The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-01
ANACONDA news.
InEE COLLINS IS ALIVE
NO NtW DEVELOPMENTS
NE Nysssry OF the Bloody Package Re
mains - ImpcnetrabIe as Ever.
Matter Was Kept q Pro-
found Secret.

At least a portion Of the mystery
b~urrounding the discovery Of a bundle
pf biood-stained clothing at Deer Lodge
pas beer cleared up. 1t IL that part
relating TO h superstition that Michael
collins was the victim Of the assassin's
blow. Mr.. Collins is safe and well: he
Jeff Anaconda yesterday morning for
ksregson Springs. where he is to work
pm the railroad section.
The first intimation that the police
III Anaconda had of the important dis
covery was when they read the account
of IL In yesterday mornings Standard.
Policeman Jack McMasters was one of
Ihe FIRST officers to read Il. McMas.ers
> well acquainted with Collins and tas
known him for years. Heshad seen him
n Anaconda lately and knew that he
4topped at the Grand Central hotel. He
>Sas greatly surprised to learn that oil
lin w-s supposed to be the victim Of
the Deer Lodge murder. Officer Me-
Masters at once went to the Grand Gen.
oral hotel on Front street and made in
Ruiries concerning Collins. He was in
Bormed there that Collins had left for
Xsregson ON the I o'clock train. He ex-
vbected to work on the section at Greg
bon and promised to be back next sun
day.
A call was made by n reporter at the
Grand Central hotel. where the facts as
felated above were corroborated.
Thu sherfn's Office was visited yes
verday by a reporter for the Standard.
The unde sheriff. In charge OF the
rher.n's ONCE. stated that nothing had
been discovered that would throw any
additional light on the affair. When
asked why so much secrecy had been
.GHaRTN@0 In the CQoe The under sheriff
paid that I'VE nave been working on "a"
xor some time and said the Office was
Dfraid that IL the AFFAIR was made pub
JIG. IL would spoil the chances of a
capture" The under sheriff did not say
in what way the announcement of the
ind OF the bloody bundle would have
endangered the chances of a capture.
So closely vas the secret guarded by
chose In charge Of the sherin's Office
hat the deputies themselves knew
bothing of IL. at least that Is the state
Dnent made by n OF them. What the
teason is for the deep secrecy surround
ing the AFFAIR Is not known. Ii can w.ly
be stated that all of the police officers
who were seen positively stated that
they were given no intimation by tile
sherin's ONCE OF the discovery.
Telegraphic Information from Deer
Lodge Ii to the effect that there We're
20 new developments yesterday. The
bundle of clothing. which Is stu in ceer
Kodge. rs said 10 contain a pair Of over
alls. a coat. vest and shirt. II is said
that no steps have been taken to drag
the Deer Lodge river IN an endeavor
to find the body of the victim, IL VIC
tim there really Is. A gentleman from
Deer Lodge. who was in the city yester-
6ay. said:
'There were no marks of a struggle
anything else at the place where
noN ware faIfnd ~ in1l.afa a crfn.A
had been committed there. Some In
cline 60 the opinion that the murderer.
N such there he. came from the river
after throwing his victim in to the
stream and changed clothes in the
brush where the bundle was found. The
Clothes were first discovered by Sec
Don Foreman Ericsson. who notified the
Sficials. Constable Sheffield went after
the clothes and In searching for a clue
~ to why or for what purpose they
were placed In the brush. discovered the
blood marks ON the fence rails near the
railroad bridge which crosses Cotton
wood creek and. following the creek
down 10 its mouth. found more blood
am a board which crosses a water ditch
near the mouth OF the creek and again
on a fence near the river"
Another Deer Lodge gentleman who
was I'm Anaconda yesterday expressed
the opinion that. as the Collins part OF
the mystery had been cleared up, he
took little stock I'm the afaiS. He con-
cluded his remarks abou the affair in
these words:
Doesn't Il seem incredible that a
man would kill another in the brush
where the clothes were found and then
drag or carry the corpse about 500
yards or more N over and through
three fences To the river. when he
cave II where the crime had been COM
pitted and not have II found N for
Nonths or perhaps years."
The remark as TO whether the body
ould or would not have been discov-
cred III left where the clothing was
found. II would seem. Is a little out of