The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-08
COHFESSES TO MURDER
Charles Sheppert Admits Having
Killed John Benson.
HEAVY BLOW ON THE HEAD
Self Confeesed Murderer Safely locked
Up In Jaii-Cisims He Did It In
sel:-Defense-Many Pecu-
liar Circumstances.

Charles Chabotte. Charles Sheppert or
Charles Shepherd-he Is known by all OF
these names-is a self-confessed muir
derer and he Is safely locked up In the
county Jail. As will be remembered.
the Standard yesterday morning print
ed an account Of the CHASTITY find of the
body of John Benson at Deer Lodge.
lying in the river. Yesterday Shepherd.
or whatever his name is. confessed to
Constable Dave Sheffield at Deer Lodge
that he Is the man who sent Benson to
his death.
Deputy Sheriff C. X. Hardenbrook
came up from Deer Lodge last evening
with the prisoner. So far as the sher-
IN has been able to ascertain. the story
that Shepherd tells is like this: About
I o'clock on Sunday morning he and
Benson became engaged In a fight on
the bridge crossing the river. During
the ayht Shepherd struck Benson a
blow on the back OF the head with a
stick which he carried in his hand. Ben
son fell on the bridge and into the riv-
er. Shepherd was arrested by Consta-
BILE Sheffield n yesterday confessed
To that officer. The confession was not
made generally public In Deer Lodge.
OWlnk % the IdtI tudt NtlC thN
tertained for the life of Shepherd should
the confession become generally known.
II appears from the testimony OF sew
eral of the witnesses who were exam
med at the inquest yesterday at Deer
Lodge. that both men are employed on
the railroad section there. There has
been bad blood between them. and some
of the witnesses said that Shepherd had
been following Benson and Shepherd
had been drinking heavily for a week or
10 days. Tuesday or Wednesday Shep-
herd and Benson. together with some
other men. were in a saloon when Ben
son refused to drink at the same bar
with Shepherd. The last time Benson
was seen alive vas on Friday afternoon
when a barber shaved him. The exact
cause of the trouble between Benson
and Shepherd Is not known.
One peculiar circumstance In connec-
tion with the murder Is that a fence
pole about 10 or ~ feet long was found
attached to Benson's clothing. This
pole wa broken of a fence near the
bridge. IL would seem from this that
Shepherd had used the pole In trying
to force the body of Benson into mid
stream so that II YOU float away.
The water where the body was found
Is very shallow. Another thing is that
an iron bar. a couple of feet long. had
Tor "A long time ain III the DUNK mouse
of the section men. That bar is To-
missing. The wound on the head of
Benson was inflicted by a blunt in
strumcnt. possibly the bar. The skin
was cut and blood was found on the
neck and shoulders. The skull. how
ever. was not fractured and death was
doubtless due to conclusion.
A physician wos performed the au-
topsy on Benson. testified that Benson
must undoubtedly have been dead be-
fore he reached the water, for there
were none OF the indications present
from which a deduction could be made
that Benson was alive when he went
into the water. From this a surmise
may be made hat the murder was
committed some time before Shepherd
admits IL was. and hat the murderer
hid the body Of his victim for some
time and then threw IL into the river.
There are many peculiar circumstance
In connection with the murder that dc
not fit in with Shepherds story. that
a fight occurred on the bridge and that
he killed Benson In that fight. Owing
to the quietness with which IL was
thought advisable to surround the mat
ter OF Shepherds confession. the cor
oner's inquest did not inquire closely
into details and adjourned until Shep'
herd should ave been gotten AVA
from Deer Lodge. The inquest will be
resumed to-day.