The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-17
81 some one. UNKNOWN
The Ooroner's Jury Unable TO
Point to the Murderer.
END OF THE INQUEST
Moro Evidence Produced Against smith
but It's q . Olroumstantaal Oharao-
90. end ths Jury DID Not Hesl
Warranted In Going By It.

Warranted In Going BY It.
TN The matter Of IN inquest held at
Butte. Silver Bow county, Montana. be-
gun N b lkh day q June A D.. 1881.
before e. J.. Laurandeau. acting coroner
OF said county. on the dead body Of
Ethel Gill. we the undersigned Jurors.
after hearing the testimony and making
all needful inquiries. do hereby return
the following verdict:
I'VE. the jury ind that Ethel Gill
came to her death by s~trangling by
some person to the jury unknown. near
Fosters warehouse. in the city of Butte.
on or about June IL. 1898. J. A.. Clifford.
r. Il. Thomes, william O'Neill, J. j.
| Cusick. Ed z. Huddleston. b. +. Tur-
ner."
After three p~rotracted sittings n ex-
aiming "a witnesses. the jury impAnel-
ed to inquire into the death Of Ethel
GIL, the child who was ravished and
then murdered. In the southern part OF
the city q week ago, returned the above
verdict. The case was gone into with
great thoroughness, the jury visited the
scene OF the crime n viewed the sur
roundings, every person supposed to
Know anything at all about the case
was called a. a witness. and everything
was done that could be done In an effort
to establish the identity OF the perpe-
traitor of the awful crime. but the in
vestigation did not develop sufficient
evidence against anyone to warrant the
jury in expressing an opinion a. to the
guilty person. Numerous witnesses
knew nothing at all about the case, IL
transpired when they had given their
testimony. but they were called in the
hope they would be able to r some
light on the matter. There was much
testimony rejecting, circumstantially.
rested for the burglary Of the Rochester
hardware store. and later accused OF
the murder, but after the evidence was
all in the jury did not feel Justified In
laying the awful crime At his door. and
u is extremely doubtful II the atrocious
deed will ever be avenged.
At last evenings session Of the in
quest nothing OF an important charac-
ter wal added to the evidence taken at
the previous sessions. except the state
ment Of Detective Murphy. who said that
Foreman Thompson of the Carroll lum-
Der yard had said to him that he saw
Smith come out OF the clubhouse In the
vault of which the murdered child was
thrown to hide the crime, about 10 min
DSAptS " Lax il6h tAHC III
disappeared. This would have been a
strong piece Of evidence had 1t been a
fact, but Detective Murphy evidently
misunderstood Mr.. Thompson, as upon
referring to the stenographer's notes, 1t
was found that Mr.. Thompson had not
testified to the fact when on the stand.
The piece of the closet seat on which
blood was found and on which
were smeared the finger and thumb
prints of a man, was submitted in evil
dence, but the imprints had not been
compared with the fined prints of any
of the suspected persons and as q con
sequence the exhibit was Of no value
in assisting the jury to determine who
committed the crime.
DR.. p. j. Sheeran, county physician,
was called when the inquest was re-
sumed. He was asked If from his ex-
animation OF the person OF the accused
a Smith, he had found anything to
warrant him In the belief that Smith
assaulted the child. DR.. Sheeran said he
had found nothing to indicate hat Smith
was guilty, but the examination had
not proved his innocence by any means.
Francis Dingler, a teamster, employed
at the Carroll lumber yard. was called
and questioned by the Jurors. but they
were unable to elicit anything of a val
liable nature from him.
Mrs. Emma Anderson of 1928 South
OntO street, VINO OWNS me cdDln OCcu-
pied by the Gill family, was called, but
knew nothing about the case except
she had seen the child leave home.
Miss Laura Corbis. residing in the
vicinity Of the Chapman mattress fac
tory, saw the deceased near the ware
house about $3.50. but thew nothing
further.
City Detective Jerry Murphy said he
knew nothing directly in connection
with the death OF the deceased. He
had, however, worked on the case. and
was familiar with the circumstance OF
the arrest of the accused man. Smith.
Foreman j. L. Thompson of the Carroll
lumber yard told the witness he had
seen Smith leave the old clubhouse where
the child was murdered about 10 min
utes before 6 o'clock on Thursday even
ing, Just before his arrest. After Smith
was taken to the county Jail the wit
ness went to see him. and asked II he
had washed any Of his clothes. He
learned subsequently, he had washed
his shirt.
The witness exhibited the piece of the
closet seat bearing blood-stained finger
prints, which was found at the time Of
the discovery of the crime. Mr.. Yancey
asked: NJ Murphy. have you sue
ceeced In finding any evidence against
any one beside this man Smith,"
The witness said he had not. All he
had been able to learn pointed to Smith
as the guilty party. Detective Murphy
said 1t would have been impossible for
the crime to have been committed at |
ter the arrest. as an officer was sta 1
toned in view of the clubhouse from the
time OF the arrest until after the body |
OF the child was found.
did you ever have any conversation