The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-20

The Benbrook- Morris tragedy as
Ermed a new and startling phase last
evening. Steve Keene, one of the pro-
prietors of the Merchants cafe told
story that has lent new light to the
killing.
John H. Benbrook killed Burton c.
Morris with Steve Keene's gun, given
him by Keene eight minutes before the
tragedy.
Such was the statement made by
Keene last evening, not by way of con-
fession but to clear up the mystery,
and explain various surmises and
runiors.
.Benbrook was going away to San
Francisco on the 9:05 train" said
Keene He sent down stairs for my
gun and took it to him supposing that
he wanted to carry it on his journey
1 did not know that Morris was in the
building"
The account as given by Keene is as
follows: Waiter Daily came down
stairs with message from Benbrook
to Keene to bring up his gun heene
took the gun from under the counter
folded il in a napkin, and carried II
in his hand upstairs to the room OF the
tragedy where he delivered it to Ben
brook Keene, suppOsing that Ben
brook wanting the gun on his trip TO
San Francisco. gave it up willingly.
During a conversation Benbrook said
Morris was in an adjoining room and
had imposed on him which he didn
like. Keene went at once to Morris,
for, fearing trouble, he wanted to
get him out OF the building.
Morris refusing to go he Went
down stairs TO get an officer.
He saw his mistake as soon as he
had spoken to Morris. He went into
the restaurant to the laaies'--dlninS
room. and. returning, put on his coat.
AS he was half the length toward the
front door the shots were fired.
Miss Stromberg's Story.
But that was not the only develop
ment in the case yesterday. Miss
StromberE. the woman over whom the
trouble has arisen, told her story at
the inquest held before Justice McMaS-
tiers. She declared that Morris assault
ed Benbrook in the back room OF the
restaurant. AS soon as he had come
in the room where she and the gambler
were seated he rushed forward
Won - -" he said, and
struck Benbrook in the face, and he
strucl, g. second time when she was not
looking. Morris said, as Benbrook went
OH
III kill the -
Morris then asked her if she would
90 TO the pony show, and they started
out. but as they passed the door of the
room in which Benbrook was, Morris
stepped in, saying: L Will kill the -
She made an effort to have him leave,
but he would not. Morris advanced to-
ward Benbrook with his hand raised
as if to strike. SlamminS the door, she
o,,+ +b,-nnaeb the lack window. as
has been described.
Her testimony almost wholly favored
Benbrook, while the statement OF
Keene lends a darker hue to the trag-
edv. Did Benbrook send for the gun
deliberately. intending to kill Morris II
attacked again? Did Morris mean what
he said when he declared that he would
kill Benbrook?
Those are the important questions OF
the case as il now stands.
There was still another startling Tea
trre of the case yesterday. II was dis
covered that the rooms of Morris IN
the Hooper E,ldredge building had been
burglarized between $50 and 1890
TUESDAY evening by two women-one
answering the description OF Leda
Stromberg.
Though il was al first supposed that
this was connected with the killing in
an effort to secure compromising pa
pers bearing upon il. the theory has not
been verified. Articles of clothing were
stolen from the room, but it has not yet
been discovered whether the female
burglars took important papers. nor
whether or not the room contained such
papers.
Another disclosure yesterday was the
identity OF the two young ladies who,
with Albert c. Morris. occupied the
room adjoining the one in which the
tragedy occurred. They are Mamie
Whitbeck and Miss Madison Miss
Madison said last night that Albert
Morris statement of their actions was
correct. and they knew nothing about
the killing