The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-24
HOW HESLEY HIT CURR|E
Currie, Connors and Counihan
Were All Pretty Drunk.
CALLED ON MRS. DECKER
Then They Went to Hesley's House-Dr
Alexander Testifles That the Frac-
lures to Currie's Skull Was Nee
essarily Fatal-The Inquest


died at st. James hospital Thursday
from the effects of injuries he received
by being hit on the head with a club by
John Hesley as the elimination of a
Irritation between Currie and Hesley's
wife. The undertaking rooms were
crowded with people, who listened to
the proceedings with a great deal of in
terest. Among the spectators was Hes
| ley's 15-year-old daughter. who mani
| Tested no emotion till she saw her
father being led away to Jail again
| after the proceedings ended, when she
broke down and wept bitterly. Chief
Deputy County Attorney Cornelius
Kelley was present to represent the
| state and Attorney J. N. Kirk to repre-
sent the accused, both being permitted
| to take a hand in the examination of
the witnesses The inquiry was not
| completed and after half the witnesses
| had been examined an adjournment
| was taken to this evening at 1870
| O'Clock
Mrs Celia Decker, who resides at 425
| Mahoney street adjoining the Hesley
| home. said she knew Currie. He called
| at her house Wednesday night. When
he left he went to Hesley's. Connors
| and Counihan We're with him when he
| called. He went to Hesley's alone and
| the others stayed at the house of the
witness. All hands later went to Hes
| ley's and stayed a while and finally
went back to witness house. She finally
told them it was time to go home and
| Currie said he would not go until he
| had seen Mrs. Hesley. Witness told
| Connors to take him home, as there
| was liable to be trouble if he went to
Hesley's. They all left and the witness
knew nothing further except that she
| heard a rumpus some time later. but
| she supposed it was Hesley and his
wife quarreling. Questioned by Mr..
| Kelley, the witness said Currie went to
! Hesley's house unlimited.
| Michael Connors, who was with Cur
RE on his final spree, was next called.
He said he was with Currie from 5
| o'clock Wednesday afternoon till the
| trouble occurred. He said they left
| Centerville about 8 O'Clock Wednesday
| evening and went direct to Mrs. Deck
er's house. They had some drinks there
| and after time Currie got up and
went to Hesleys house. Counihan ac-
| companied them on the trip. Curfie
| was gone some time and the witness
and Counihan went over after hlm.
| Hesley invited them to sit down, but
witness said no." it was too late, but
| he was finally prevailed upon On be-
| ing asked he went and got some beer
| and all hands, including Mrs. Decker,
| helped drink it. Witness left and went
| out. He sat down in the street to wait
for Currie. In little while he saw
two men running and saw one struck
with club by the pursuing party, who
/ came back and also struck MIN. he
went into the Copper State saloon,
| where he saw Currie washing himself
1t was but few minutes before Curtle
| fell unconscious The witness SAID ne
Currie and Counihan We're all consld-
erably intoxicated. Witness was shown
the club Hesley was supposed to nave
used, but could not identity 1t.
DR.. James Newton Alexander testi-
fed to being called to attend Currle
| He found symptoms Of compressor
| and a depression in his head denoted
| a fractured skull He had the patient
| removed to ST. James hospital, and on
| examining his injury found fracture
fully 10 inches long. Several pieces OF
bone were removed and large clot or
blood was removed from the brain. The
| witness described the treatment he
gave the injured man, the usual treat
| ment in such cases, and said his hurts
were necessarily fatal. The injury was
such as would be caused by blunt In
strument. The cause of death was
shock incident to the wound and the
effect of the blood clot and the COM
! preston Nothing was left undone
which could have been done to save the
mans life.
DR. j. A. Tremblay testified to hav-
ing assisted in performing an autopsy
on the dead man. All the internal or
| gans We're found in a healthy condi-
ton. The injuries to the head We're
described as by DR.. Alexander, and the
witness said the right side of the head
| was covered with clothed blood and a
piece of the skull half inch by an
inch and a quarter was found imbedded
in the skull. The injury was necessar-
lily fatal.
w. ]. Counihan, who was with Cur
RE and Connors Wednesday night, said
they all went to Mrs. Decker's, They
left Centerville about S:45. They re-
n aimed at Mrs. Deckers about an hour.
They had some drinks and the witness
was quite drunk. He remembered Cur
RE and Connors leaving Mrs. Decker's,
| hut could remember nothing further;
could not remember being at Hesleys S,
nor in fact anything that transplred
after Currie and Connors left Mrs.
Decker's, and did not know of Currie
Icing hurt till Thursday afternoon.
Police Officer ]. G. Byrne was called
to the Copper State saloon. Currie was
then washing himself. He inquired the
trouble and Currie informed him, but
could not tell where to find his assail-
ant Shortly afterward Currie became
unconscious and the witness stopped a
mail wagon and took him to Jail. After
ward the witness went to Hesley's
house to arrest him. The witness knew
nothing further of Importance.
officer Con Murphy gave the same
| testimony as Officer Byrne.
Fred Vacheresse was on Arizona
street and saw the assault on Currie.
He heard Hesley say I'm kill you,' and
then deal the blow with the club. Cur
RE fell and the witness helped him up
and two other men came along and
helped him over to the Copper State
saloon. After striking Currie Hesley
turned on Connors, and saying, YOU'RE
one of the clique too knocked him
down and struck him three times. When
Hesley attacked Connors the latter
begged him not to use his club, and he
dropped it and hit him with his fists,
saying, Il would not hurt you as bad
as | would the other fellow" When
Hesley struck Currie he swung his club
with both hands. Witness identified
Hesley as the man who welded the
club.