The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-26
VERY STRONG CASE
II Looks as If Lloyd Montgomery
Killed His Father and Mother.
AND DANIEL v. M'KERCHER
Said to Be One OF the Most Cold
Blooded Grimes In the
History Of Or
egon.

Mr.. Daniel v. McKercher, near the 1T
tie town OF Brownsville. last Tuesday
afternoon. is the finding of a plausible
motive that could have prompted the
boy, Lloyd Montgomery. who Is now
under arrest. TO commit the horrible
crime. Yesterday II was reported at
Albany. where the prisoner is confined
In jail, that Mr.. Montgomery had Just
disposed OF his harvest of hops, and
received In return a snug sum of mon
ey the day before the Shooting. The
money has not yet been found. Young
Montgomery. 1t Is said. has been a
wild. reckless boy. and II is generally
believed by those who are most famil-
lar with the circumstances surround
ing the triple murder that he assassin
ated his parents to secure the money
he probably knew his father received
for the hops. This is believed to be
the most reasonable motive for the
crime. II the young fellow is guilty.
Ex-Attorney General George Z.
Chamberlain returned last evening
from a brief visit TO Albany, his for
mer home. In conversation yesterday
morning with a gentleman who has
visited the scene of the murder. who
had a personal acquaintance with the
Montgomery family. Mr.. Chamberlain
was Informed that young Montgomery
probably committed the crime to Sc
cure the money his father had received
from the sale of hops. Mr.. Chamber
lain's Informant said that he knew Mr..
Montgomery sold the hops hast Mon
day, but whether he received the mon
ey that day or ON Tuesday when he
was murdered, no one seems to know.
Young Montgomery, according 10 the
gentleman who advanced this motive
for the murder does not bear a good
reputation in the neighborhood OF
Brownsville He Is a large over-grown
hsaN 81 IL.
| $50 and 100 pounds. His father and
mother were plain. Woodworking peo-
pie. who had not been fortunate in ac-
| cumulating more than a fair share of
this worlds goods. The boy was ex-
travagant, for a plain farmers son.
and did not seem anxious TO help his
parents -any-extent.4 Only a few
weeks ago he narrowly escaped arrest
for forgery by the timely assistance OF
his father. who paid two fraudulent
| notes he had signed
The theory is advanced that the
young fellow made up his mind to
murder his father and mother. secure
the money he knew they had In their
| possession. and then skip the country.
Why. however. he should choose a time
when Mr.. McKercher was at the house
| for the commission OF the crime, Is a
stumbling block In this theory OF the
butchery. 1t is believed by many,
though, that McKercher had some
thing TO do with the purchase OF the
hops. and that he may have thought
he might get more money II he would
kill him also. Mr.. Gilkey. a Portland
hop buyer. had just been at the house.
and 1t is supposable that the boy may
have thought that he gave his father
some money. Anyway, II was. II Is
believed generally. that the boy
| thought he would secure a larger sum
| Of ypnnQxr ha KILLED Mr. MrKArCh
also.
Young Montgomery r. not without
| friends in his present unenviable posi-
| ton Many persons who have known
him since childhood are 10th TO believe
him guilty OF such a fearful crime.
| They argue that he Is not different
| from most pioneers boys who have
meager advantages and are given TO
recklessness when opportunities for
| enjoyment occasionally arise. IL Is be-
lieved by them that he will yet prove
his innocence. and that the guilty per-
son will be apprehended. The feeling
against the young fellow. however, Is
generally very bitter at Brownsville
and the country adjacent. who claim
that he has already convicted himself
/ by his own testimony. His removal to
| the county seat. Albany. alone quieted
ugly rumors about lynching
The testimony OF Edward GillSey, the
Portland hop buyer. before the coro-
/ ners jury at Brownsville, was that he
stopped at the Templeton farm and
hallooed for some one to come out of
| the house. Lloyd Montgomery re-
/ sponded. and on being asked II his
| father was at home. answered in the
Affirmative. Continuing, Mr.. Gilkey
said:
Mr.. Montgomery then came out OF
| the house. and during our conversa-
Il NQKarChor rnde hnrEa-
back and began talking TO Lloyd. I
| then took my departure. leaving Mr..
Montgomery and Lloyd and Mr.. Nc
Kercher in the yard. drove to Jo-
seph Templeton's house on an adjotn-
ing farm. and while IN that vicinity
heard what I supposed were six rife
| shots, which were accompanied by
considerable hallooing. Two shots
sounded as IL they were fired In the
| open air. A minute later four more
shots were fired. which sounded muf-
fed as II in a house. Fearing my
team would get away from me. I did
not go TO investigate the cause OF the
| shooting"
william Piper. a neighboring farmer.
was the next witness. He testified as
| follows:
Il reside In the Santiam country. and
am now employed by Robert Temple
ton. l heard fve shots. and between
the second and third shots heard some
one crying. I heard a horse coming.
| and. looking up. saw the horse was
ridden by Lloyd Montgomery. who
said: Hurry up and go to the house
father and mother and another man
are killed l fastened 10 the house
and found the lifeless bodies. I don't
think Il was more than fve minutes
after the shooting occurred until i was
informed OF the AFFAIR by Lloyd Mont
gomery. who was riding McKercher's
| horse"
Little Robert Montgomery. the IL
year-Old son % the deceased. said:
| II was on my way home from school