The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-27
HIS WORK In BUTTE
The Missing Salt Lake Parson
Soaked" WOmen's Apparel Here.
ITS A SIGNIFICANT FACT
Kew. Mr.. Melby of This City Recalls
the Date on Which the Deal
was Made-How He Acted
and Where He Went
rs A SIGNIFICANT FACT

Lake preacher. who is charged with
the murder Of two young women and
the cremation Of their bodies in the
furnace ,of the Scandinavian church in
salt Lake, was in Butte subsequent 10
the dates OF the disappearance of Hen
retta Clausen and Annie SamueIson
ms TWO alleged victims, and left In
this city what seems to be undoubted
evidence of his crime. Readers of the
/ Standards telegraph pages during the
last few days are familiar with the de-
tails OF the horrible crime, the enor-
nifty of which overshadows the noted
Durrant murders. The Clausen girl
disappeared last September and Miss
Samuelson was seen last on Jan. 20.
In the early part of February. Rev.
Mr.. Hermanns left Salt Lake on a leo
turing tour for the purpose of raising
funds to pay off an indebtedness on his
salt Lake church. About the middle of
the month, Rev. p. N. Melby of the
scandinavian church, in Butte, re-
ceived letter from Hermanns whom
he had known we'll for several years.
announcing that he would stop in
Butte on his way east and expressed a
wish to fill the pulpit of Mr.. Melby's
church on Sunday, Feb. %. Hermanns
left Brigham City, Utah, on Thursday
Feb. 20, and arrived in Butte the next
day. Friday, Feb. 81. Mr.. Melby is sure
or the date. He remained in Butte un-
I'll the following Tuesday and then left
for Helena, expecting to lecture there.
but not finding at home the local pas
tor he proceeded at once to Williston,
N. d., where he visited a sister-in-law
and from there went to DEBORAH, Iowa
and finally reached Chicago, from
which place he was recalled to Salt
Lake to answer to charge of embezz-
ling church funds. He returned to that
place April 2S, attended the investiga-
ton, which resulted in his suspension
from all ministerial privileges, and left
again on May 6. The last trace of him
was found in Kansas City, from which
place he mailed a letter May to Elder
Mork of Salt Lake.
When he arrived in Butte he had
with him two trunks, one a yellow
leather trunk and the other a fIat-top
zinc trunk. The former contained his
personal effects and the latter, he told
Mr.. Melby, had belonged to his sec
ond wife and was full of her clothing
Hermanns had been married three
times, the second wife having died
years ago In Wisconsin and the third
in Salt Lake about a year ago. He
told Mr.. Melby that he wished to sell
the trunk and the clothing in it as he
had grown tired of carrying it around
liked to part with them owing to the
tender memories associated with them.
Mr.. Melby, suspecting nothing wrong,
offered to accompany him to a second
hand store for the purpose of disposing
of the trunk and clothing, and on
Monday, Feb. "a, they visited the store
of A. s. Binnard, at 81 East Park
street. Mr. Melby remained standing
at the door while Hermanns went in
"a cd rrrft
Binnard was cautious about buying
the stun and questioned Hermanns
closely. Hermanns explained that they
had belonged to his second wife and
that he had grown tired of the expense
and trouble of carrying them around
the country with him. In answer to a
question from Mr.. Binnard, Hermanns
said his wife had died in childbirth.
finally agreed to purchase the
stuff for s12 and Hermanns sent an
man to the Union Pacific de-
pot and the trunk was brought up and
paid for, after the articles had been
closely examined. Hermanns had stat,
ed that a Salt Lake woman, a second
hand dealer, had offered him So for the
outfit, but he thought II was not
enough. and he declined to part with
u Tor that sum, but brought it to
Butte with him.
A Standard reporter called at the
store of Mr.. Binnard last evening and |
saw the trunk in question. Mr. Bin |
nard had good recollection of the |
Most of the clothing. |
however, had at various times been |
disposed of by him. but he quite well |
the articles contained in |
he trunk, a few of which he still has /
IN hand. including a sealette fur Jack |
IT, trimmed with mink; a pair of we'll |
worn slippers and a pair of slightly
worn shoes, bearing the names of /
spencer & Lynch, dealers of Salt Lake.
Another article is a low-crowned black.
'r dark blue hat, with black ribbon |
BOWS and black, short plumes. Some |
If the aEticles. including a black.
united wool cape, have been sent out
# the state for disposal, and Mr.. Bin
lard thinks he will be able to get them
pack. Other pieces of wearing apparel
we're sold in Butte and some of them
an be recovered. Among them are a
black cashmere dress. trimmed with
'rocaded silk; a red satin waist, several
uits of underwear, two common
lresses, some Bingham and white mus
in aprons, a lot of well-worn stockings
md two pairs of corsets, one of them
trimmed with leather. The whole COM
)rised a complete outfit for a woman |
md was of fair quality. The style of
he clothing indicated that they had
TO tail, slender woman. |
This fact is an important one, as it is
veil known that Hermanns' second
wife was short and heavy set.
The entry on Mr.. Binnard's day book
hows that the deal with Hermanns
vas made on Feb. IS but Mr.. Melby is
ure that the entry is wrong. as the
ale was made the day before Her
lanns left for Helena, on Tuesday,
'eb. "a. Mr.. Binnard admits that the
ntry may be wrong and that he may
ave forgotten to put down the date
n which the purchase was made. Mr.
innard also states that Hermanns was
/ his store in the morning alone and
artly negotiated for the sale of the
-unk and clothing and in the after
Don returned with Mr.. Melby and
lade the sale.
The fact that Hermanns left Salt
axe with the two trunks was first
armed in Salt Lake yesterday and !
cnnRlnEinn raanhaH he I