Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-02-15
ANOTHER PRISONER.
Henry F. McElrOy, Of Fort Butord,
Is In Jail Here, Awaiting
Trial for Murder,
Father Martin Publishes Some Let
tiers from Bishop Stanley,
Anent the Fair,
Various Items of Local News Picked
Up In and About the Capt.
tai City.
will BE Tried Here.

Deputy Marshal Pat Hennessey of
Grand Forks came in from the east We'd
nesday in charge Of Henry F. McElroy, a
mulatto soldier from Fort Buford, who
is charged with murder. McElroy had
a hearing in Grand Forks. and waived
examination for trial at the Bismarck
term OF the United States court, which
begins here February II. Yesterday he
was turned over to Sheriff Taylor, and
will be confined here until his trial.
The crime with which NcElroy is
charged is murder. The evidence against
him is all circumstantial. On the night
of November 81 last the post tailor,
named Shafer, was killed, and the cir
cumetances surrounding the case point
quite strongly toward McElroy being i'm
plicated. The story in brief Is this:
Shafer had been at the post for some
time in the capacity of tailor. A few
days previous to the date mentioned he
had received orders to move, and was
given a short time in which to collect
his accounts and get out. The day pre-
vious to the finding of his body on the
railroad tracks he was known to have
collected and have on his person some.
where in the neighborhood Of $50.
During that day and evening Shafer
was around the post with several people,
but the last seen OF him was between
$50 and 10 o'clock, when he was in COM
pany with McElroy. The next day as
the Great Northern train from the west
pulled past the post the engineer dis
cerned ahead the body of a man lying
upon the track. An effort was made to
slow down but the distance was too
short and the body, caught up by the
cow-catcher, was dragged about 200 feet.
AS SOON as the train came to a stand
still the crew got off and investigated.
The body was found to be cold, indicat-
ing that the man had been dead for
some time. His arm was broken and a
cut OF the back Of the head bore evi.
dence' of having been made by a club.
The man was identified as Shafer the
tailor. A further Investigation along
the track showed that Skaters body had
been dragged about 300 feet from a d.
rection opposite to that from which the
train was coming, adding still further to
the proof that the man had been MUIR
dered and then placed in the path OF the
swiftly moving train.
It is claimed that evidence can be pro-
duced to- show that McElroy left his
quarters after taps on the night G: the
murder and did not return until 5 o'clock
the next morning. That he was in COM
mon %parlance tetotally dead broke on
the day before the murder, and that on
the day. following he had considerable
money and wal spending it quite freely.
The only money found on Shafer was SIS
on his inside vest pocket.
McElroy Is a tall, soldierly looking
mulatto, and appears self possessed and
unconcerned at the charge against him.
Pierce in Portugal.
Ex-senator Pierce has an article in the
Chicago Record of Feb. 9 on the court
customs Of Lisbon, Portugal, to which
country he was a minister a short time at
the close Of President Harrison's admin
istration. He describes a court recep-
ton, and formal introduction to the
king, queen and royal family. The affair
was full of ceremony. The queen spoke
English fuently and made it pleasant
for the American minister, who, amid
the brilliant court dresses and uniforms
of the foreign legations, represented at
the function, was the most conspicuous
person present sin his swallow tail coat
and sombre trousers" He excites almost
as much curiosity as a white black bird,
the outside crowd never ceasing to won
der how on earth a person in such mar
velous attire ever gained admission to
the palace.
Explanatory Letter.
EDITOR TRIBUNE: In justification of
my course I desire to give publicity to