The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-25
CLAIMS HE IS INNOCENT
Eli Fisher Makes Strong Repre-
sentations to His Eastern
Relatives. ...
LIFE WASSWORN AWAY
BY Jim Calder. So He Says - Did
Young Calder DO This to Save
His Own Neck? ..

James Eli Fisher, who was recently
convicted of murder in the first degree
in Fergus county for taking part with
VIM. Calder in the killing Of Farquha,
McRae, sheepman, and his herder
Jack Allen, makes some very strong
claims as to his innocence. He has sue
ceeded in making very favorable i'm
preston upon the editor Of an Indiana
paper printed in his native town, who
devotes considerable space to the case
and draws the conclusion that "west.
! cru jury has given the young man
! the worst of it because Of the perjury
Of one of tho witnesses. The Hoosier ed.
itor has evidently allowed his sympa.
thies to run away with his Judgment.
The article in question apeared in the
Wabash, Ind, Plain Dealer of April
l6. and is as follows:
Bent with age, haggard with grief
and care, with despair stamped upon
every feature Of his countenance, Cal.
vim Fisher Of Treaty oalne to Wabash
yesterday to seek aid to enable his son
James Eli, convicted Of murder in the
first degree at Lewistown, Mont, to SO.
cure an appeal to the supreme court.
Calvin Fisher is a poor man and
earns by the hardest toll scanty liveli.
hood OH little farm in Liberty town.
ship, but he is an honest man and is
respected by all his neighbors, who are
disposed to MD him as fur as lies in
their power. ...
1.-THE story of the crime and the trial
of young Fisher. who is but 81, has
been briefly related, but the story of
young Fisher, now immured in Mon.
tana Jail, which has not been pub.
lished, bears the impress Of truth, and
if it is true, then it is clear that he is
innocent and that the vengeance of the
law will strike down man guiltless
Of the astrocious crime Of which the
western jury has convicted him.
Under date Of April /, and just
after the jury had agreed on a verdict
Of murder in the first degree, and be-
fore his sentence, Eli writes his vener.
able father here as follows:
dear Father: 1t is with grief
that grasp the ren to inform you that
my trial is over. told the truth from
beginning to end, but as am strang.
er here and have no friends, my word
was discarded by the jury aud they be-
lieved one whose statement was false
because he knew most of the prosecut.
ing witnesses. They swore to lies to
favor him. Jim Calder. the youngest
OF the brothers. swore that killed the
sheep herder and his brother Bill killed
the owner Of the sheep. He said Oh
the witness stand that he saw his
brother kill the owner, but he said he
did not see me kill the herder, but saw
me take his brothers. gun and 90 in the
direction Of the horder, aud in short
time came back and told him I had
killed the herder, whose name was Jim
Allen. I will write you all of the evi.
dence, as the Argus has it, and 7 will
see the editor today and if he has not
sent you copy will do so. The jury
in my case was out fifty-fo hours be-
fore reaching verdict, agreeing last
night about 10 o'clock, when it pro.
inc guilty Of murder in the
first degree. Now. father, don't worry
about me, for am not guilty OF this
terrible crime. My sentence will be
passed at 7:30 tonight. My lawyer,
Mr. Blackford, will move for new
trial. am satisfied that he has done |
ali that is in his power for me, and
will do more. No, father, as I told
you. rest as easily as you possibly can,
as am not guilty of the crime am
charged with, and am in as good cheer
as was before the trial, because I
know that ! am innocent. and that if I
am misjudged here on this earth I
know that I will be judged right when
we are all judged according to our
seeds. Don't think that I have for.
gotten that I have an angel mother.
who is Watching over me, aud, knowing
hat, would take part in such wrong do.
ng as I am charged with.
But have not yet banished all
rope, I don't think I will get new
,earing from the court was tried BY.
,ut Mr.. Blaokford says it won't take
uoh an amount to carry 1t to the su.
,reme court. He said he would write
'ou to try aud sea what could be done.
received letter from Aunt Ann yes.
erday saying they would be willing to +
i'd me, but didn't say how much. but
think they and Uncle Charley will do
good part am going to write them
md see what they will do, So goodby.
Answer a. a0on as you get this.
rom your loving sou,
James Fisher