The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-04
ON A HORRIBLE CHARGE
John 0pie Has Been Placed Under
arrest.
THE STORY OF THREE GIRLS
They Accuse Him of Being 4
Very Bad and Shock
ingIy immoral
Man.

BUTTE, Feb. 3.-There is considerable
excitement in Meaderville just now over
the action of John Opie, well known
miner, who has attained n remarkable de-
gree of unenviable notoriety with unusual
suddenness. Whether or not he Is enti-
tied to his present standing in the COM
munity is a question to be decided by the
court 8, but n good many of his neighbors
are inclined to argue the matter from an
affirmative standpoint. Opie's conduct
in connection with several little girls of
Meaderville, as generally reported, oc-
casioned some comment for several
weeks, and n climax that is not to have
been entirely unexpected, was reached
yesterday, when he was arrested on three
separate charges for enticing little girls
to his room for immoral purposes.
The girls in the case are Minnie Young,
the 14-year-oid daughter of Hans Young,
who is employed at the Heinze liquidator;
Harriet, the l0-year-old daughter of James
Williams, who works at the Butte d Bos-
ton smelter, and Richard GriDble's TO-
year-oid daughter. If the stories told by
these little girls are true, Opie Is fiend
for whom hanging is several degrees too
easy a punishment.
Their statements are TO tho effect that
he has been in the habit of taking them
up to his room in the Gunderson block
and showing them obscene pictures and
books. While he is not directly charged
with seducing the girls, their stories are
that he treated them IN "A most revolving
manner. On Friday afternoon the girls
say that Opie brought them up to Butte
and after showing them the disgusting
sights and open prostitution on Galena
and Wyoming streets, he took them into
a room in the basement OF n saloon, where
thoy spent some time. The girls we're
away from home for SO long on this occa-
sion that suspicion was aroused ana they
we're closely questioned on their return
home with the result that they told tho
whole shameful story.
The Indignation of the parents knew no
bounds. Hans Young, father OF one OF
the girls, secured gun ana started IN
search of Opie with the avowed intention
| of killing him on sight, but he ran across
Judge Kirkwood and some other friends
| before he found his man, and they nnally
convinced him that the best way would be
to let the law take its course.
| The mothers of the three girls then went
before Judges Kirkwood and Dowd and
| had warrants issued for Opie charging
| him with the offenses stated. Mrs. Young
| and Mrs. Williams swore to complaints
before Judge lakewood and Mrs. Grlbble
| had the third warrant issued from Judge
| Dowd's court. Bright and carly yesterday
morning the two constables went to the
| West Colusa mine and arrested OpIe just
as he was coming off shift. He was re-
| leased on putting up a cash bond OF SUI
J in each court. His trial on one OF the
charges is set for l o'clock tomorrow
| afternoon before Judge Kirkwood.
After the arrest the constables searched
his room but were unable to find any OBJ
scene books or pictures. Opie is a
widower and is about 50 years old. lie
| admits that the girls used to come to his
room occasionally. but claims that moth
Ing ever occurred at all out of the way.
The little Young girl, he says. came after
his washing and the other girls sometimes
accompanied her. He also admits having
brought the girls up town on Friday after
noon but denies that he took them
| through Galena street.