The Helena independent., 1894-12-11

hnd beaten her with the piece ~ Iron
10 prevent her exposing him, and Huch
an exposure, IN that community, wDulh
pfobably haVr meant lyuching, Thc
piece or coupling pin used IN the murder
hhd been used by another FRnchmnn
10 marx the cnrnera of his claim, A
freight train had brOkcn IN two there
ana the pieces ~ the coupling pin had
been left where the accident occurred
In the investigation which followed n
was shown that BLACK had been stand
Ing In q saloon In Kallapell looking out
of the window the afternoon Of the day
of the murder Mrs, Cunningham, who
had been 90 town t0 make some pur-
chaacH WAS on her way home and
passed that saloon, SOon after she had
gone by Black left the place and started
n In the same direction she had taken.
Several people coming 70 town had met
and passed Mrs, Cunningham on her
way home. and afterwards met Black
going In the same direction. One ~
these men, Robert S0rrey. stopped and
talked few minutes with Mrs Cum
ninRham. While they were talking
Black passed them, going In the difec-
ton Mrs. Cunningham Afterwards took,
These circumstances were sufficient 90
throw cloud ~ suspicion around
Black. But the most damaging testi-
nony against him were his clothing and
bootmnrks leading from the scene ~
the murder II WAS evident from the
footprints that the murderer had kept
on from the scene OF HIS crime for some
distance and then gone around 80 as 90
come Into Kallfpell from the side op-
pOAite that on which the murder took
place. Witnesses were found who had
seen Black ht several points along the
line made by the footprints. He was
always rushing along and appeared
scared, Then again In some places
along this route the marks OF the heels
were very distinct and they showed
that the wearer had cut of peculiar
shape In one heel. An examination Of
Blacks shoes showed that one of the
heels had Just such mark. The shoe
was taken 10 the marks In the soft
places and fitted exactly. on Blacks
clothing were stains 0f blood that he
had attempted to wash out These
stains were pronounced by Dr w. NJ.
Bullurd, the physician who made an ex-
animation, 10 be human blood.
Black had left the saloon about hair
past O'clock He WAS back there
shortly after Z. A test Of the time
necessary 10 walk from the saloon TO
the place OF the murder and then over
the route taken by the murderer and
back 10 the saloon was made by sew
eral people. II took from an hour and
ten minutes to an hour and twenty min
utes. allowing for a few minutes stay
at the place OF the murder.
In his own defense Black tried 10 ac-
count for his movements between the
time he left the saloon and the time he
got back by saying he had been at
number OF places at certain times, In
Guiding Columbia Falls. on rebuttal
this was shown 10 be not 80. As 10 the
blood stains on his clothing he said he
had run q large splinter In his hand
while splitting wood and that the
wound bled freely A doctor who ex-
amlned the wound on Blacks hand
shortly after the arrest said that II was
only an abrasion, knocking on the
cutlcle, but that there could be no
bleeding from such an Injury.
The Jury brought In verdict OF guilty
OF murder in the first degree and Black
was sentenced TO be hanged on Sept. 2S.
A motion for a new trial was made and
overruled and an appeal taken TO the
supreme court. The length Of time
necessary In preparing the transcript
on appeal caused the governor 10 grant
Black a respite 10 the last Friday In
October. The supreme court had not
taken the matter up at that time and
another respite was granted TO Nov. 23.
That day arrived without the case being
heard and another respite was granted
to Dec. 21.
During the time he was awaiting trial
Black made an attempt to break jail
He got outside, but bulldog In the
next yard made such noise that elthei
through fear OF the animal or that the
barking would lead Ia an alarm and
pursuit. he went back TO the jail and
gave himself up.