The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-10
THURSDAY. NOV. 10. 1895.
TWELVE PAGES.
John j. DAILY Murdered.

stains from the display Of the
symbols. well won though they
were. which newspapers often wear af-
ter a signal triumph at the polls for
the cause they have championed. The
winners at last Tuesdays precincts in
Silver Bow county scored a magnificent
victory for free coinage. for the nation
al as well as for the state democracy.
for the cause which. in its ultimate
fate. intimately involves the veal or
the woe of all industrial life in Mon
tana. In Butte 1t was essentially a
fight bravely waged against the as
saults Of a rich mans gold.
Taking up to-day the tardy returns
Of the vote in Silver Bow county. The
defenders of free coinage, in whose
ranks the Standard fought. might with
ample reason. under ordinary circum-
stances. make OF the day a jubaant
occasion. with congratulations, with
genialty and with the display Of the
tokens of a brilliant political success.
But. ~unhappily. all these are hushed.
There rests on Butte a painful silence:
crepe has its fitting place where gar
lands had been planned.
This happens because The election has
one Of its sequels in the fact that.
while they were engaged in the per-
Torrance of duties involving the sane
tity Of the ballot. two citizens Of Butte
were made the target for assassin bull
lets. the only mournful consolation in
this heinous business being that one of
h two marvelously escaped with his
life. The news OF this tragedy has left
its gloomy impress upon Butte-the
offending stain OF It has brought the
blush of shame to every honest citi-
zen's cheek. While the feeling OF sor-
row for the dead INC sympathy for the
wounded is almost universal there was
manifested. yesterday. a spirit Of re-
sentiment that this foul blot should
have Its enduring place on the page OF
Butte's history.
Naturally enough. in a hundred cir
cles the authors of his dastardly crime
and the motive that prompted them
furnished the theme Of discussion all
day yesterday. Caution was the rule
Of conduct: IL was felt that a hasty or
an ill-spoken word might be the spark
for the kindling of a coniagration. The
plea for prudence asserted itself. as II
by common consent. Men weighed their
wordsL There was. in rare instances.
the pointing OF fingers and the naming
Of names. but public opinion frowned
at this. Here and there individuals
took upon themselves dangerous re-
sponsibilities when they ventured so far
as I've to lisp the names of those
against whom their suspicious ran. In
fact. thus far the of the muir
derers are a mystery: and the Standard
would deem IL an act not short ~
criminslity on its part. were 1t to
permit its pages TO hint at suspect
names.
But. as has just been said. motives
as well as names were under whis-
pered discussion yesterday. These are a
factor In the case respecting which a
candid expression may properly be put
into print. Surely these murderers had
a motive. Would a highwayman re-
gard a polling precinct where a few
miners are met 10 count a vote the
probable repository Of rich booty? Does
the allegation that one Of these men had
shown money suggest an Incentive to
an armed attack on a score OF men?
II Is not easy to persuade oneself that
professional thugs would ply their
trade at a polling place where the COM
psny. by almost every human chance.