The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-03-06
IS ACCUSED OF MURDER
Charles Beck In Custody at
Columbus Charged With
Killing Bogner.
ARRESTED AT HELENA
SAYS He Can Prove An Alibi, but
There Are Some Suspicious
Of His Story.

Sheriff Hubbard returned yesterday
from Helena where he went Saturday
to get Chus. A, Beck, who was arrested
Saturday in the capital city OIL suspi.
oion OF being tho murderer Of Joseph
B0gner at Columbus on February ..
The officer returned to Columbus Sun.
day with his prisoner, who was ar.
raigned before Justice Simpson yester'
day morning and his preliminary ex-
animation set tor Friday of this week.
Beck was arrested by Sheriff David.
SON Friday night. He was living III
Helena under tho assumed name Of
George W. Miller. He took his arrest
cody, saying that he expected II, and
that he was able to prove that no was
Innocent He said that he had left
Colun,bus the morning Of February z,
and accounted for his movements since
then. II his story Is true--and II true
II can be proven--he can establish q
positive alihi, The Helena Independ.
ent speaks Of Beok's arrest as follows:
Sheriff Davidson learned that Miller
was employed at tho NMtl'ern Pacific
loo house IN the Sixth ward, and &C.
companied by Deputy Sheriff Cuskelly.
went there yesterday. The only man
around the place III any degree answer
ing the description Of Beck, said that
his name was MoBurns. When the
sheriff intimated that ha might want TO
ask him a few questions and told him
who he was, MoBurns grew pale and
confessed that his true name was Harp
or. Harper soon convinced the sheriff
that although lie lived under an as.
sumed name, he was not the man he
was looking for. About 9 O'Clock last
evening, Sheriff Davidson and Deputy
Sheriff Cuskally located Beck in a cab.
In at AIS Clore street, where he and q
man named Tom Wheeler were living
together. The sheriff asked for Miller
and Beck, who was on the bed, replied
that that was his name.
"Your name ought to be Beck,
though, oughtn't it?' inquired the
sheriff
YES" replied Beck, hesitatingly.
! Beck knew what he was arrested for.
When Sheriff Uuskelly began TO search
him he said that he had expected to be
arrested. He said that he regretted his
arrest particularly OH account Of his
brother. A. A. Beck of Billings, we'll
known In that city. He said that he
arrived In Helena the morning of Feb
10, and that he had first heard Ut the
murder Of Bogner when he read Of 1t in
the Independent. Since then he had
expected that he might be arrested.
He said he had made no attempt to
conceal himself. He had been work
Ing for the Northern Pacific company
an d laborer two days, quitting work
yesterday morning, and had worked at
odd jobs about the city since HIS arriv'
al. He was locked up last evening
and Sheriff George W. Hubbard Of Bill
ings notified Of his arrest.
| Heck lived with Bogner, who former.
~ resided in Helena, In cabin at the
quarry of tho Montana Sandstone COM
pany near Columbus The morning Of
Feb. 10, the body Of Bogner was found
out side Of the cabin with a pick driven
through the skull. He had been muir.
dered for money, there being evidences
that the body aud the cabin hud been
searched by tho murderer Suspicion
at once attached to Beck. who had
lived with Bogner, mud who had quit
work a few days before the murder.
Search was instituted for him, but no
trace Of him was found until Sheriff
Davidson located him yesterday, The
county commissioners Of Yellowstone
county offered $500 reward for the AZ
rest and conviction of the murderer,
while the acting governor offered $3.50
reward, the town Of Columbus $500
and the sheriff $50 reward, Circulars
with the description Of Beck and an'
nounuing the rewards were sent to every
sheriff and city marshal In the state.
| Beck did not hesitate to tell his story
last evening at the county Jail
"Why dii you change your name
when you left Oolumbus'" he was
asked,
"I'll tell you all about it," he re-
piled,
Beck was reminded that he wal
charged with q serious crime, but he
said that he wanted to tell his story,
'Ihave nothing to say but the truth.
and that won't hurt me-" he said, III
want TO begin at the beginning and III
come to- tell you presently why
changed my name, ! was employed BY
tho Montana Sandstone company Sept
"a or a.. Board was pretty high 10
pat up cabin and for time there WA
a aweda and another man with me-