Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-03-29


boys following. The remains OF AL
len were treated In the same manner
and the two bodies tied up in a tar
paulin obtained In McRea'scabin and
cached In an old chimney place near
the cabin. The murderers then re-
turned to the Smith ranch, which
they reached late in the evening and
where they remained all night.
In good season the next morning
they again left, this time witness TAX
ing his horse, and went to the McRea
place. Witness and Fisher were sent
by Billy to the hill to watch while he
went to the Lewis ranch for McRea's
wagon and team. Later Billy re-
turned. the bodies were loaded into
the wagon, food, consistingof bacon.
-four, ham and fruit was taken from
the cabin and the journey to the rail-
road commenced, the elder Calder
having the evening before unfOlded
his sheme to take the sheep, which
numbered about LOO, including some
$50 wethers, and which belonged to
McRea, Allen and one Max Hide
brand, to Forsyth, where they would
be sold, or, that failing, shipped east.
Witness and Fisher were coached by
the chief cOnspirator as to what to
say and how to act in case any one
was met. On the drive Fisher drove
the wagon the greater part of the
time. while witness and brother
drove the sheep, each being mounted,
Billy On McItea's saddle horse.
rhe crossing Of the Musselshell
river was reached Monday about l p.
M. and Immediately the bodies were
taken to a point near the river bank
and "a huge fire built Of driftwood.
On this fire the remains were placed
and roasted, each taking his turn in
replenishing the flames. Late at
night the boys went to bed about %
yards from the fire, but about mid
night Billy thought he heard some
one approaching and awakened his
companions. From this time to
morning one was constantly on
watch. Early in the morning, the
bodies then being consumed, the ashes
were scraped by witness and brother
into the stream, and an eddy catch
ing them, witness was told by his
brother to wade into the stream and
start the stuff floating down, which
he did. Camp was then broken and
the drive to Forsyth continued, but
the following morning they were
overtaken by jeff Sherman and posse
and taken to Forsyth, thence to Bill
lings, and from there brought to
Lewistown 10y Sheriff Waite.
While in Jail at Forsyth witness
testified that his brother had secured
writing materials from a lady living
near the Jail and written a letter,
direction to properly dispose of it
(taken to mean tn place in the mail,
az letter vas sealed and stamped),
but that letter had been by witness
given to jeff Sherman. This letter
was here placed in evidence. Its SUI
prescription was, ''Sheriff Waite,
Lewistown," and its contents as fol-
lows: "Miles City, Oct. G.-Sheriff-
Turn them boysloose. They haven't
done anything" Signed IF. McRea."
Further accounting for his fear of
his brother, James Calder testified to
threats made by the former and to "a
quarrel which occurred on the road
because witness had not answered
the questions propounded by a man
whom they had met as Billy would
have liked.
The cross-eXamination, conducted
by Mr.. Cort, was severe, but failed to
break the force of the testimony on
material points, the witness, how
ever, becoming slightly ratified con-
corning dates and hours Of the day.
In fact, additional statements in
cluded above, and which were not
brought out OH direct examination,
were elected by Attorney Cort in his
cross-examination.
Following this witness Sam Smith
was recalled and gave the particu-
lars of the finding of the bloody trails
over which the bodies had been
dragged, his return to the Mussel-
shell after the Overtaking of the mur
derers, his care of the sheep aud the
subsequent finding of the place where
the bodies had been burned and the
fishing from the river bottom Of frag-
ments of human bones. buttons,
studs, teeth, pieces of a chest belong
ing to McRea which had been burned,
and other debris, all OF which somber
and CHASTITY exhibits had been
brought to Lewistown by JEFF Sher-
man and at this time were offered in
evidence. Smith also testified to
having met the boys as they drove
away from the McRea place with the
bodies and being told by Billy that
McIiea had taken some Of Hide
brands sheep and hired him (Billy)
to assist in driving the bunch to the
railroad. In reply to the question as
to the whereabouts of McRea, Billy
said he was In the wagon, cached, as
he did not want to be seen leaving
the country. On crOss-eXamination
Mr.. Cort elected the information that
witness and Billy had not been on
the best of terms, In fact, that at one
time Smith had threatened Billy's
life II he did not stay away from the
ranch.
jeff Sherman, the hero Of the cap
ture and who led the posse, testified
clearly as to his part, both in the
capture and the finding OF the fire