The San Francisco call., 1896-11-18
Guy Hudson-Pi1ler Struck
Down by Companion
Elliott.
Were Members OF Buffalo Bills
Wild West Show and Sup
posed Friends.
Rem arkable Coo ness of the Assassin,
Whose S,le Object Was
Robbery.

Piller, lately rider in the American SOL
diers of Buffalo Bits Wild West Show,
was most brutally murdered by G. Elliott,
his companion, this afternoon at their
room in the Winsor Hotel. The motive
was evidently robbery, and the murderer
has fed from the city after most remark
able exhibition of GOODNESS after his crime.
When Buffalo Bill's show disba nded for
the winter at Moberley, October "A, ten of
the riders in the gay soldiery came to this
city and soon left for their homes, save
Hudson Piller, Elliott and Jack Vannoy.
The latter is now working in the city.
Hudson-Piller had been injured by be-
ing thrown on the pommel of his saddle
and wanted to remain in the city few
days for medical treatment. So he and
| Elliott went to the Metropolitan Hotel,
and two days later the injured man went
| to st. Joseph's Hospital. Elliott had no
| money so he was put out for non-payment
| of board just st the time that Hudson
Piller left the hospital. and both went to
| the Wiusor, having left all their baggage,
except small handbag, registering No
vember TO- from Marquette, Wyo., and
being assigned to q room on the second
| floor of the hotel.
Proprietor Butler heard of the deal at
| the Metropolitan, and insisted upon pay
| ment during the week. Elliott left his
watch as security for a weeks board, and
Hudson-Piller on Monday paid his bill to
date. Elliott announced that both were
going to the Big Horn for the winter, pre-
sumably to Marquette, Wyo., where
Hudson-Piller has a ranch, and where a
brother lives. To-day after dinner Hudson
PIller was chatting with a. r. Butler in
the Office, when about O'Clock Elliott
called him to the head of the stairway.
The latter responded, and as he ascended
| the stairway that was the last seen of him
| alive.
Two hours later Elliott returned to the
Office, paid his own bill for the week. re-
| ceived his watch and also paid the bill for
| the one day for his com panion. Not a
trace OF nervousness was seen in his man.
ner, and he quickly accepted an invitation
given by A. r. Butler to step across Jack
| son street 20 a saloon. After chatting q
| few minutes Butler returned alone, and
| just at 4 O'Clock Elliott again went into
| the Office, remarked that he would have
| time TO get shaved and went TO a barber
| shop. Upon his return he invited Butler
| to drink with him. and after a minutes
| conversation looked at his watch and
started to the depot to catch the Burling-
ton train west to Billings, Mont, at 5:35.
A stockman stopping at the hote., who
knew Elliott, saw him at the depot a few
minutes later, but is not certain as to his
movements.
| Clerk Stewart Slough of the Winsor
Hotel supposed that both men had gone,
and ordered the chambermaid on that
| floor to fix up the room. 1t was about
$40 O'Clock when she went to the room,
found it locked, and with her pass key un-
locked and slightly pushed open the door
and started to step inside. Her foot
slipped in pool of blood and she saw the
body of man lying on the bed. She
called the clerk, who entered the room,
saw the condition of affairs and the police
and Coroner were Immediately notified.
The theory is that " hen Elliott called his
companion, Hudson Piller. to their room
he preceded him, hid behind the door aud
struck the latter his death blow with an
iron car coupling pin. In Elliott's mus
cuIar arm the instrument crushed his
victims skull on the left side as if it were
| an egg shell. Never moan was uttered
as the man sank to the floor. Three more
blows were struck, one of which again
crushed IN the skull. A mass of clotted
blood marks the SPOT where the victim
lay on the floor.
The bloody corpse was placed upon the
bed, towel was thrown over the face and
the trousers pockets were gone through
for money. They were left turned out.
AS not cent was left the murderers sue
cess may be judged. The coupling pin was
lying in a corner covered with blood and
| hidden with a newspaper. Bloody towels
in the slopiar indicated that the murderer
| had carefully cIeansed himself of the
blood before venturing from the room.
Taxing everything of value except the
dead mans medicine and surgical appli-
ances he locked the door and carried away
the key. 1t is not known just how much
money Hudson-Pilier had left, but he had
a s1O0 bill changed at the drugstore. where
he bought some medicine last Sunday, and
then remarked to Vannoy, mutual
friend, who was with him, that it was all
| he had left of his summers wages.
Both men were finely developed, tall
and muscular. The dead man was
blonde, with a heavy light mustache,
about feet 10 inches in height and about
|