The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-25

WAS CT BBED TO DEATH
The Verdict Rendered in the
Currie Inquest.
TESTIMONY IN THE CASE
The Assault Was Witnessed by Several
People-The Blow on the Head
Was Necessarily
Fatal

The coroner's inquest on the body of
John Currie, who was dubbed to death
by John Hesley last Wednesday night,
was completed last evening and a YER
dict in accordance with the facts was
rendered by the jury. AT the previous
session Deputy County Attorney Kelley
and Attorney Kirk, representing the
state and Hesley respectively, took
part in the examination of the wit
nesses and the proceedings were lis
tened to by large crowd of people,
among whom Hesley, in charge of
Deputy Sheriff Dennis O'Neill and his
little daughter, were again the most
interested spectators. Hesley's wife did
not attend either session.
The first witness last evening was
Morris Thompson, the boy who wit
messed the assault on Currie. He said
he was on his way home from a trip
to the Big Hole, and just as he reached
the corner of Arizona and Platinum
streets, he saw the trouble. Hesley
came up with Currie and dealt the IA
tai blow, crying out: Because ! live
on Mahoney street, you think l keep
turned on another man and struck him
also, saying: You're one of the clique,
too" The boy saw Currie at the Cop
per State saloon and accompanied him
to the city Jail. He identified the re-
mains as the body of Currie and
Hesley as the man who struck the
blow Currie was standing up facing
Hesley when he was struck.
/, F. w. Studer, bartender at the Cop
per State saloon, told of hearing some
trouble in the street and went out to
see what it was. He saw one man on
the ground and another standing over
him, who struck the PROSTATE man
with club. AS he did so he said:
THE next time you do this I'll kill
you" Leaving this man, the one who
used the club went down the street a
short distance and tackled another
man, whom he threw down and struck
two or three times with his fist The
man who had been hit with the club
got up and came to the saloon to wash
himself Witness urged him to have
his assailant ARRESTED, but a police
man could not be found for some min
utes and presently the injured man ap-
peared to be going to sleep. Witness
thought he was dying and went out to
try and get assistance. Soon the police
came and took the injured man away
in wagon. Witness identified Hesley
ness heard a policeman ask Currie
what the trouble was and he replied he
did not know of any. 1t was probably
an hour from the time Currie was as
saulted till he was taken to the city
Jail Shown the club Hesley is sup
posed to have used, witness said Il
looked very much like the one used il
the assault.
Louis G. Campbell, bartender at the
Senate saloon, saw the men fighting
in the street, but did not go out and die
not see any blow struck and knew
nothing further of the trouble.
George H. Burritt. who lodges ovel
the Copper State saloon, was in the
saloon and heard the trouble in the
street Going out, he saw a man or
the ground with another standing ovel
him, who struck the man on the grounc
with a club He Immediately went fol
an officer and by the time he returned
the injured man was in the copper
State saloon and was unconscious.
]. r. Patterson, living at 7O4 Utah
avenue was in the Senate saloon a
the time of the assault heard the nois
in the street and ran out. He heard
one man say: You - - -, II
kill you; you think because I live OIL
Mahoney street I keep a - house.
These words followed the blow with tn
club. Leaving the first man, the as
sailant started back, and meeting an
other party, cried: You are one o
the clique, too and went for him. TIL
men clinched and the man attacked
fell down. Some one interferet
and told the assailant not to us
his club. He dropped it and uset
his fist. Witness spoke to Currie a
he got up and asked him if his teetl
were knocked out. He replied he wa
not hit in the mouth, but on top of tn