The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-30
GARDNER HAD TWO names
In Helena He was Known by One
While Jones was Used in
Seattle.
Tho Jury Find He Came to His
Daath From Natural
Causes.
Tho Woman In tho Case on the Staud-A
Will Leaving His Property to His
Relatives Is Missing.

Tho Woman In thu Case ON the Staud-A
VIII Leaving His Property to His
Relatives Is Missing.
Tho inquiry yesterday by the %coroner'a
Jury into the cause of the death OF Nm.
Newcombe Gardner. who was found dead
In his house on Monday. settled pretty con-
clusiysly that it was not caused by violence.
At the same time from Tho evidence 1t was
shown il was not a case of suicide. But
there was testimony to the effect that ha
had bean in very poor health for a number
OF years, and to his closest friend, Joseph
German, only three weeks ago he COM
planned of terrible pains in the region OF
the heart. remarking that at times it beat
like a trip-hammer. Not only did he suffer
from heart trouble. but he also had severe
neuralgia pains, rheumatism, and was rnp-
tursd. Drs. Atchison and Bullard, who OK
amiped the body before il was taken IN
charge by the undertakes, testified that
there were no signs Of ouuds or bruises on
it. Owing to the superficial e1ami-
nation they made they were not prepared to
say whether death was caused by poison.
~spoplexy Or congestion OF the brain or
lungs. The question OF an autopsy was
discussed by the jurors. but the evidence
pointed so strongly to a natural death,
that it Was considered unnecessary. OH
Ger Bossler testified that the room in
which Gardner wns found was secursly
locked on the inside when he frst went
there. SO there could have been no violence;
there were no traces of any sort of poison
= Ahn u~;a;lo tho0rx, q not
tenable, and the jury rendered q verdict OF
death from natural causes.
But she inquiry, while devoid OF any
criminal sensation. nevertheless revealed
some things which go to show that in some.
respects Gardner lived a dual life. There
were runors on Monday that there was q
woman in the case, but when his closest
friends were asksd If they knew of his hav-
ing had any relations with the other ss1,
they said they did not. But while he did
not ak about these things to Jos. German
and John r. Watson, whom he trusted
more than any ono else, he did to Il. A..
Punches. The latter testified that Gardner
had complained of being tantaliZsd by a
woman, whom he did not specify by name,
but said she had been a waiter in tho Cos
mopolitan. He told Mr.. Punches he bought
10y q Vl0ASl II 6OAb n IA pAv uA4dV oAC
had returned and was giving him more
trouble than formerly.
Marie Raymond was supposed to be the
woman to whom Gardner referred in his
conversation with Punches. and she was
among the witnesses. Her acquaintance
with Gardner, she said. dated from last
winter. She acknowledged that he had
sent her east, but denied that they had ever
had any trouble. The last time she saw
him was on last Tuesday or Wednesday,
when he called to see her. She was sick
and he volunteered to give her money if she
Gardner was always complaining of feeling
unwsIl and often said he was tired of liv-
ing.
In the testimony of Public Administrator
Ellis the relations between Gardner and
the Raymond woman were more clearly
shown. Ellis wont to the formers home
on Monday and took possession of all the
papers belonging to the deceased. Besides
a number of deeds and letters from Gard
ner's relatives in England. there were two
notes signed Marie" Neither was dated
and each had been delivered by a messen-
ger boy. The first was q request for Gard
ner to call on her. and the second a request
for a loan of SO.
But the testimony of John r. Watson
threw, perhaps, moro Light on Gardeners
history and peouliarities than any other
adduced. He had known Gardner for
GWolvo OF uIL6Gu yeHES Auu uuQ AUtSIlQ0u TO
a great deal of business for him.. Three or
four years ago Gardner determined to 60 to
Seattle, and before leaving had a will made
by Il. FL. Carter, leaving all his property to
his father. mother, sisters and brother, liv-
ing at Westlynisterly, England. Despite
the fact that Gardner wilied all his prop
erty to his family, the latter did not know
whether he was alive or dead. This was
proven in this way. When Gardner left
Helena The INDEPENDENT had a notice of
his departure. Mr.. Watson sent a copy of
the paper containing this to England, and
in return came inquiries from his folks
asking about his whereabouts and saying
they did not know whether he was dead or
alive. That Gardner wanted to hide the
fact of his existence from his relatives is
proven by another fact. When he was in
Seattle he dropped his own nams and
adopted that of Jones. Under the latter he
bought property there. After being away
about two years he returned to Helena, and
one day told Mr.. Watson about
having changed his name in Seat
tie, giving no reason for it, however.
It seems that he had a chance to sell some
IF his Seattle holdings and he
wanted to know how he could do
here, while the property stood in the name
of Jones. Finally he concluded to go to
Seattle and settle the business, and this he
did. While there he telegraphed Mr.. Wat
son, unueT inc name OF Jones, TO SenQ him
$50. This MIR. Watson did. Gardeners
income. according to Mr. Watson, from his
Helena rents was between 500 and $500 a
month. On his return from Seattle, finding
that his folks knew he was alive. Gardner
went to England, spending about three
months there.
some time last June Gardner received
news of the death of his mother. He went
to MasseEa Billiard and asked him to draw
a will up Tor him. This was done, and on
the 26th of that mont it was signed. In it
he gave his age as As, the persons named as
devisees being Martha Groves, Elizabeth
Bromley and Maria Gardner, sisters, and
Henry Gardner, a brother. According to
the terms of the will his property is to
be divided between these and their issue,
ner stir pes. but is not to be divided until
twanty years after his death, the devisees
to have only the income until tho expira-
ton OF. that time. Joseph German and
John Il. Watson are made the executors
without bonds. Later Gardner heard of
the death Of one OF his sisters and he had
Mr.. Billiard draw up q will, leaving that
sisters name out. This document is dated
August IL, 1891, and is witnessed by Mr..
Billiard and one of his clerks.
But where is the latter will? Mr.. Billiard
in his testimony said his recollection was
that Gardner called for the document ut
some set time, and took it away with him.
or LIiu ha uspu mot rnoi%iva vooforyav INT