The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-05
ON TRIAL FOR MURDER
John Conlin of Belt Accused of
Killing Adam Gibson.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME
The Dead Man Was Intoxicated and
Unarmed at the Time Conlin Shot
Him Down-A Plea of
Self Defense.


trial which has been held in Cascade
county for considerable period came
up in the district court this morning
Jack Conlin of Belt is accused of hav-
ing murdered Adam Gibson at the
Stockholm saloon of Belt on the morn
ing of Oct. IA, 1898. The story of the
crime was told at the time in special
dispatches to the Standard. Conlin was
the bartender of the saloon, and be-
tween him and Gibson it is evident that
there had been bad blood for some time,
at least several days. Conlin had stat
| ed that he did not like Gibson and had
intimated that should the latter ever
get into controversy with him, the re-
suit would be unhealthful for Gibson.
During the day and the night preced-
ing the murder or shooting, Gibson had
been drinking heavily and on the morn
ing of the 18th he was in that irrespon-
sible condition usually attendant upon
protracted spree.
He entered the Stockholm saloon
While Conlin was on duty, and after a
time attempted to get upstairs to some
room or rooms on the second floor.
Conlin prevented his going and a
squabble ensued, Conlin standing in
side the bar while Gibson remained
outside and about six feet distant.
From that distance Gibson abused
Conlin with all of the license of a
drunken and unbridled tongue He
called him all sorts of names, chal-
lenged him to come outside and fight,
and then abused him as a coward for
not accepting the challenge. Then he
left the saloon. When he had gone
Conlin asked an inmate of the saloon,
James Oldham. to watch the place for
i've NO hi
room. Then he procured a revolver
and re-entered the saloon with the
weapon in his hand. In this attitude
of mind he walked to a window, looked
up and down the street for Gibson, re-
marking that IF the -
comes back Til kill him." He laid the
revolver in a. drawer in the back bar
and turned his attention to the men
in the house, who tried to calm him
by saying that Gibson was drunk and
did not know what he was doing
Conlin should therefore make allow
ances for his words, as he was likely
to do the same when in his cups.
Gibson came back in the course of a
very short time, and as he crossed the
threshold he was shot down by Con-
lin, his body falling face downward
across the threshold, the feet outside
and the head inside of the saloon He
was unarmed at the time and had been
days. That is about the testimony
given by Amos Flagstaff and James
Oldham, the two witnesses examined
before adjournment this evening.
The attorney for the defense will evil
IDENTITY advance the theory that Conlin
shot in order to preserve his own life,
although such a defense will be diff
cult to maintain, in view Of the fact
that there was considerable space in
tervening between the parties when the
shot was fired and the absence of any
weapon on the body of the dead man.
The trial began this morning upon
the opening of the court and it was
afternoon before jury was secured
the issue of the special venire being
| first necessary. The names of the men
who are to decide on the future of Jack
! Conlin are: c. w. Spaulding, A. S.
| Fletcher, John Carr, Henry Carlin. ].
c. Taylor c. o, Jarl G. H. Wardrop
D. L. Willard, r. Vaughn, r. Scott, A.
Andrews, J. P. Feffery. The prosecu-
ton is conducted by County Attorney
Gormley, assisted by his predecessor
M M. Lyter, while the prisoner is de-
| Tended by j. A. Largent.
The alleged murderer, Conlin, is most
| repulsive in appearance, having an as
pect of brutishness rarely seen. He has
| always been known as a man of Vio-
lent temper, although he has never pre-
viously been involved in any trouble
in this county. He is about five feet
seven or eisht inches in height and
should ordinarily weigh 1856 pounds,
while the man who is dead was about
the same height, but somewhat slighter
in build. Gibson was a miner. and for
that reason his death is taken very bit
terly by the men of Belt, among whom
| he was known as a good fellow, per-
haps too much given to drink at times,
but without anything mean in his dis
| pOSitiOD.