The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-01
THE CASE REVIEWED
Partial Report Of the Grand Jury in
the Poisoning Case.
CLARK AND WIFE INDICTED
Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Clark of Heron
Accused of Having Murdered
J. p. Stewart Sensational
and Mysterious Case.


furnished the sensation of to-day by
rendering a martial report this morning
in which an Indictment was returned
against Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Clark of Her
on for murder in the first degree. That
portion of the report which relates TO
their daughter, Mrs. Mary Stewart,
wife of the man whom the Clarks are
accused of having murdered, is not
made public Mrs. Stewart is said Ia
be in Spokane at present. Her mother
and stepfather, the Clarks, are in the
county Jail where they have been con-
fined ever since the preliminary hear
ing before Judge Leigh in Thompson
Falls.
The death of ]. p. Stewart is one of
the mysteries of the history of West
ern Montana, and for two months has
furnished theme for much discussion,
especially in Thompson Falls, where all
the parties concerned were well known
and here Stewart had many warm
friends He was a man who had extern
sive business interests in the Western
end of the state. and his fortune Is es-
timated at $4,000. He was connected
In his business relations with some of
the prominent citizens Of Hope, Idaho.
and was also a member of the Hope
lodge of odd Fellows. His business
associates and lodge friends have been
active in their attempts to solve the
mystery of his death, and it is largely
due TO their efforts that the indict-
ments have been returned.
The first news OF Stewards death
was received in this city March "a and
was contained In a telegram sent from
Heron to Coroner Grain, stating that
the dead body of ]. p. Stewart had
been found at Heron and that 1t was
supposed that he had committed
Grain went nj once tn
Heron and an inquest was held. In
the past three years there have been
so many mysterious deaths and rob-
berries in the vicinity of Thompson
Falls that unusual interest attached to
this inquest, and Coroner Grain graft
fed his constituents by conducting a
most rigid investigation and, contrary
10 the usual manner of inquests, the
verdict of the jury was not an indeh-
mite one, but fixed the responsibilities
of the death of Stewart upon his wife
and her parents.
on March 2s Judge Leigh of Thomp-
son Falls, assisted by County Attorney
Dixon, conducted preliminary exami
nation of Mrs. Stewart and Mr.. and
Mrs Clark, who had been charged with
the murder of Stewart after the cor
oner's jury had returned its verdict.
The coroner testified that he had ex-
amined into the case and that the con-
dition of Stewards body tended to show
that he had died from strychnine pois-
oning. Further testimony showed that
on March 20 Mrs. Stewart had written
the following letter TO a druggist in
Hope:
Heron. Mont. Mar. 20 1857 Mar
tin-Please send me the bill of goods
/ got by return mail also send me 10
cts worth of strychnine for rat poison
ing. Yours Truly,
MRS. J. P. STEWART.
This letter was mailed March q and
the strychnine was sent as requested.
1t reached Heron by mail March %.
Who took 1t from the postofiice is not
known, but il is supposed that Clark.
who is postmaster, carried IL home.
Mrs. Stewart who is but a girl 10
years old. told conflicting stories re-
garding this package of poison, but
finally held TO the statement that she
had sent for it at the instance of her
mother, and that she knew nothing of
its receipt and final disposition.
The story of the defendants was that
Stewards body had been found in the
loft of the barn on the ranch where
the two families lived. When discov-
cred IL was lying upon its back across
four bales of hay, with the arms tight
ly folded across the chest. Stewart
had come to the house at IL o'clock
that morning. He had shaved and
then had gone out 10 the kitchen.
where he had spoken with Mrs. Clark,
who was alone on the ranch, her hus-
band being at his store. Stewart had
made an inquiry regarding a COW and
had gone out to the barn. That was
the last that was seen Of him alive.
When Clark came home at o'clock
in the evening he went out to feed the
stock and found Stewards body in the
loft, as described above.
There was further evidence intro
duced TO show that Mrs Clark had
quarreled with her daughter, Mrs.
Stewart. and that the murdered man
had been the cause of the strife. For
some time the Stewards had not lived
with the old people, and Mrs. Clark
had attributed this separation to the
interference Of the neighbors with
whom the Stewards had temporarily
taken up their abode. But this quarrel
is not given much weight, as Stewart
went to the Clark ranch that Sunday
morning TO shave.
Mrs Stewart is an innocent looking
country girl who seems entirely unso-
phisticated. There is considerable diff
ference of opinion as 10 her connection
with the case. Her supporters contend
that she was strongly attached to her
husband and would not, under any
circumstance. have been a party 10
the murder Of the man she loved. She
is Mrs. Clark's daughter by a former
husband, and her stepfather. one OF
the accused. had always, il is said
treated her kindly. She has made one
visit to the jail since the Clarks have
been confined. and her relations with
her stepfather seemed TO be of the
pleasantest nature.
AS result Of the preliminary ex-
animation. Mr.. and Mrs. Clark were
held in $4,000 bonds each. and. being
unable 10 secure them. they have been
In the custody Of the sheriff. There
has been tendency in some quarters
TO stir up sentiment against these &C
cused parties, but there is considera-
bic doubt as 10 whether they can be-
convicted under the evidence which
the state has at its command. Their,
is absolutely nothing 10 directly con
meet either the man or the woman
with the murder, II murder il was. Al
of the evidence thua far disclosed is
purely circumstantial and not con,
nected at that
Mr.. and Mrs. Clark were arraignec
before Judge Woody this afternoon