The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-27
AN ACCIDENT tai KILLING
Coroner Investigates the Death
of Phil Carr.
PYLE WAS EXONERATED
Cohn Bore Out the Statements OF the
officers in His Testimony Carr's
Sweetheart Was Present at
the Inquest,


| the young desperate who was acciden-
tally killed at Boulet's ranch near Fee
ley's station Sunday morning by Sheriff
| w. S. Pyle of Beaverhead county, was
| held by Coroner Julien at Sherman's
| undertaking establishment last evening.
| The place was crowded to suffocation
| by a throng of curious people, who
| seemed to find a great deal to interest
| them in the narration of the story of
| the killing Carr had sweetheart who
was among the throng. She is Miss
| Sadie Leonard, an exceedingly pretty
young girl. not over Is, whom Carr had
| evidently convinced he was not as black
| as he was painted. She sat in deepest
| detection and wept silently as the tragic
| details of her lovers violent taking off
were told and retold by the witnesses
for the tragedy. Among the others who
| filled the place were the mother and
other relatives of Cohn, Cars partner,
who was present as a witness, Chief
! Deputy County Attorney Cornelius KEEL
/ ley, who listened to the testimony as
| the representative of the state, and
Attorney John N. Kirk, Sheriff Pyle's
| personal attorney, who was present as
| an interested spectator.
The evidence all bore out the pre-
| viously published account of the trag-
edy. 1t was to the effect that Sheriff
Pyle, having warrant for the arrest
of Phil Carr and Ike Cohn for horse
| stealing, came to Butte and organized
| a posse, composed of himself, Deputy
| Sheriffs Henry Aware and Jack White
| and George Quay as guide, and pro-
| ceeded to Boulet's ranch near Feeley's,
/ 4 l~-1
| in attempting to effect their arrest
Sheriff Pyle's rifle was accid ntally dis
| charged, killing Carr. Conn., when
| called, bore out the statements OF the
officers by his testimony, and the jury
in it's verdict found the killing to have
been accidental and fully exonera ed
| Sheriff Pyle.
George Quay, who guided the posse
to Boulet's ranch, where Carr was kill
ed, was called as the first witness. He
| detailed the trip to Boulets place,
| which was reached about midnight.
After satisfying themselves the fugi-
| tives were not far distant, the MEM
bers of the party lay in hay stack
till daylight. AS day commenced to
break, witness and Deputy Jack White
| stationed themselves between the
ranch and the mountains to prevent
escape in that direction, while Sheriff
Pyle and Deputy Aware looked about
lHe PROMISES. 4NOl llfiulHS ally OllS,
witness and White were called in and
witness looked into a canvas covered
sort of box ana saw Carr and Cohn
| asleep. Sheriff Pyle, who was some lit
tie distance away, was summoned and,
coming up, he looked in where the men
were asleep. He had a rifle in his
hands, which he held at his hip, and
leveled at the two men to keep them
covered. Then he commanded hands
up and as he uttered the words, the
gun went off. Sheriff Pyle called again
to Cohn and told him to put his hands
up. He replied MY hands are up
and then came out When asked
been killed. Witness said that when
he looked in and saw the two men in
bed, he called to them and said: Come
in, boys; they want you" Carr open
ed his eyes and looked at him, but did
not stir. Sheriff Pyle did not place the
rifle to his shoulder at any time, and
did not threaten to shoot. When he
discovered he had killed Carr, he re-
marked: My God, l would not have
done that for the world"
Jack White, deputy sheriff for Sill
Yer Bow, who was one of the party
which went in quest of Cohn and
Carr, was the next witness. He gave a
detailed account of all the occurrences
from the time the posse left Butte till
the killing occurred, the particulars of
which he related as follows:
When we closed in on the buildings
and did not find the man we were look
ing for, II was about decided that Quay
and myself should go to another ranch
while Sheriff Pyle and Mr.. Aware re-
manned at Boulets but as We passed
the ice house l suggested we had bet
ter look in and see if the saddles OF
l Carr and Cohn We're there, we having
found their horses. Near by was can.
| covered box
!, cred wagon box. Quay said there uset
. to be couple of Swedes sleeping IL
there; maybe we had better wake them
up. Sheriff Pyle said Yes, they Nigh
y be able to tell US something Quay
a looked in and saw men in bed Stoop
q ing down. Quay pulled down the covers
and remarked: The boys are here H,
called to them and said: Come on
. boys; they want you Carr turned over
n opened his eyes and looked at us ant
+ turned over again. l stepped back ant
a met Sheriff Pyle, who came up and
Z told him the boys were there. He said
We had better stick them up ] salt
Yes Sheriff Pyle had his rifle at hi
hip and commanded Hands up Jus
as he uttered these words the gun wen
off"
Witness stated further that Sheriff
Pyle was not at all excited, and neve
;, raised the gun to his shoulder. Asket
= if had been agreed upon the posse tina
= the men should be killed if necessary
the witness replied that no such thini
was talked Of
Deputy Sheriff Henry Aware took th4
, stand and stated that the posse was il
search of Carr and Cohn for the pur
, pose of arresting them for grant lar
Ceny. His account of the circumstance
I | in connection with the hunt agreed II
: every particular with the statements o
| the previous witnesses. With referenc
to the killing, he said he was not pres
ent when the shot was fired, but arrived
just as Cohn came out Sheriff Pyl
was covering him and asked, Where i
., your partnsT?" Cohn replied. 'YouV
i killed him" Sheriff Pyle did not know
: till then that his shot had taken effect
= | Witness took Cohn into custody and
= in company with Sheriff Pyle, brough
; him to Butte, leaving White and Qua
. to guard the body of Carr. Witnes
> said that when he came up to wher
= Sheriff Pyle stood, covering Cohn, tn
oh rfff bn n