Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-16
MURDERER OF JORDAN
Confessed to His Attorneys After His
AcQuittal- Witnesses in
The Lucy Case.

county, and j. M. keithley, formerly a
member of the Silver Bow county legal
bar, but now g. resident of Iowa, con-
fessed to the murder of William Jordan,
which occurred in this city in 1893. This
is something in connection with the Jor-
dan murder that has never before APP
peared IN print, and as Mr.. Wilson also
heard the confession there is no doubt as
to it's authenticity.
Many of the old-timers in Butte are
familiar with the circumstances of he
murder, but as the population has been
augmented several thousand since its
occurrence, a few facts in connection
with it will be of interest.
Jordan was one Of the most Industrious
men on the police force. While making
his rounds over the southwestern part of
the city in the gray dawn OF one morning
in May, 1893, he surprised two men IN
the act of entering a house bearing NO.
319 South Idaho street. What passed be-
tween them in the way Of conversation
will probably never be known unless one
Of the murderers should tell II, but It is
supposed that the officer called upon the
burglars to surrender. An exchange of
shots followed, the officer firing two and
the burglars two each. One OF the latter
pierced the officers heart and he fell dead
on the sidewalk. One of the other bull
lets struck the door of a house across the
street and another clipped the top from
one Of Jordan's ears. One of the bullets
from the officers gun struck within two
inches Of the bell knob in the center Of
the door of the house the burglars were
attempting to enter, showing conclu-
EiVely that he, too, was shooting for
keeps. After the firing one Of the bur-
glars ran to the rear of the house, jumped
the fence. passed between two houses
facing west on Washington street, en-
tered the street and then ran south. He
was seen by Steve Parker, also a police
man at hat time. who was about a block
north, but Parker did not give him a run.
On the following day two partly loaded
guns were found hidden beneath a stable
on South Main street, and it is supposed
they We're the weapons used by the two
burglars. Frank Hickey was SUSPECTED
Of having taken the leading part in the
murder, but as there was no positive evil
derce against him he was not arrested.
Shortly afterwards a on%e-legged man
Known as ~Burkhardt, gave the police de-
partnaent Information that satisfied it
of Hickey's guilt, but Hickey had then
left the city. Messages were sent to va
rious parts of the country and in a few
weeks Hickey was arrested in Arkansas
and brought back to Butte for trial, He
~ W DUlI ~ NtIlIIGy.
and as the evidence against him was
purely circumstantial the jury acquitted
him.
Following this came the confession. In
the evening of the day he was pro-
nounced not guilty he called on his attor-
neys at their office on West Park street.
Duffy had a desire to know whether
Hickey was really guilty. and, in the
presence of keithley and Wilson, asked
him if he killed Jordan.
AT first he answered in the negative.
but Duffy told him he could not again be
tried for the crime and asked him a sec
ond time if he shot Jordan,
Yes; I did it, answered Hickey.
After that Hickey last no time in get
ting out of the city and has never been
heard of since.
Among the important criminal matters
TO be taken up in Judge Clancy's court
before the expiration of the month is the
case of the State against Daniel Lucey.
accused of the murder of Patrick T..
Hegan in Silver Bow canyon last Septem-
Der. The trial will probably consume
several days. as the number Of witnesses
on the side of the prosecution probably
exceeds that in n murder trial ever
held in Silver Bow county. Among those
who have been called upon to testify are
David Henderson. Joseph Burns, John
Gilfeather. Thomas Mcnamara, John
Meehan, j. M. Scaiffman, John B. Calvin.
Eugene Shea. Mrs. Josephine Copsey,
John A. Martin. Mark Drum. Jerry d.
Murphy. p. Fl. Regain, Con Hayes, f.. j.
L~aurandeau, George II. Fitzgibbon. John
Manashan. Charles Copenharve. John
Conley, John Mulliean. Arthur A,
Whicher. Mrs. Michael Regain, Michael
Regain. William Reichle and James Ryan.
This list contains only a portion of them.
A complaint charging a man named
Mccarthy with petit larceny was issued
from the county attorneys office today
and fled in Justice Nichols court. James
Dunn was the complainant. He stated
to the public prosecutor that on April IL
he had invited Mccarthy to share his
room in the Silver block and the invita-
ton had been accepted. The two slept
the sleep that knows an awakening, but
Mccarthy had awakened first, stole his
gold watch and pawned it at the Ameri-
can o office. Dunn further said Me-
Carthy had admitted the theft and told
h he had done with the timepiece, but
had expended the money realized. He
told Dunn he would redeem it as soon as
he secured work and the pay for it. Dunn
got Mccarthy a job and in due time the
latter drew his pay, but instead of taking
the watch out of soak" he spent the
money and told Dunn to soak his head
and get even.
A complaint was also issued charging
Josephine Hogarth with assault. Jennie
johnson was the complainant. She said
Hogarth mad slapped her face. Justice
Nichols will hear the case.
Judge Lindsay signed an order today
empowering Barney Coll as admins
traitor Of the estate Of William Walker