The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-02
Butte Department.
SHE PLEADS FOR GAY
Mrs. Emma Lyons Says The Man Has
Been Prosecuted.
WHAT SHE KNOWS ABOUT HIM
While In Castle He Was Charged
with Almost Every Crime Com
mItted In the Camp-His
House Burned.


Mrs. Emma Lyons OF Butte was untn
recently a resident OF Castle. Meagher
county, and lived directly opposite the
house occupied by Bill Gay, now con-
yicted of murder. Mrs. Lyons tells or
GAYS life in Castle and takes his part
to a certain extent, believing that he
was unjusrly accused of many things,
and that the crime of which he was
convicted was committed in self de-
Tense and through fear. Mrs. Lyons
tells OF the story of Gays alleged IL
licit connection with his daughter. MIS-.
Lyons says:
aroused my sympathy and my eyes
fill with tears as l think that hu-
man life is to be sacrificed wrongfuliy
as / believe. Many people may criu-
else me Cor upholding a murderer.
This is far from the truth. / believe
a cold blooded murderer should meet
death. 1 am an old-timer OF the county
and one of the first pioneers, and one
among the first to settle in Castle,
Meagher county, and am largely in
terested in mining properties and real
estate, and am one of the largest own
ers IN the Merrimac mine where we
had a large crew of men employed.
This Bin Gay was a near neighbar to
US and formerly worked for my late
husband. We never regarded Gay as
bad man, although we had been told
that he was a dangerous man. First
we heard that he had killed a man in
the Black Hills, then that he had
killed five and finally that he had kill
ed nine men. But at the time or his
arrest, when he was in trouble with
his daughter, the papers stated as
fact that he had killed one man. / I'M
derstand that the murder was COM
mitted while intoxicated and through
Jealousy and excitement. He was
cleared in court. although IL cost him
a small fortune. He Is now poor. IL
he had money he would have had
friends who would stand by him.
when Bill Gay first came to Castle
he worked at carpenter work. He
saved enough to build himself a little
house Just opposite the one we occu-
pied. He then sent for his wife and
the rest OF his children. one of his
daughters having been with him all
the time. l believe 1 heard her say
she was IL years old. There was a
great deal OF scandalous talk about
the father and daughter which some
people seemed to believe. Gay was ar
rested on the suspicion OF being the
father of a child that the daughter
evidence however was brought against
him l merely mention this to show how
he has been prosecuted. / know thai
Gay seemed afraid to have his daugh
ter out late In the evening. She otter
came to our house and he always call
ed for her and seemed uneasy for feal
something wrong might happen TO his
child. When the daughter testified In
court she cleared her father OF the &C.
cusations and swore the child on q
young man that left Castle some time
before Gay was arrested. She had
been keeping company with this young
man whose name I have forgotten
Ella Gay told me that her father didn't
like him and didn't like her to keeT
company with him. But the talk went
around that the daughter had told or
her father and complained of his mis-.
treatment to her. but when the wit
neses were put on the stand no one
knew thing against him.
After that everything which hap
pened In Castle Gay was blamed for
II millinery shop was broken oper
and goods stolen Gay was blamed
Some houses were consumed by fire anC
this too was laid on Gay. 1 know
myself that 1 frequently heard tall
of hanging Gay and the entire family
i remember just before my HUSBAND
died he came home one night and tolC
me that a party had tried to get hin
to Join In a white cap band and lyncl
Gay and his wife and old Mrs. Gross
the mother OF Gross who is now a fugi
tive. My husband said he did not thinl
IL was right and that he would no
join. The family was in constant fea
and this led to the shooting of Sheriff
RAIDER and the deputy. / feel that Ga,
has not been justly dealt with, ant
that his blood will be upon the peopl
of Castle. IL Gay had money he woul,
have plenty of friends to back him an,
would be set at liberty. 1t does no
seem to me that a man should ham
for committing crime in self defens'
and fear.
when Gay and Gross got away tn
family were arrested and put i'm jai
at White Sulphur Springs, their house
so / understand. was ransacked an,
burned to the ground and Mrs. GAY
62 years of age, old and feeble, wa
kept in jail nine months for a Grim
her husband and son were accused OF
When released from prison thei
home had been destroyed and they ha,
nowhere to go. / hope the people vii
have no feeling against me for express
ing my sympathy for Gay. NY hus
band. William Lyons, who died fou
years ago, was foreman Of the Cum
berland mine and also of the yellow
stone mines for T. S. Ash and ]. r
King OF Billings and Hensley Brother
of Castle, until he opened the Merrima