The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-12-07
D-BLOODED
MURDER
Belt Again comes to the
Front With II Murder
that il Extra Brutal.
WHISKY FROM A new PROCESS
A Kansas Farmer InVents a
Way to Dispose of His
Crop of Sugar Beets.


County Attorney Freeman, Sher-
if Dwyer and Coroner Weitman re-
turned at I p. m. yesterday from
from Belt, whittier they went to in
vestgate the killing of Victor Ilg
by Steve Leyden. From the stories
of reputable witnesses, as related to
the officers, it appears that ilg, a
small manor, rather boy for, al
though he was 22 years of age, he
was slight of build, was deliberately
murdered in cold blood by a gam
bier, perfectly sober, while his vic
tim was crazy drunk, and crowd of
about 90 men, including Charles
Johnson, bar tender at the beer hall
where the murder occurred, and
many tin-horn gamblers. stood by
and did not raise hand to prevent
the crime.
Ii lg entered the saloon in the even
ing and took seat at the faro table.
He said he would bet a certain sum
oil money on a certain card, but
placed no money on the table. The
card Ilg called won, but Leyden,
who was dealing, did not pay. Ilg
accused Leyden of cheating him and
reached toward the cash drawer or
the chip rack, when Leyden pushed
him away. Ilg persisted and Ley
den picked up 4l-caliber Colts re-
volver from shelf beneath the table
and struck Ilg with it repeatedly,
forcing him out into the center OF
the room. One of the blows cut IIg's
head, causing blood and hair to cling
to the band of his hat, and another
blow cut llg's neck severely
Ieyden then returned to his layout
and continued dealing. Ilg and a
friend went out to another saloon.
but soon returned. llg stood around
the store, mumbling in an intoxicated
manner. and started toward I.eyden.
his remarks indicating that he in
tended to effect reconciliation
When he went up to l.eyden, the
latter pushed him away, using his
left hand, and Ilg caught that hand
Leyden then again seized the revol-
yer. One of the two jerked the
other toward him and, as they came
together, Leyden placed the rcvol-
yer against | g's left side, just be-
low the ribs, and fired, the ball en-
tering the body. They continued te
scnIile and Leyden again fired
Whether or not the second shot took
effect will be ascertaincd at the post.
mortem.
\ chair WAS between the two mei
and Ilg fell across it. While he was
in this position Leyden stopped down
deliberately placed the weapon i
short distance behind Ilg's left tenn
pie, and pulled the tripper, the bal
passing out of the head just above
the right ear and striking the leg o
the faro table about six inches abov,
the floor.
I.eyden returned to the faro table
stacked his chips, pocketed the cash
and places the revolver in his pocket
Constable Richardson and DEPUTY
Deputy Sheriff Mcleod then arrived
and placed Leyden under arrest anc
Mcleod at once concealed him.
is said that if Mcleod had permitted
Leyden to remain in the saloon un
til Ilg breathed his last the miner
T would have lynched the murderer.
Ilg was so drunk that he did no
know anything; the blows Leyde'
/, had struck had probably rendered
temporarily insane; Leyden wa
perfectly sober, and yet the gam
, blers, who claim to have alway
| known that Leyden was peaceable
r did not interfere, claiming that the
. were afraid, and the bartender
: whose duty it is TO preserve order i
: the saloon, did not call Constabl
Richardson, who was not more tina
100 yards distant at the time of th
: FIRST trouble, nor did he prevent Ilg
re-entering the beer hall, and whe