The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-27
FROM NATURAL CAUSES
Investigation Into the Death of
Edward Shields.
NOT A SCRAP OF PAPER
To Indicate Whether or Not He Leaves
Any Relatives-No One Ever
Heard Him Speak of
His Family.

Tne death OF EQWdru 5DlelQS, WHO
was found dead in his bed in Mullins
boarding house at Centerville Thurs
day evening, was officially. investigated
by Coroner Julien and a jury at an
inquest held at Duggan's undertaking
rooms last evening 1t was established
to the satisfaction Of the Jury that
death resulted from natural causes,
but there was nothing in the evidence
from which to determine the particular
affection producing dissolution. From
the testimony the probabilities seemad
more in favor of Brights disease hav-
ing been the fatal malady than amy
other trouble. AS the old man was not
attended by any physician. there could
be no medical testimony introduced,
and the jury was compelled to content
itself with finding verdict of natural
death.
Neil O'Donnell, the deputy sheriff for
Centerville, said he saw Shields about
10 o'clock Wednesday night. At that
time he was perfectly sober and in good
health except that he complained of
pains in his back. The next time wit
ness saw the man he went to Shields
room in Mullins boarding house, about
o'clock Thursday afternoon, and
found him dead Everything was in
perfect order in the room. Nothing in
the shape of a phial, bottle or anything
that might have indicated suicide was
found in the room. and from the ap-
pearance of the corpse and. all the sur
roundings there was no doubt death en-
sued from natural causes. Witness
stated that Shields had compla med of
the pains in the back for some years,
but he never heard him complain of
heart trouble or any other ailment.
John Mckinley was Shields room
| mate. He saw Shields go to bed about
1890 o'clock Wednesday night. Wit
| ness got up about 5:45 the following
morning. Shields was then in bed and
apparently asleep. Witness did not no.
| tice the man at all beyond that he was
| in bed and he might have been dead at
| that time for all witness knew.
]. w. Blakely knew Shields. He fire.
| quently heard him complain of the
| pains in the back; he said he thought
| it was rheumatism. He had also heard
| Shields say he was not an able bodied
man, but aside from the rheumatism
he never heard him complain of any
| specific ailment.
Thomas Powers had known Shields Il
| wears or more and to his knowledge
| the man had been troubled with the
| pains in the back--rheumatism he sup
| posed it Was-for seven or eight years
| Witness saw him Wednesday night anG
| thought he looked slightly pale. but HI
did not complain more than usual Wit
ness never heard Shields complain o.
any organic troubles and had no ideG
what could have caused DEATH
! Undertaken Larry Duggan, who tool
| charge of the remains called II
testify that there were no marks or
the body to indicate that violence haC
had anything to do with the mans de
mise, after which the case was givet
to the jury, and this verdict was rea
dered
That deceased came to his death a
: Centerville township, Silver Bow coun
ty, Montana, on the 25th day of May
1899, and from the evidence, we, tn
jury, find that death resulted from nat
ural causes, the exact nature of whic
: it is impossible for this jury to decide.
A peculiar fact in connection wit
the case is that the dead man did no
leave scrap of paper to show whethe
he leaves any relatives or not, an
among his hundreds of friends Their
does not appear to be one who is abb
; to tell. He had very wide acquant
anCe and many knew him intimatel
enough to have his confidence, yet Coz
oner Julien has not succeeded in fine
= ing one who ever heard him speak {
his family He made a trip to his oil
home in ireland few years ago an
: on his return he talked with a grea
! many of his friends about his visit, bl
none who have been seen can reca
that he said where his home was or thu
he said anything concerning relative
Il Coroner Julien would very much Ill
U a
order that he may notify them