Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1894-05-26
A SHOCKING STORY
Young Mortimer Tells How Flem
ing Was Murdered.
HOW TIIE. DEED WAS DONE
Robert Field Sentenced TO BE Hanged
June q. for the Brutal Murder Of
Robert Fleming.

HELENA Mont, May 22.-Robert A
Anderson, alias Robert Field, was sen
fenced today to be hanged at Livings
ing at that place a few weeks ago, the
object being robbery. He was con
victed almost entirely upon the testi
mony of a confederate, who turned
states evidence, and who took part ir
the crime. Field joined in the pursuit
of the homicide after the crime anC
was with searching party when ar
rested. He claims that the accomplice
who turned states evidence was the
murderer and he had nothing to do
with it.
The only direct evidence introduced d
connecting the defendant with the mur-
der was the testimony Of William Nor
timer, the 1s-year-old lad who is under
arrest as an accessory, and who turned
states evidence.
Mortimer was put on the stand and
testified substantially as follows
AC past L" " ulOullo nave DCS Ii
stopping on Youngs ranch, five miles
from town, in company with Field.
Prior to April Ii, six days before the
killing, Field and formed plans to rob
Fleming at his island cabin. We were
TO knock him in the head with a club.
We prepared masks ont OF Sunny sacks
and went to The island about 10 o'clock
p. m, but Fleming :..s not in his cabin.
| secured ] cub and Field had Win
chester We waited by the roadside
for Fleming, and he came along few
minutes later. We thought he saw
us, so we put Off the job. We secured
our horses and went back 10 Youns's
ranch
owe then planned to rob Fleming on
the night of April 20, and came to town
for this purpose. | got here in the
afternoon and Field arrived at G:3O
o'cloc.@:. When left the ranch for town
] had 45 Colts with me and all the
chambers were loaded. Field stole two
of the cartridges from Guy Young's
valise, and Davenport, who was stop
ping at the ranch, gave Field two more.
] had two keys to F'leming's cabin door;
stole one of them from Davenport and
Field took the other one away from
Davenport by force.
'On the evening of the shooting |
met Field about o'clock in my mothers
barn and gave him the gun. We then
went to Fleming's cabin, close by.
Fleming and William Guy were there.
We all came down town together about
7:30 o'clock p. m. and separated. Field
went to the house and went to Flem
ing's cabin to see if my keys would open
the door. They would not fit, so broke
the lock and went In. I then fixed the
lock 50 that Fleming would not suspect
anything when he came. I then went
tC my mother g house, where Field was.
He asked me if the key worked and 7
told him everything was all right.
"To divert suspicion Field said in the
presence of my sister that he was going
TO Stumbo's house, close by. He started
out and came down town. it being un-
Gerstood that he should go to the cabin.
saw Fleming down town and asked
him If it was not time for him to be in
bed. He replied that he was going
pretty soon
'T then started for the cabin and
knocked on the door. Field let me in.
took stool behind the door with
double bitted axe and Field stood on the
bed with the gun in his hand. We
waited for Fleming to come home. He
arrived in about 10 minutes and opened
the door, stepped inside and exclaimed:
What the devil are you doing here!'
81 jumped up and struck him over
the head with an axe. He threw up
his hands and the blow did not lay him
ont. He started to run and Field shot
him, firing five shots In rapid success
sion.
owe then ran to my mothers barn
and got horse. Field got on behind
me and we rode TO within % yards of
Stumbo's house. Field Jumped off and
went in. then thought Fleming had
recognized me and tcld Field | was
going to make tracks for Young's
ranch He said he dill not think so,
that he was sure that he was not re-
cognized. He said he would wait
around and see and would Join me at
the ranch in about an hour. | went up
to the ranch and rode rapidly. tied
down in an old well house and waited
for Field. He came in about an hour
and l heard him whistle and went to
meet him. He told me that there was
no danger, that Fleming did not know
who hit him.
81 got on my horse and we started
back for town. On the way Field
cached the gun under a rock near Car
o7's bridge, four miles from town. He
:old me posse had been organized to
hunt for the murderer and he had been
sent up the Yellowstone. When we got
to town we reported to the officers.
Then we went to Flemins's cabin; he
was on the bed and the doctor was
there. Field went inside and stayed
sawhile. Then we went to my mother
house and went to bed. The next day
Field hung around the cabin. He told
me some thought Fleming knew who
assaulted him and would make state
ment before he died. He said he did
not think Fleming knew anything to
make statement about
Mr.. Wilson in his opening statement
said that the defense would show that
Field was at Stnmbo's house at the time