisco. Mar
tin Hotter and Warren G. Gillette
were present at the time. Judge
Blake thinks that the man Mr.. Jockey met
WAS probably one of the members of Fair
weather's party at the time gold was found
in Alder. Mr.. Jockey, however, is positive
that he was introduced to Fairweather.
When Mr.. Kohrs gets here from Deer Lodge
there will be al interesting session of the
old timers in the city who were acquainted
with the discoverer of Alder.
Marshal Furay is back from Idaho, where
he went with Charley Phelps, the Pocatello
murderer. On the way to %Blackfoot, where
he is to be tried, Phelps was in a good
humor at times, but at others he was very
0SpGOANSAAes MA ~ AAUbSt oCCd8lOAb lC
imbibed freely from a black bottle which
Marshal Furay carried as an antidote
against snake bites. As a preventative
against escape Phelps was kept handcufed
on the trip, except when eating his meals
with the Marshal and Deputy Sheriff Ross
in the dining car. The party left here
Thursday last, and were at Blackfoot next
morning. Marshal Furay found that the
town was in a measure divided into two
factions on the question of Phelps guilt.
His friends declared that he acted in self
defense, and his enemies held that it was a
cold blooded murder. Phelps himself SAYS
that when knocked down by Heber West
the latter kicked him several times while
he was lying on the ground. He declared
that he had been requested to put West out
of the hurdy-gurdy house during the dance.
which started the trouble. After West
knocked him down and kicked him, Phelps
says he drew his pistol and fred. West
lived half an hour. Contrary to belief the
killing, he declares, was lone with a So
calibre revolver, and not with the ugly
derringer that was taken from Phelps here.
Phelps left Pocatello after the shooting
and went to Eagle Rock. After a day or
two, hearing that there was a warrant out
for him, he returned to Pocatello, had a
preliminary hearing before a justice of the
peace and was released on $500 bail. When
the grand jury indicted him he got wind of it
and e to Montreal, Canada. After
wards he went to South Dakota, thence to
Butte, and was on his way to South Dakota
again when he stopped at East Helena, and
a few days later came here, when
he was captured. The chances
are that Phelps will take a change of venue,
as nearly everybody in Blackfoot has
an opinion. In spite of his reputa-
ton as a bad man, the killing of West at
Pocatello was the first and only notch ON
Phelps gun, so far as known.
Judge Fleischer yesterday received a let
ter from Associate Justice Harwood, of the
supreme court, in which he says: ut is
desire that you enforce payment of the
Judgment rendered in my favor, against
Thomas Gof, in your court on the 25th
inst. for violation of his contract, and
cause the same to be paid to the treasurer
of the Helena Public Library for the use
and benefit Of that institution, to which l
have donated the proceeds of said litiRa-
tlon.' The case is the n already pub
lished, where Justice Harwood sued Thomas
Golf for refusal to pay the cost of repair
ing plumbing work on a stove sold by the
latter.
Tommy Devine, who did up Il. F. O'Mal-
ley in two rounds on Sunday, is anxious, to
meet someone who will make him feel as if
he had been in a prize fight. He announces
that he stands ready to meet all corners at
from 1913 to 100 pounds, Billy Searles or
George Siddons preferred. in Helena or vi
cinity. Treasurer Phillips, of the Coliseum.
or Ben Mann, are authorized to make all
arrangements. The fight can be for any
thing from $500 to $500. The reason he
puts Siddons among the preferences is be-
cause that gentleman's friends jumped
on him while the two were settling
n matter of difference as to who was best
man back in jamestown, N. d. Devine, by
the way, has other accomplishments basides