The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-27
REASONS WERE TRIVIAL
No Apparent Motive for the Muir
der of Sullivan.
GILMAN WILL NOT TALK
Murderer Is Uncommunicative-S to
the Effect That a Woman Was
at the Bottom of the
Affair.

From what could be learned yester-
day Of the motive which actuated Ed
ward Gilman in the Staying Of Daniel
Sullivan at the Duggan boarding
house, in Dublin gulch, Christmas
night, the killing appears to have been
done for reasons as trivial as were
ever known to be responsible for MUIR
der. There was a report circulated
yesterday that tine real cause of the
trouble between Gilman and Sullivan
was a woman. 1t was said that Gill
man took a young woman to dance
Saturday night, and that Sullivan won
her away from him and took her
| home, but this report could not be
confirmed. From the best information
| obtainable, with regard to the nove-
| ments of the two men Saturday night,
they attended a dance, and all there
| seems to have been between the men
| was a personal quarrel about trivial
matters.
1t was learned that several days ago
| the trouble between Gilman and Sulli-
| van had its inception at the DugSan
| boarding house about the cuisine. Both
men were at the table, and Sullivan
| remarked that the board was getting
| very poor. Gilman championed the
house, and said the table was as good
| as it had ever been, and certainly as
good as Sullivan was accustomed to.
| More words followed, and the two men
| got up from the table, as the other
| persons present thought, with the in
| tention of getting together, but
| clash was averted.
Last Saturday night the two men
met down town and renewed hostilities.
| Some Of the reports of this meeting
| are to the effect that they got together
| and fought, but others say that the
collision was again prevented. What
| ever we're the facts In this connection.
both men evidently had it in for each
| other. It is said that both expected
TO settle matters Christmas night, and
| that they had prepared themselves,
| Gilman with a gun and Sullivan with
a knife. There is no confirmation OF
| the part of the story with reference TO
| Sullivans having armed himself with
| knife but the fact that Gilman had
| his gun would appear to corroborate
the part Of it with reference to his
| arniing himself. Then, it is said, when
Gilman weakened, and. fearing he
would get the worst Of fight, drew
| his gun and fired when Sullivan opened
on him with the reference to bringing
the liquor into the house AS near as
1t has been possible to ascertain, this
impossible as 1t would seem that muir
der could be done for such trivial rea-
sons.
Gilman occupied the general corri-
dor on the main floor at the county
Jail yesterday with other prisoners. He
held himself aloof from them all, and
would have nothing whatever to say
concerning the shooting of Sullivan.
He had no callers except a few news
paper men and his attorney, and TO
all but his lawyer he was as uncom-
municative as to the prisoners. He
was seen by Standard reporter dur
ing the day, who inquired the nature
of the difficulty between himself and
Sullivan. He replied:
you will have to see my lawyer. l
have engaged Attorney Thresher to de-
fend me- and you will have to see him
He has instructed me to say nothing
The same reply was made to all fur
ther questions. Gilman did not appear
to be at all nervous, nor in any way
very deeply concerned about his posi-
ton.
Gilman is a fine-looking man. He
is more than six feet in height and
we'll proportional. He Is 80 or 81 years
of age, and has the air and uses the
language of a man of at least falr
education. He stated that he is mar
ried man, but that his wife does not
reside in Butte. He also stated that
his father is banker at Hamburg,
Iowa He wired his father informing
him of the shooting and asking hirl
for funds. In response, the rather
Frank Gilman. telegraphed. according
to Captain Leyden. asking for the par
ticulars of the killing. Captain Ley
den replied, giving the circumstances
in general way. AS far as known
no further communication has been
had with the father.
1t was learned yesterday that whom
Jailer Pishkur allowed Gilman to
walk away from the county jail after
being told by him that he had killed
a man, Gilman went to the saloon at
no North Main street and asked the
bartender, j. r. Murphy, for drink
The drink was given to him and he
said to Murphy: 1--WE just killed Dan
Sullivan"
Murphy's reply was: "what kind of
hop have you been smoking?"
Gilman assured Murphy that he was
Mr.. Murphy stated last evening that
Gilman was as white as a dead man
and that at that time he was sober as
he ever was in his life
BY order of the county attorney,
Coroner Julien ordered an autopsy yes
terday, which was performed by Dr.
Sheeran, the county physician. The au-
topsy disclosed that the bullet from
Ghlman's gun entered the left breast,
passed through the aorta, grazed the
right border Of the left lung, went
through the shoulder blade and passed
out of the body.
Coroner Julien will hold an inquest
on the body of the murdered man this
afternoon at o'clock at Sherman's I'M
dertaking rooms.
A grand ball viii be given by Thues-
Media lodge No. 4, Q. D. H. s., on New
Years eve. Dec. 81, 1899. at Renshaw
hall Admission per couple 81 co. Extra