Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-23
MYSTERIOUS MURDER
OF missouri steve"
SHOT AND KILLED SHORTLY BEFORE MlDNlGHT-TWO WIT
NESSES, WHO TELL CONTRADICTORY STORIES, ARE
;lxu LOCKED UP PENDiN 6 AN INVESTIGATION

promptly answereA that he could not.
Cox was seen and denied that he was
drunk at the time of the shooting, but
could give no clear account OF the trage-
dy. The explanations of the two men
are so unsatisfactory that the police have
decided to send them to the county Jail
until further investigations can be made.
When Slaton accompanied the of
ficer to the cabin quantity
of money was lying on the faro
table and he showed it into q
drawer At the Jail his pockets yielded
up about $3.50 in cash. but Cox had moth
ing on him.
The remains of Wells, after being
viewed by Coroner Johnson. were taken
to Duggans undertaking parlors, where
an Inquest will be held this evening.
An examination of the body showed no
bruises or wounds except the bullet hole
in the center of the forehead Ehe skin
about the eyes were powder burned. and
the belief is that the gun was within
eight or ten feet from his face when
it was discharged.
The physical facts as revealed to the
police lead them into the belief that
Slaton fired the shot either by accident
or design. They argue that men going
llllO tue lpUSS lot tIS l'ti PooS W wv
berry would not have departed without
taking the coin that was in plain sight
on the table According to the stories
told. Wells was dead on the floor and
the other two occupants Of the room
had taken to their heels and the rob-
beers We're masters of the situation.
They hold that even if the robbers We're
badly frightened by their action, they
would at least have taken a moment
to slide the exposed coin into their
pockets before departing.
Another fact that seems to support
the theory of the officers that there
We're no robbers, is the story of a man
who resides in the rear of 81 East Park
street. He and a number of others
We're engaged in a game of chess and
heard the shot fired. He went to the
window, which is almost opposite the
front door of the cabin, and looked out
remarking at the time that it was
shot. All was black outside, and there
was no commotion and no one was in
sight. He was asked if he would have
been able to see the front door of the
cabin open, and he replied in the affirm
ative. All he heard was the shot at
about 1880, and looking out, everything
was quiet.
oIIceI hdOlllllOVlcn TINS morning
found four exploded Al caliber cart
ridges near the cabin and a cartridge
box which had contained shells Of that
size. This may have no bearing on the
case but before the investigation has
| ended some significance may attach to
the find. No gun was found on either
man, but if either of them did the
shooting. they had ample time to Sc
crete the weapon.
Steve Wells, the murdered man, was
about 50 years of age, and was a cook
by occupation, and was working in that
capacity in a South Butte restaurant.
He had been a resident Of Butte for
II or ID years, and for about 10 years
! occupied the cabin in the rear of the
| Old postoffice, where the tragedy &C.
! CURED. He has relatives in Missouri
and they. will be communicated with
/ He was regarded as a sober and indus.
| trlous man, although he was one OF
the owners of the gambling game con.
| Quoted in his cabin. This game was
| visited by a large number of people
but was conducted in such a quiet man
ner that the police did not know of it,
existence.