The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-02
WILL DIE A CATHOLIC.
How Murderer Biggerstafr Is Spending
His Last Days

Helena Independent: William Bigger
staff. under sentence of death, with
the prospect before him that the SEN
tence may not be reversed and that
the judgment may be carried out as
khe law directs, even though 1t may be
delayed for a time. is interesting HIM
self in the future welfare Of his soul
lie has begun to think OF the religious
side OF life. and he has found a spirit
aJal adviser in Rev. Father Victor Day,
assistant pastor of the Cattle ral of
the Sacred Heart. BiggerstafPs rela-
tives were not Catholics. but he was
reared in a Catholic family in Kansas,
and since that time leaned toward that
faith, when he gave religion any
Thought at all. He will be baptized in
the faith. and will be attended at the
last hour by a priest of the church.
Elder William A. Moore, pastor of
the African Methodist church, called
on the prisoner a few days ago, and
balked with him earnestly of the fu-
ture, and later. at the request of some
of Biggenstaff's friends. Rev. T. V.
Moore. pastor OF the First Presbyte-
rian church. also attended the con-
demned man in his cell. But, while
they were received cordially enough,
they did not receive the invitation to
come again that was given ito Rev.
Father Day, and they did not.
my folks were Methodists and Bap-
lists, mostly" said the prisoner yester-
day. but / was a little boy when 1
first started out to make my own way.
MY mother had Just married again,
and my stepfather didn't care about
being bothered with the children.
When the family scattered 1 found a
home with a man named John j.
Smith. in Lawrence. Kas. The family
were all Catholics. 1 was never hap
tized in the church. but / expect to be
before / die. L never did think there
was any other church for me-"
. Rev. Father Day was a visitor at
the county Jail yesterday afternoon. He
remained an hour. and as he left ne
said that Biggerstaff had expressed a
desire to be a Catholic before he died.
f'He will not be baptized right away"
said the priest. There are some neces-
sary steps of instruction to be taken
first"
At one time in mis- life Biggerstaff
started to Join one of the colored Ma
sonic" orders that were then flourish
ing in several parts Of the country.
de became fellow craft. having taken
the second degree. but went no fur
dher. He said in explanation of his
withdrawal that he found that II was
not the real order as it had been rep
resented to him to be. and ne cared
nothing further about it,
about what was right myself" he
added.
He has seven sisters and two broth
ers in different parts of the middle
west. There are two az Talequah, in
the Cherokee nation. and Others at
Lawrence. Topeka and Emporia, Kan
sas. He received a letter yesterday
from >one of his sisters. who is mar
ried to William Ross. son of the chief
of the Cherokee nation. She says that
'sthe sad news of your conviction has
lust been received" and adds that IL
there were anything that could be done
TO help him IL would be done cheerful
~ The brother-in-law indicates that
he has no ready money. but that he
mas some real estate that ne would
dispose OF IL there were any assurance
that IL would do good. He does not
feel like making the sacrifice, now
ever without some idea of what plan
the prisoner has in mind for his own
benefit. Another letter is from a num-
Der OF his old friends in Denver, who
have signed a petition. directed TO
chose OF his friends VINO may be in a
position 10 aid him." saying that IN
their ACQUAINTANCE with him he was
always quiet. Deaceable and indus
trious. and that ne was. so far "a they
knew, a good citizen. The petition con-
cludes with an expression OF hope that