The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-26
R. f.KEELER FOUND DEAD
Alone in His Cabin on South
Montana Street.
WAS N OF THE PIONEERS
His Death Is Supposed to Have Resulted
From Excessive Drinking Had
Been Dead a Long Time
When Found.

DtnNtI NhO "dC III VI
pioneers in Montana, was found dead
in his cabin in the rear of 619 South
Montana street about s o'clock last
evening. The cause of death is sup
posed to have been excessive drinking.
Keeler lived in a cabin in the rear OF
the premises of w. G. Pfouts, where he
had kept bachelors half for seven or
eight years. He was a. very heavy
drinker for many years. and lately the
effects Of drink had told heavily on
him. He drank so much at times that
he could do little work. and as a con-
sequence was broke" the greater part
of the time. Having been his friend
for 30 years, Mr.. Pfouts gave Keller
the use of the cabin and frequently
Strengthened him up when he went on a
p~rotracted spree. At such times as he
was without funds Mr.. Pfouts would
provide him with food, and he had come
to be a sort of a pensioner. A few days
before he died he had promised to quit
drinking, but failed to keep his prom
Use. and Mr.. Pfouts saw nothing more
of him till he was found dead.
Keller got employment with two car
penters named Haskfns and Sherwood
and worked last Friday. He did not
show up Saturday, and on Sunday they
IL " Aooh AiiAh ebH
the home of Joseph @. Grenon, a friend
Of Keeler's who lived near. and in
quired after him. Grenon had not seen
him, so all three went to Keeler's cab
in. They found the door locked with
the key inside and the curtain OF the
only window in the cabin was down.
Surprising he was sleeping off a drunk,
they went away. Last evening 'Haskins
and Sherwood called again at Grenon's
and said they had seen nothing OF
Keller. This seemed strange, and Gre
non suggested they had better go to
his cabin and investigate. They did so
and found things in the same condi-
ton they had been before. Grenon
concluded something must be the mat
ter, and broke out a pane OF window
glass. An awful smell told them the
occupant of the cabin must be dead.
They called officer Neville, who took
the door off the hinges and entered.
The fears of Keeler's friends were con-
frmed. He lay on his left side on the
bunk, with his head at the foot and his
legs hanging off the bed. He was
dressed in his und~erclothes and over
shirt, indicating he had been trying to
get into bed or had been to bed and
was trying to get up when he died.
The body was in an advanced stage of
decomposition. showing he had been
dead some time. The odor was so ter
rible no attempt was made by the cor
oner. who was at once called, to make
a thorough examination, but as there
were no outward evidences of suicide
or foul play, either on the body or about
the cabin, Coroner Tremblay came to
the conclusion from facts he was able
to learn from friends that death was
due to alcoholism. The dead man had
bled from the nose and 1T was thought
he may have had a hemorrhage which
may have had something to do with his
death. but this could not be determined
from the examination made.
The last time Keller is known to have
been seen alive was Saturday evening,
! when he visited the store of Clark IL
Dougherty at 6S1 South Montana street,
a few rods from his cabin. He was in
toxicated at the time and IL was sup
posed by Mr.. Clark, who talked with
him, that he went home from the store.
Officer Neville think he saw the man
on Montana street Sunday evening, as
he saw a man who looked very much
like Keller. going in the direction of
his cabin who was very drunk and
bleeding at the nose. When Keller Wis
tied Clark & Dougherty's store, how
ever. he was not bleeding, and Coroner
Tremblay is of the opinion the officer
must be mistaken about the identity OF
the man he saw. as he does not think
II likely the body could have become
so badly decomposed since Sunday
evening. 1t is thought therefore that
Keller must have gone home from the
store and died shortly afterward OF
some time during the night. After Cor
oner Tremblay had investigated the
death the body was sent to Sherman's
undertaking rooms, where an Inquest
will probably be held tomorrow.
Keeler was about 55 years of age, &C
cording to the reckoning of Mr.. Pfouts
who appears to have known him better
than any one else. He had lived II
Montana more than so years.. and wa
at one time agent for Wells Fargo a
Virginia City. He came to Butte abou
eight years ago and had since followed
his trade. He had no relatives in Mon
tana as far as known. but has a fathe
somewhere in the East, who recent!
advertised for him.
While 1t is not now thought likel'
such will be the case. II Is possible
more thorough investigation after TN
body has been disinfected by the under
taker, will reveal a cause of death yer,
much different from that now accepte
by the coroner.