The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-08-10
Murderer of Constable Conlee in
Jail at Missoula.
WAS WORKING ON A RANCH
His Employer summoned Posse. but
Was Compelled TO Hit Him
With a Club

4;30 o'clock Sheriff Mclaughlin and
Deputies Curran. Corbett and Pickette
came into Missouia from 10 Lo bring
ing with them A. ]. Symes. who Is
wanted in Adams county, Wash, for
the murder OF Lew Conlee. a constable,
June "a, of this year. and for whose ar
rest large rewards have been offered
Symes has for the past three weeks
been working on the ranch of Dave Nc
Clay, about IA miles from Missoula,
and for the past week has been herding
sheep for Mr.. McClay on Harvey creek.
about two and a half miles from tho
ranch, across the Bitter Root river.
While coming to Missoula yesterday
Mr. McClay saw at 10 Lo the notices
of reward for the arrest of Symes, to
which was attached his photograph,
and Immediately recognized it as his
shepherd, who had given his name as
Frank Davis. The officers at MissOula
were at once notified, and Mr.. McClay
was appointed as a deputy sheriff.
When the sheriff reached Mr.. McClay's
ranch this morning Symes had brought
the sheep down to the river to water,
was decided unwise to attempt to make
! the arrest, so Mr.. McClay went across
the river where Symes was and tried
tc induce him to so to the house and
get a team to do some hauling, but
Symes was suspicious and refused to
go, and as he was armed to the teeth
Mr.. McClay did not try to enforce
! obedience, but picked up a piece OF
| "A
and sitting down began to white upon
it.
Presently Symes turned away. Mr.
McClay jumped up suddenly and struck
him across the head with the scantling,
knocking him down, and disarmed him
before he could make any resistance.
He insists that his name is Frank Da-
Wis, but on his way to Missoula, when
ever the sheriff addressed him as
Symes he always replied, and the OFF,
GERS are sure that they have captured
the right man. The sheriff of Adams
county, Wash, has been notified of the
arrest and is expected in Missoula to-
morrow evening.
Missoula, Mont, Aug. 5.-At a late
hour tonight Symes admitted that he
was the man wanted for the murder OF
Conlee. He is a TALL slender man about
20 years of age with short sandy
beard, which he has grown since the
murder was committed. He was lying
on his couch and was too weak to talk
at great length. He does not deny kill
ing Conlee. but says he did it in self
defense.
His story is that he took up some
stray hogs which came to his ranch il
June. The owner claimed them, but he
refused to surrender them until paic
, for taking them up. He states that q
conspiracy was formed by Constable
Conlee and several others, with whom
Symes had trouble at various times, t.
) have him arrested for larceny. Conle'
made the arrest and took a 44-calibei
gun from Symes, but overlooked a 3S
caliber gun which was concealed in
shot pocket.
Going down the road" said Symes
"Conlee abused me, called me hare
names and said: Now, C. d you
e I've got you where want you At thu
e same time he stuck a gun in my face
5 ] had a good horse, and said: Pull
= you want to. Why don't you pull
causing my horse to rear at the sam
3 time. He pulled and missed me. The
1 got my gun and said: Now, old man
it's my turn to pump and / began t
pump, and 1 kept a pumpin' it into hin
till he fell
Z Yes, 1 guess he died right away. H
/. couldn't live long after got done wit
him.
o. A CLEAN Of satisfaction shone in tn
I prisoners face as he told the story. Hi
eyes fairly glittered as he related hoy
= he had pumped" lead into the cor
= stable. II was to have been marie
that same week." he added in a regret
o full tone, land had the license in m
d pocket when 1 killed him" Symes sal
~ he had no thought of McClay identify
> ing him, and considered himself reason
3 ably secure.