The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-22
CLOSING ALL THE GAPS
Evidence Against Suspected Muir
derers Becomes Stronger.
MANY NEW WITNESSES
Movements OF the Men Gradually Being
Traced-Several New Bits OF Ev-
tdence That Will Prove
Most Important.

When oliver Benson and Clinton Dot
son, with their mysterious and unex-
planned partner, Persinger, were landed
in Jail. there yet remained lacking sew
eral important parts in the structure
of evidence against the alleged muir
derers of Eugene Cullnane. These
parts gradually but surely are being
filled in.
At the time of the arrest the evidence
stood thus:
Eugene Cullinane was murdered near
his cabin in American gulch Sunday.
Monday or Tuesday. Aug. 6, or 8.
The bullet that killed him was fired
from a small calibre Winchester rifle.
watch bearing certain peculiar
numbers had been stolen from the MUIR
dered man.
Benson and Dotson had been in the.
vicinity of American gulch to July 81
when they went to Helena
Before leaving, according to the state
ment of John Chadwick they had en-
deavored to get Chadwick to join with
them in a plot to kill Cullnane, part
of the plot being the pretended depar
ture of Benson and Dotson for Helena
and their secret return after establish
ing an alibi.
latin county Tuesday, Aug. IS. the
stolen watch was found hid away in
their mattress
One of their two guns was a Win
chester of the calibre of the weapon
that fired the fatal bullet
Shoes in their possession were OF
size to fit the tracks found about the
scene of the murder.
A hind wheel of the wagon in which
they were driving was crooked and
made an irregular track, corresponding
to that of wagon tracts found near the
scene.
All this was very strong, but between
July 81 and Aug. Is there was a gap in
the evidence. The question was to ac-
count for the men during that entire
time. They claimed they were in camp
near Helena from July 81 to Aug. Is,
and the officers had nothing to contro-
vert their statement.
Now the evidence is getting closer.
Noah Dumane. a resident of the coun-
try near Bald Butte, swears that about
the time the murder was committed he
saw a canvas-covered wagon contain
ing three men going toward American
gulch, and later saw it returning
toward Helena. Dumane partially
identifies Benson as one of three men,
but Is not so sure of the other two.
Benson is the youngest man of the trio.
The wagon in which the men were
travelling when arrested is covered with
canvas 1t answers the description
given by Dumane. This wagon is now
being brought to Anaconda, so that
Dumane may see it when he comes to
the hearing next week.
Sheriff Conley and Deputy Sheriff
Robinson went to Helena yesterday
to secure evidence in regard to the
stay of Dotson and Benson in their
camp near there. Witnesses are al
ready known who will testify to the
fact that the men We're in EVIDENCE
about the camp on certain days, but
were not on the days the murder may
have been committed. All the country
between American gulch and Helena
is being covered by men and scraps of
evidence are being accumulated which,
when pieced together, are expected to
form a complete history of the move
ments of the men to American gulch
and back to Helena.
Unless a confession is made there is
little probability of any eye witness ev-
idence being secured. The nearest to
that will be evidence of American gulch
people who will testify to having heard
a shot fired in the vicinity of the cabin
Aug and of having heard a wagon
in that vicinity Soon after. The tracks
of this wagon resemble those of Dot
son and Benson's canvas covered equip
mage