The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-04
RESULT OF A QUARREL
The Murderer, George Baum.
Was the Aggressor-He and
His Victim Had Been Friends
From Early Boyhood Days in
Missouri-S Struck Him Over the
Head With a Shovel-Was Cap
tured in a Cellar.

| }. ii. Brandt, until yesterday a la
borer In the employ of the Montana Ore
purchasing company's smelling works,
was murdered yesterday by George
Baum, fellow workman. The two
| men quarreled over a trifiing matter.
| and after an exchange of opprobious
| epithets, Baum struck his companion
over the head with shovel, fracturing
| the skull so severely that he died yes
| terday afternoon at the hospital to
which he was taken for medical atten-
ton. The assault occurred about 4
| O'Clock yesterday morning.
In sense, the murder was cold
blooded and utterly inexcusable, al
though the murderer's friends will
plead responsibility for him on the
score OF former arrangement of mind
he suffered some years ago, necessitat-
ing his confinement in a mad house.
HIS mind was not considered unsound
at this time, however, ana from his
own admissions, which agree with the
story told by Brandt before he lost
consciousness, the murderous assault
was not only unprovoked by the muir
derers victim, but was in reality the
immediate result of his own provoking
conduct. The murderer was sane
enough to cause him TO attempt to es-
MS cabin when he learned his victim
was in dangerous condition. He was
not successful in the attempt to escape
In which he was aided by his brother
Tor Under Sheriff jerry Murphy, who
took charge of the case upon being no
tilted of the assault, proved equally as
shrewd, and caused the cellar to be
searched and found the murderer
crouching beneath the floor. He was
arrested and taken to the county Jail,
where he is now safely confined
The murderer and his victim had
known one another from boyhood hay-
ing been raised in the same village
back in Missouri. The two. accom-
panied by brother of the murderer
named Wendell Baum, came to Butte
IN search of work and found it with
the Montana Ore Purchasing company
as common laborers. Among other
things the work of the murderer and
his victim was to assist in unloading
the coal and coke shipped to the smell
ter for consumption, and it was this
work they were engaged in at the time
of the assault.
Baum and Brandt were engaged in
shoVeling coal out of a car into the coal
BINS, and Albert Karcher and Z. Hill.
two other laborers, We're similarly en-
gagged in another car close by.
Inc men were working the night
shirt. 1t was somewhere in the neigh |
boi hoou VI I y yesterday morning
when Baum and Brandt had some |
words over the manner in which Baum |
did his part of the work. In shoyeling |
the coal from the car each man SHOW |
els into chute, and it appears that in |
setting the car Baum always managed |
TO have the place where he shoveled |
close up to the chute, while Brandt |
was compelled to work four or five feet |
away, making his work much more ar |
duous than If the distance each had to |
shovel had been equally divided. When |
Brandt had become tired of his part
ner having all the best of it ali the
time. he demonstrated with Baum and |
insisted that when the car was moved |
again it should be placed SO that each
should have the same distance to shoy-
FL Hot words ensued, and Baum
called Brandt lazy -" Brandt re-
Piled:
We'll. if I'm a -. you're a -"
Brandt stood down on the floor of the
ear and Baum upon the coal consider
ably above him when the last remark
was passed. He had all the advantage
and raising his shovel struck Brandt
vicious blow on the head. Brandt fell
% the floor of the car, and Baum, see
ng he had injured him. called out for
1elp. karGher, who was in charge of |
he work. thinking Baum and his part
ler wanted assistance to move their
,ar, sent Hill to assist When Hill
'eacned the car he climbed up and saw
Srandt lying on the floor. He called to
karcher, to whom Brandt told the
story of the assault. AS he was con-
cious. karcher did not suppose he was
severely hurt. and proceeded to repri-
nand the men for quarreling. He told
hem if they did not get along for one
# them to go and work in the other
ar. and Brandt went. He worked
bout half an hour and began to feel
cry bad, leaning up against the side
# the car as though faint. Karcher
old him to go and lie down and he
would tell the boss when he came
round that me was sick. Brandt left
nd went to the change room and laid |
Iown. When Karcher and his men
Inished their work they went to the
hange room and found Brandt rapidly
citing worse. Baum walked in and |