Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1901-12-25
WAS
MURDERED
The coroner's Jury Return a Verdict
to the Effect That Hugh Laekey
Killed Him.
WAS HIT WITH A HANDsPlKE
The Injured Mans Skull Was Badly
Fractured During the Month
of October.

Michael SINNERS died at the coun.
ty poor farm last Friday morning as
the result of injuries received at Ken
dali.
The injured man was brought to
Lewistown several days ago by Con.
stable Stephens OF that place in de
lirious condition resulting from
fracture of the skull and owing to the
fact that 1t was reported that he had
been injured in a saloon row, County
Attorney Belden proceeded at once to
Kendall to inquire into the matter.
Upon Investigations being set on
foot II was learned that SINNERS had
been thrown out Of Mike Riser's sa.
loon a couple of days previously by
Henry Brooks, who was night bar
tender at the time. Brooks was ar.
rested on information presented by
the county attornty and brought to
Le wistown, where he was committed
tn Jail by Justice Mcfarland, without
the option of bail. to await the result
of SINNERS injuries, which were
thought to be fatal.
The injured man died at 9:45 on
Friday morning and coroner's jury
was empannelled and taken to the
poor farm to view the body. An au-
topsy was performed the same after
noon by DR.. III. II. Wilson, assisted by
DR.. Il. S. Hedges, who found that
death resulted from a blood clot on
the brain in conjunction with an alb
cess. which was caused by fracture
of the left side of the skull which in
Jury had been received at some date
prior to his trouble with Brooks.
AS the result of further inyestiga.
tions 1t was ascertained that Simmer
had been struck with a handspike In
the hands or Hugh Lackey. with
whom he had been engaged in getting
out logs a short time previously and
Lackey was arrested and brought to
Lewistown to await the result Of the
inquest, which took place in the court
room on Monday. The jury was
composed of Jesse Pinkley. Frank
Moshner. T. w. Warren, A. l.. Carpen.
ter, William Hortop and Firman Tul'
lock-
There were thirteen witnesses ex'
amined and owing to the corrobora'
tive nature of the testimony only the
account of the affair as rendered by
the principal witnesses will be given
Constable Richard Stephens Of Ken
dali, on being placed on the witness
stand said in substance: II have
known Mike SINNERS for five months
and on the morning OF December 18th
| was standing outside the Kendall
hotel across the street from Mike Ris
er's saloon and saw SINNERS put out
by Brooks and Immediately return In
side. A few minutes afterwards
Brooks again put SINNERS out and
followed him to the sidewalk. where
he struck him, SINNERS falling heav'
lily to the ground. crossed over anf
picked him up and with the assistance
Of Brooks took him into the saloon
and sat him in chair
He was unconscious for four or five
minutes but after we had poured wa
ter on his face he came to. He was
bleeding slightly from the left ear
and mouth at the time. saw him
again the same day wandering about
back OF the saloon and I again took
him into the saloon and the next day
owing to his condition, brought him
to Lewistown. where I placed him ir
jail"
Jake Hoffman was sworn and sale
that he had known Mike SINNERS fol
the last nine years around Gilt Edge
and Kendall and on December 1ltt
saw Brooks push him out OF the sa
loon. He did not see Brooks strike
him but saw SINNERS fall and short
ly afterwards said he saw him at the
Kendall livery barn: SINNERS wa;
bleeding from his left ear and was
very drunk and talking to himself
Barney Mcdonald OF Kendall said
that on the 11th Of December he saw
Mike SINNERS In Nike Riser's saloon
where Brooks was tending bar; he
was drunk and singing as was his us
ual custom. He stated that there
was man by the name of Riley in the
saloon who had been bumming drinks
and was put out by Brooks, whereup
on SINNERS made some remarks ant
was taken by the arm by Brooks, who
put him out OF the saloon and went
out after him. A few minutes after
wards Stephens and Brooks brough,
him In in an unconscious condition
He stated that Brooks did not seem
angry.
David wareham said that he saw
SINNERS around Kendall and alsc
saw him In Swanson's saloon In 4