The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1893-10-12
HIS HEARY FAILED
W. P. Reynolds Sudden Death
at Moscow, idaho.
HIS LOVING LETTER TO GUSSIE i
All Epileptic Fat Puts An End to
His Cflec&ered Career-Had Many
Lady Loves and Several Aliases.
Sequel to the Late Sensa-
tiOn in PhiIipsburs-Etc.

W. P. Reynolds, the photographer, the
horse trainer, the tonsoralist, the can
vasser, the gay lothario, is dead. His
life was cut suddenly short by an epllep-
tic fit at Moscow, Fdaho. one week ago
last Monday, October 2. He died under
an assumed name which he had adopted
to shield his unsavory reputation
Through the medium of an exchange,
however, The MAIL is enabled to give
full details of his death, which caused a
sensation in Moscow; but however great
the sensation may have been in that
place, it could scarcely be compared with
the same in Philipsburg, where his acts
were best known
Not many weeks ago The MAIL made
reference to the scandal case of w. P.
REYNOLDS vs.. Harry Strong, the police
man; wherein the plaintiff had brought
suit to recover $4,000 damages for defam-
alton of his character. Details of the
scandal case were published in THE
MAIL soon after Reynolds filed his com
plant, and the exposure of the plaintiff s
intimacy with the wife of 0. III. Fech-
ner, promises to be anything but pleasant
for Reynolds and the woman; SO, to
avoid comment Reynolds left town in
company with Fl. r. Hesse, the yeterin-
ary surgeon, claiming that they we're 60
ing out on Rock creek to spend few
days in camp. 1t was surmised at the
time that they did not intend coming
back, though Mr.. Hesse could have had
no motive IN leaving here unless to bet
ter his financial condition. The facts
that were developed at Moscow after
Reynolds death bear out the truth OF
every assertion made by THE MAIL as to
his unlawful actions in Philipsburg,
which may be seen by the following ac-
count of his death published in the
Moscow Democrat:
AS hard as times are in Moscow we
occasionally have sensation to enliven
matters and give the poor news gatherer
something to write about. This week,
besides having important cases in the
police court, we have sensational death
to report-that of A. V. Bentler, alias
w. P. Reynolds, a stranger IN the city,
though according to testimony taken at
the coroner's inquest, he was quite well
known elsewhere in certain circles.
Bentley arrived in town a week ago
Sunday in the employ of II. r. Hesse, a
veterinary surgeon, who has opened
feed stable and "hospital' for diseased
horses in the red barn on west Sixth
street. He was quiet fellow, we'll be-
haved and, SO far as appearances went,
was good citizen. He registered at
at the Commercial hotel as "A. V. Bent
ley, Phi]lpsburg, Montana.
Morday morning he began work in as
sisting Mr.. Hesse in preparing the sta
bles for opening, and appeared hale and
hearty and in good spirits. About 10
O'Clock he fell to the floor in what was
thought by Mr.. Hesse, to be an epileptic
fit, he being subject to the same. Little
alarm was felt and he was allowed to re-
main where he was until 2 p. m., when,
believing it time he should be aroused,
Mr.. Hesse summoned Dr. Grltman and
the marshal. When the doctor arrived
he pronounced the man dead.
The coroner was summoned and the
body removed to the morgue, where an
autopsy was held by Dr. Watkins. Upon
opening the body the physician found
the heart badly diseased, and immedi-
ately pronounced death to have resulted
rom this trouble
At the inquest held Tuesday morning
the identity of the man was made
Known, and many interesting items di-
1ulged. Hesse, his partner, or rather
lis employer, testified to having first met
Bentley in Butte, Mont, about five
weeks ago. From there they travelled
over the Cmur d'Alene country, thence
% Moscow. Bentley was very conserv-
alive fellow and told very little of his
history, though his polished manners and
occasional remarks about MINNEAPOLIS,
ed Hesse to believe that he was at one
line prominently connected in business
,ircles in that locality. He admitted to
desse that Bentley was an assumed
lame, but refused to divulge any other,
claiming that some woman had got him
nto trouble and he was afraid to let his |
IDENTITY be known. He was a gay
otlario, Hesse said, and had lady loYes
n various cities in the northwest, also
eyeral wives aI
From effects found on his person it
vas found that he had travelled through
Utah and resided in Phillpsburg Mont,
ince 1890, under the name Of w. P.
had acted in the capacity of
'icture and book canvasser, horse trainer
nd photographer, and in every calling
eemed to be successful. ii rs A.
In some of the letters found reference
vas made to his wire and children, but
where they resided or any particulars
pertaining to their whereabouts or name
ould not be learned. He frequently
poke Of his numerous lady loves but of
ne he was particularly fonda fair
GIssle,' residing in Philipsburg, Mont.
1e was somewhat favorably Impressed
With Moscow, and intended soon to have
Gussie" with him. Just who the fair
reature is, is not definitely known, but
"A Sunday, the dav before his death, he
grote a sweet token to the idol of his
eart. The letter was written on Hotel |