The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-31
Mystery Not Much Nearer Solution
Than Before.
SOME SLIGHT CLUES FOUND
TWO STRANGE MEN WHO WERE
BUYING CARTRIDGES.
Secured Shell of the Same Make As
That Used In Killing Sandal
Fx-Sherif Belnaps of Ogden
Strikes a Lead-Burglary Was
Undoubtedly the Object.
6speclal CORRESPONDENCE,


Kaysville, March S0-The strange
actions of two unknown men who were
in Kaysville on Tuesday afternoon
have caused suspicion to rest upon
them as being implicated in the hor-
rible tragedy that was enacted in the
Farmers Union store at Layton on
Tuesday night. The men were stFang-
ers in Kaysville, and they were riding
in a dilapidated rig drawn by a team
of bay horses. What has caused them
TO be suspected is the fact that one
of them went to Hyrum Stewart
store about l o'clock p. m. on Tuesday
and asked c. Burton, jr., the clerk, for
some tWelYe-gauge shotgun shells. Mr..
Burton inquired what number of shot
he desired, and for what purpose he
wanted the Shells. Mr.. Burton asserts
that the Interrogation disconnected the
fellow, though the only object he had
in asking the question was that he
might be able to advise the customer
as to what sized shot would be best for
certain game. The man finally replied
that he wanted them for ducks or
geese, and a box containing twenty-five
shells was handed down. The man said
he did not want so many; that three
or four would do and when told that
the boxes were never broken, he left
without making the purchase. The
singular thing about this is that no
man would start on a hunting expedi-
ton for ducks or geese with only three
or four shells. 1t is clear that the man
was not telling what was true. Mr..
Burton was suspicious of the fellow,
and is now convinced that he knows
something of the murder
After leaving Stewards store, the
same man went 10 the Kaysville Coop
and asked for three or four shells
loaded with No. shot. Samuel G.
Layton, who waited on him, said they
had none loaded with larger than No.
6. He took down a box that had been
previously opened, and, on carefully
examining it, found one shell loaded
with No. 4, the other twenty-four
shells containing the smaller shot. Mr..
Layton noticed, also, that the odd shell
was made of blue paper, while all the
others We're dark brown. 1t was evil
dent that one shell had been changed
from another box. The clerk refused
to sell three or four shells, including
the blue one, and the customer took
the box.
The color of the shell and the number
of the shot is important, from the fact
that the empty shell found near the
scene OF the murder was blue, and the
SHOT that caused Mr.. Sandall's death
was No. f.
The two clerks agree on the descrip-
ton of the man, both describing him
as sandy complexioned, with a ligH
moustache and a weeks growth of
beard. Ee was muscular man, about
five feet ten inches, and had a rudy
countenance. The description could
not be obtained Of the other man.
In connection with this it is reported
In Layton this afternoon that ex-Sher-
if Belnap Of Ogden saw two suspicious
characters in Ogden yesterday morn
ing, who had, he thought, been driving
some distance during the night. When
this is considered, in connection with
the belief of some that two men We're
implicated in the burglary and muir
der, it would seem as if a tangible clue
as to the perpetrators of the crime had
been found. The argument used con-
corning two men doing the deed is that
the murderer must have had assistance
from outside in bursting open the door
by which he left the building.
It is an unfortunate fact that Sheriff
Abbott has been indisposed today, and
he has net been able to visit Layton
TO take up the work on the slight clues
that are obtainable. Mr.. Abbott has
a good record as an officer and there
is every reason to believe that he viii
be able to run the guilty one down 1t
IS a fact, though, that the criminal
was exceedingly clever, as there is
tragedy upon which to base clue
Sheriff Howells of Salt Lake admitted
yesterday that the whole case was ell
veloped in mystery.
The pistol that was taken from the
dead man has not been found, and it
IS quite certain that the assassin has
carried il off Not a frearm of any
kind was found in the store or near
the premises.
Sheriff Howells is quoted as saying
that the murder was committed for re-
venge. but this can hardly be accepted
as true, for the reason that no man,
so far as known, had aught against
Mr.. Sandal. He was apparently at
peace with all the world.
The theory that the assassin will be I
found in or near Layton is accepted by !
many, but the officers are not by any
means confining their search to that .
line Of investigation. This much is
certain: The shell from which the shot
few on its deadly mission was not pur-
chased in Layton. The Farmers Union Z
store is the only institution that han
dies loaded shells, and they have had
none in stock Of the brand used. Two .
Kaysville firms keep the Blue Rival
shells, but, aside from the sale made
TO the stranger on Tuesday. there have
been no sales made TO suspicious per-
sons during the last month
1t was learned this afternoon that a
white wooden sock was found outside
of the store at the back, which may
have been dropped by the murderer as
he left the building. 1t was nearly new
and had been recently worn. The
supposition is that the murderer, after
getting inside Of the store basement.
removed his shoes before going up the
steps. This strengthens the belief that
burglary. and not assassination. was
the purpose Of the culprit, who, it
would SEEM hoped TO creep upon the
man and bind and gag or
slungshot him into a condition of help
lessness.
There may have been a struggle be-
fore the fatal shot was fired. a pair
of damaged scales would seem to in
dictate that there was. Some of those
who first saw the body believe that
the man was shot while PROSTATE upon
the floor. with his assailant above him.
The position Of The corpse and the few
battered shots that were picked up off
the floor substantiate this theory
But the mystery is still unsolveG,
and, with the exception of the slight
clue afforded by the buying of the
cartridges by the stranger on Tuesday.
very little progress in the investigation
has been mace.
The dead mans funeral occurs to-
at / D. m