Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-05
KILLING WAS
PREMED|TATED
VERDICT OF CoRoNER's JURY IN
WooDsIDE MURDER AT
MELROSE.
WOODSIDE HAD JOSHED
STEVENSON HARSHLY,
Other Known Cause of Trouble
Witness Tell the Story Of the
Shooting.

Coroner Phil Julien went to Melrose
yesterday and investigated the killing of
j. Woodside by F.. w. Stevenson, which
occurred Sunday evening. He found
the inhabitants Of the little place very
much wrought up over the shooting,
which was the first to occur in the viii
lage. Woodside had only recently re-
turned to Melrose from Rochester, where
he had been running a saloon and from
the story of III shooting, as adduced by
h evidence taken at the hearing, while
there had been some rough, harsh JOSH
ing, in which Woodside was the agressor,
Stevenson was not at all justified in TAX
ing the ans life. The coroner's jury
was evidently of this opinion and the
verdict returned recommends that Ste
venson be held to answer the charge of
wilful and premedidated murder.
The testimony of George Austin and
George mi was to the effect that
just prior to the shooting they met
! Woodside outside w. L. Robbins saloon
invited him to nave a drink, and the
three entered the saloon together. Ste
! vensOn was behind the bar. AS Wood
side walked up to h bar he remarked:
THAT is a pretty looking --- to
a on white men."
Stevenson objected to the language: IT
am not a - -- - and do not
like to be called such Names" said he.
"You have often called me that re-
| piled Woodside.
st have always called you a gentle
man." said Stevenson.
Well We will let it go at that until We
find a better name for you," was Wood
sides retort.
A little later Stevenson said something
about never taking water and WOodside
told him he was never known to take
water il anyone would buy whisky for
him.
Instantly Stevenson drew a u m
fired at Woodside WoOdside fell like a
log. dying instantly, the bullet entered
just below the right eye and penetrating
his brain. enuI3
| Franklin gave additional testimony to
the effect that he had been told by Ste
venson earlier in the day that Woodside
! was there looking for his (Stevenson's)
job. Stevenson spoke somewhat bitterly
about Woodside. Aside from :his Elne
of the witnesses knew Of n u for
trouble between the two men.
w. L.. Robbins, proprieto: of the saloon
in which the killing took place, testified
that he had not witnessed the killing. He
said Stevenson drank, considerably and
when under the influence of liquor was
rather queer but he did not regard
him as being particularly cua:relsorne.
The gun with which the killing was done,
!, he said, had been left in the place seven
or eight years before and he did not
know who owned 1T.
The verdict or the jury was as loiloWs:
THAT said J. Woodside came to mis-
death at Melrose, Silver Bow county.
, Montana, on the Sd day of June. 1871.
from a bullet through his brain fred
from a revolver in the hands Of a man
known as Steve Stevenson; that the
shooting Of said Woodsile by said Ste
venson was willful and premeditated and
without cause or p~rOvocation, and we
recommend that said Stevenson be held
to answer to the cha.,y. of murder
Woodside was about % years of age
and single. He vas a big, fine specimen
of manhood, standing more than six feet
| high, Stevenson is about As years of age
and is a small man. as compared with
the man he killed. The remains of Wood
side will be inferred in Glendale today.