The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-19
ALONE IN HIS ROOM
Sam Peterson, a Stranger in the City,
Passes Peacefully Away.
EVIDENTLY A SOBER MAN
He Carried Letters of Recommen-
dation-Whether Suicide or Nat 2
ural Death VIII Ee Deter
mined at To-Day's Inquest.

Samuel Peterson, almost out of
money and sick and far away from his
friends, died suddenly yesterday in a
Butte lodging house. At 10 O'Clock
Sunday evening Peterson went up into
the windsor hotel in East Broadway.
]. l.. Hamilton, the proprietor, was in
the Office. The man acted mopish and
queer, but did not seem to be in any
degree drunk. He was dressed in a
fairly good brown suit of clothes.
would weigh about $50 pounds, was
feet inches in height with light COM
plexion and light mustache He had
bandage around his neck. He asked
for room. Mr.. Hamilton opened up
the registry book and held a pen to-
ward the stranger for him to register.
But the stranger did not seem to notice
this action but laid down so cents to
pay for the room and started for the
door. Mr. Hamilton showed him his
room, turned on the lights, and left
him.
About $40 O'clock yesterday after
noon the chambermaid of the Windsor
went to Mr.. Hamilton and said: mo.
10 Is not up yet" That seemed strange
and Mr.. Hamilton went at once to No.
10 and knocked there. There. was no
response. The door was lockedan the
key was on the inside. Mr.. Hamilton
then took off the transom and climbed
into the room. The stranger was ly-
ing on his back in the bed rigid in
death. His clothes were on a chair be-
side the bed. The clothes were pulled
up over the body except one arm, which
was out from under the cover. The
tongue slightly protruded from the
mouth. Death had evidently been
peaceful and painless. There was no
trace of any struggle. The bed was
undisturbed except for the impression
left by the form. There was no i'm
preston on the pillow except where the
mans head lay. On the stand by the
bed was a glass with a little water in
it. There was also water in the, wash
basin and a small bottle of medicine
with a prescription from DR.. Johnson.
This bottle was almost full, not more
than a teaspoonful had been taken
from it. There was nothing of a dan
gerous character about the medicine.
In the mans pockets were found a
little silver change, two pipes, tobacco,
a special poll tax receipt from Lewis
and Clarke county, dated Feb. 20, 1896
A few scraps of paper, a few letters,
and a small vial partly filled with
liquid which looked like laudanum, The
letters showed the mans name to be
Samuel Peterson and a railroad man.
There was an r. r. T. A. button on
his coat. One letter was from A. s.
WILSON, OF Jne llIIn OF WILSON * BOlln-
ger, grocers, New Whatcom, Wash,
addressed to o. o. Doolittle of Oak
land, Cal, introducing Peterson and
saying that he is a brother of Mrs.
Kirkpatrick, and that Peterson is a
gentleman in every respect" 'i1r
Another letter was from Charles E.
Vetal of the Sheridan Brewing COM
pany, Sheridan, Wyo., addressed to +.
l.. Connors, Butte, Mont, saying: do
for the bearer, Sam Peterson, what
you can, as he is a friend of mine, and
oblige"
There was also the following letter
from Sheridan, Wyo.: ITO whom 1T
may concern: The bearer, S. Petersen,
worked for the b. & NJ. railroad from
1894 to March, 1895, as wiper and extra
fireman, and / can recommend him as
a sober and industrious man. James
Nutchie, Assistant NJ. NJ"
Petersen was about 3S years old.
Whether he committed suicide or died
a natural death is not certainly known,
but will probably be determined at the
inquest to-day.