The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-11
INTERESTING Oct il
IN THE ROBILLARD MURDER
CASE AT MISSOULA.
DEFENDANTS OWN STORY TOLD
It Was Fight Which Was Primarily
Caused by Too Much Bad Whisky
Goes to the Jury
Today.
(Special to Inter Mountain.)

Missoula Dec. 11.-Baptiste Robillard
told of the killing of Antoine Michel 1t
was an intensely dramatic recital and
held the attention of the court and spec
tators for four hours-direct. cross ana
redirect examination included.
Defendants Straight Story.
The accused told his story in a straight
forward manner, with a quiet intense
ness Of tone that made everyone who
heard the story believe that he was tell
ing the truth. The cross-examination.
which was searching. failed to destroy or
mar the wall of innocence behind which
he entrenched himself. He related in de-
tail all the incidents leading up to the
fatal struggle which occurred on lonely
road about four miles from the village of
Plains on the evening of October Is last.
Especially dramatic was the scene in
the act which ended for Antoine Michel
his life.
Told Him to Stop.
He had chased me- said Baptiste. Il
was going up hillside and fell. When
got up l had two rocks in my hand-one
q small one. the other of good size. |
told Antoine to stop. He said he never
stopped for no man. He never quaked
for no man. l made a motion as if to
throw, but did not throw. Antoine
ducked his head, and kept on coming l
told him to stop again. that it had gone
far enough. He kept on coming. l kept
backing up the hill. l told him to stop
again, and he said he would not stop I'M
til he had my heart in his hand. l told
him he would not have my heart in his
hand Then l threw the smaller rock. l
don't know as l hit him He kept on
coming Then I threw the big rock. 1t
hit him. He fell; he struggled to his
feet and fell again. Then he doubled up
an. lay still"
Could Not Remember the Rock.
The prisoner was handed the blood
stained rock which is supposed to have
crushed Michel's skull, and asked if it
were the rock that he threw.
The rough piece of granite was handled
for at least two minutes by the prisoner
He handled it In every conceivable way
grasping it in his hand. netting it. turn
Ing it over and inspecting it on all sides
before he answered. Then he said he be-
lieved the big rock he threw was tlatter
than the one shown him.
Shook Dice for the Drinks.
The prisoners story condensed is to the
effect that he left the Flathead reserva
ton, where he was employed on a ranch,
on the morning of the 2sth of October,
finish a house on which he was working.
In Plains he met Antoine Michel, and at
different times during the day they en-
tered a saloon and shook dice for the
drinks. Each stuck the other twice.
They had four drinks. They then separ-
ated. AS Baptiste mounted his horse he
heard shouts of laughter from the corral
and rode up to see the cause.
He saw Antoine on a bucking broncho
mare belonging to Manuel Curley. He
subdued the mare. He saw Curley for
the first time that day, and Curley told
him to wait awhile and he and Antoine
would ride home with him. He waited,
and they all three left town together
Michels horse began acting badly again
and Michel rode ahead in order to tire
the animal out by running it.
Michel Was Bucked Off.
Curley and Robillard came up with
Michel about three miles from town. He
was afoot and said the mare had bucked