The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-26
RED SATAN'S VICTIM
Whiskey Drags Another Man to a
Lamentable Death.
FRANK HAMMIL HAS GONE
Unnoticed and Uncared-For. He
Silently Passes to the Unknown
From Scenes OF Boisterous
Hilarity and Dissipation.

Death, silent and grim, came to
Frank Hammil on Christmas eve.
Frank is a well-known character about
town: he probably reached near the
three score years and ten. and was
privileged because of his age. In a
measure too, he was respected for he
was one of the best horseshoers and
all round blacksmiths that ever raised
a hammer in Montana.
But Frank had an enemy, that foe
was within and some call II appetite;
some call 1t a demon; perhaps IL was,
and relentless demon too for II push
ed the old man down through his life.
kept him poor and bounded him even
unto deaths portals, through which at
last he has escaped. Whittier he has
gone whiskey cannot follow him.
1t was early Christmas eve he stag
gered in with the crowd that ebbed and
flowed through the doors of the Com
bination gambling. house. Few paid
any attention to him, he was drunk
and when drinking he was troublesome
even to his best friends. for in his
good natured way he would bore any
one who spoke to him with foolish
garrulousness upon matters which.
when sober he could talk most intelli-
gently. So the old fellow passed I'M
noticed through the throng and took q
chair near the stove.
There he dropped asleep and when
first observed had fallen from his chair
to the floor.
1t Is a common thing for men to sleep
on the floor there. he was only another
one, and the ivory chips clacked, deal
after deal was made at the tables, the
bar was busy and the attendants did
not have time to make the unual
rounds of stirring up those who slept
oh h.
keepers, dealers and bartenders went
to lunch and returned the and figure
behind the stove did not move
The night wore away. but the crowd
had not diminished, for 1t was Christ
mas night and the boys were out to
celebrate. Play at the tables was
heavy patronage at the bar was brisk,
but no one bothered about the man be-
hind the stove and he slept on.
About o'clock in the morning a
black dog, looking for his master whom
he had lost in the crowd, came sniff
ing anxiously about seeking his owner.
The dog noticed the PROSTATE form on
the floor and shipped at his clothes,
then climbed over his body and licked
with his tongue the cramped fingers
end pushed away the hat which fell
by the mans head and, licking his
face. tried to awaken the sleeper, but
could not.
DyStanoer saw the action OF the
dog and glanced at the face. There
was no mistaking that look-the face
was that OF a corpse. He notified
Frank Mathers, one of the proprie-
tors, who investigated the report and
found II true-the brow of the sleeper
was cold, his fingers had stiffened, and
his eyes were in that slumber that
knows no waking.
DR.. Spelman was summoned and at
the same time Acting Coroner Ken
nedy. who took charge of the remains.
The business of the house went on;
the news was exchanged, There's a
dead man back there" and the play
went on; the chips clicked, the glasses
clinked, and all went on as before,
while only a few of the curious gath
cred about the body. scarce enough to
assist the undertaken in carrying away
all that was mortal of Frank Hammil.
When the coroner searched the cloth
ing of the deceased he found a purse,
a veterinarians lance and a whiskey
flask with only few red drops In the
bottom of 1t. The jurys verdict was
that death ensued from natural
causes.