The Anaconda standard., 1898-11-29
ANACONDA NEWS.
Gill GETS Is YEARS
SAYS SENTENCE IS FAIR
tn lGurdsrsr Does Not Feel ss An DE-
-pIsassd With the Sentence Im-
posed Upon Him = Mr.
Du6y's Pisa.

william Gill, who was found guilty
of murder in the second degree. was
yesterday morning sentenced to Is
years in the penitentiary by Judge
BrAntly.
At $3.50 o'clock Judge Brantly mount
ed the bench. and Gill was then
brought up from the county jail. The
prisoner looked worn.
Before sentence was passed upon the
prisoner J. H. DUFFY. who has ably con-
Quoted Gflls defense. made a few re-
marks to the Judge. He said that as
Judge Brantiy had been probably elect
ed to a higher pffice this would be the
last heavy sentence he would pronounce
in this court. He said that he should.
TO D poor. unfortunate human being.
Judge Brantly addressed the prisoner
and said that be had been tried by an
intelligent jury, very ably defended and
had been found guilty Of murder in the
second degree. He would take into
consideration the jury's recommends
tion for mercy. and would sentence him
to Is years in the penitentiary. The sem
tence did not affect the prisoner in the
least. He sat and looked around the
court room as ne was often in the
habit of doing during the trial. He was
taken back to his cell. which he left at
2 o'clock in the afternoon on the Cop
per City for Deer Lodge, where he will
begin the SERVING of his sentence.
The sentence of Is years, provided
Gill Is a good prisoner and behaves
himself. will be reduced to nine years
and three months.
After the prisoner had been taken
back to his cell, he was seen by a re-
porter of the Standard. When ques-
toned as to his sentence he said: "I
think the sentence is fair. 1t Is very
much less than / expected. i am very
thankful to Mr. Duffy. He has worked
night and day. for me and he deserves
great credit. Nine years and three
months will be quite long time to re-
main locked UP. but then you have got
to make the best of IT. While I Was
confined to the Jail here l was kindly
treated by all. particularly by Deputy
Sheriff j. A. Johnston, who looked after
all my wants.
1T will always remember that 1t is on
the 2sth of November that ] began
serving my sentence"
The prisoner ate a hearty luncheon,
as he said he was not so sure of ever
eating as heartily again for some time
TO come. f;-'' 49, -
Thus the hast chapter in the Gin muir
der case. which has become quite IA
present time is sometime over 81 years.
Nine years will make him IS years old.
1t Is the opinion of good many people
who know Gill that he will not survive
his sentence. owing in some degree to
his high spirit.
went to the states prison at Deer
Lodge was the murder of Patrick
Welch at Race Track on Sept. 20. While
intoxicated Gill struck Welch in the
back of the head with a heavy club.
causing almost instant death, due TO
conclusion of the brain.
1t was brought out at the trial that
GIL had . fallen from a horse about
eight years ago. and since that time
had developed many peculiarities. The
defense was that of insanity. The de-
tense endeavored to prove that Gilrs
mental arrangement was aggravated
by liquor, and that on the night of the
murder he was very drunk Welch was
a quiet, peaceable citizen and Gilrs
only apparent cause for animosity was
jealousy. Gill had lived on a ranch
owned by Morgan Evans for a number
Of years. Evans gave Gill the use OF
the ranch free Of charge. Some time
before the murder Evans also gave
welch permission TO live upon the
ranch. Gin and Welch got along first
rate for a time, but soon Gill began to
labor under the idea that Welch was
surplanting him in the esteem Of Evans.
GIL brooded over this thought and for
months did not speak to Welch. The
two men lived in the same cabin. but
cooked their meals. each upon his own
side OF the stove. They worked in the
field, but each titled his own share of
the land. Other affairs further
On the night Of the murder there
were four men in the cabin on the
ranch. Welch. Gill. Morgan Evans and
Con Deneen. The question OF who
should live upon the ranch was indi-
rectly brought up. but was dropped af-
ter a few words. The four men became
intoxicated The more whskey Gill
drank the more jealousy OF Welch
gained upon him. until finally he went
outside. secured the handle OF a spade,
returned to the cabin and struck Welch
a blow in the back OF the head.
Gill Is an old-timer in this part OF the
country. Along i'm the earlier sixties he
was a shoe and bootmaker at Gable.
where he often received as much as SIS
a pair for boots. He is very well known
to the pioneers of this region.
Welch, the victim, was also well
known. He had beeh working on the
valley ranches for 10 or ~ years.
According to the testimony intro
duced at the trial the fall from the