The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-28
TOM FRANEY
CONFESSES
Acknowledges That He
Killed Paul Kroeger
WHILE HE WAS DRUNK
Developments Expect
ed in the Franey Murd Or Trial.
Several Witnesses State That
They Overheard Franey Con-
TESS to the Murder While He
Was in Jail-He Also Threat
ened to Kill Few More Be-
fore He Got Through.

Facts came to light yesterday that
seem to justify the prediction that there
will be some startling developments in
the murder trial Of Thomas Franey be-
fore the prosecution closes it's case 1t
is stated by several witnesses that
Franey made confession that he killed
Paul Kroeger. The words, in effect,
credited to him are: II killed him. and
l will kill few more before l get
through"
The statement is alleged to have been
made by him to another prisoner in the
county Jail, and was overheard by two
or three others. The rumor of an
alleged admission of guilt on the part
of Franey was first circulated shortly
after the Shafer and Ford murder
trials. Shortly after his release from
Jail AL Ford made the statement that
the state had the murderers of Kroeger
in Moody and Franey. He spoke with
confidence, but when closely questioned
he only said he knew what he was talk
ing about, but refused to give any fur
Their information. Ford had occupied
the same corridor of the jail with
Moody and Franey. Nothing more def
mite was heard until yesterday when
Steve Simpson, who also spent several
months in Jail with the two accused
murderers, called at the court house
and during a conversation with one of
the court officers made the statement
that he knew Franey killed Kroeger
He was asked as to the source of
his knowledge and he said that he
overheard a conversation between Fra
ney and another prisoner and heard
him say that he fixed Kroeger and
would fix several others in the same
way before he got through with them.
At the time of this burst of confidence
Franey was slightly under the influence
Of liquor having drunk a quantity of
alcohol some of the prisoners had to
use for liniment. The statement made
by Simpson was reported TO County
Attorney Stapleton and Mr. Baldwin.
the states associate counsel and they
Immediately proceeded to investigate
the matter, but with what result they
declined to state when questioned last
evening, though it is evident they found
other proof to substantiate the story,
for subpoenas were issued for a num-
Der of new witnesses including both AL
Ford and Steve Simpson and several
prisoners in the county Jail. who will
doubtless be called on to testify at the
trial to-day.
Hc SldtN dltcIuSsS we're III tOIlSul-
tation for several hours yesterday
afternoon and last evening with several
prisoners brought from the Jail, but |
Mr.. Stapleton, when questioned about |
the matter declined to discuss it and /
refused to either deny or confirm the |
report that the state would be able to |
prove the facts of the alleged confess |
sion. He said the facts were not in |
such shape as to warrant him in giving |
them out for publication. If the facts |
are as stated by the three or four al |
legged with ,ses to Franeys admission,
the proof of them would give added |
interest to the case of Frank Moody
which was so isummarily taken out of
the hands of the jury by Judge Clancy,
by which Moody secured his release.