North Park union., 1902-01-31
CONNECTING EVIDENCE PRESFN7ss
AT THE TRIAL OF TOM HNeI

y
Horn. the stock detective. who was ar
rested January 18th, charged with the
murder of Willie Nickel, fourteen
vear-old son of Kels p. Nickel, an iron
Mountain ranchman. who was assas-
sInnted near his fathers home July
1s. 1901, was to-day bound over to the
District Court of Larimie county with
ont bail by Justice Becker, on u charge
of murder In the first degree.
The testimany upon which the ac-
cused murderer was held was that or
Deputy United States Marshal Joe Le-
fors, Deputy Sheriff l.. Il. Snow ana
StenograDher Charles j. Ohnhaus, all
of Cheyenne. which was given at the
afternoon session of the court to-day
and which created n big sensation,
both In the court room and throughout
the city, when the nature of their evi-
dence became known.
Lefors. Snow and Ohnhaus testified
that they secured statement OF guilt
from Horn, Lefors questioning him
while Snow and Ohnhnus, the latter a
stenographer. were concealed In an ad-
Joining room, beside an open door near
which Horn sat, Ohnhnus taking uowll
the accused mans words In shorthand.
The attorneys for the defendant
were taken entirely by surprise, Tor
they did not have so much as an INK
ling of what was coming, ana as Tor
the prisoner himself, he simply sal
still, his blnnched cheeks and staring
nyes showing plainly the tumult that
was raging within him as the witnesses
repeated the words of his own COMES
sion of the awful murder of little VIII
lie Nickel. William Powell and Charles
Lewis, all of whom, according to the
statements of Horn himself, were his
victims.
Joe Lefors was called. Horn moved
uneasily in his seat, his face took on Q
winter hue. and it was plainly to bt
seen that he was greatly disturbed
He had until this time supposed tht
deputy marshal to be one of his bes'
friends.
Lefors stated that he told Horn III
hnd secured for him position In Mon
tana and wanted Horn to come to the
marshars office and talk the mattel
over. Horn visited Lefors Sunday
morning. January 18th. They occupied
the outer office and the door connect
ing with the pirate office of the mar
shal remained closed.
Horn said he wanted to learn more
about his new job in Montann ant
what would be required of him. Lefors
told Horn that all he had to do was Il
20 in there and get the confidence OF
the people and he would he all right
Horn asked If the people objected tt
shooting and Lefors Informed him tina
they did not. meaning Horns prospect
i've employers.
Lefors led Horn to think that he wni
familiar with all the work he tHorn
had been engaged in and stated: TON
I know all about all of the killings yol
have been in"
Little by little Horns confession wns
brought out and every detail of thu
killing of Willie Nickel exposed.
How about the murder. Tom?" in
quired Lefors. II have kept track oi
you on the other cases, but I must con
fess that after working on this case fol
a long time | could not ascertain how
you came to kill that boy"
well, suppose 1t WAS like this" re
piled the detective. THE kid was prob
ably coming up the draw that emptie,
into the creek back of Nickel's house
and when he saw the man that wal
there to do the killing he tried to ge
back to the ranch. The man, realizin,
that the kid would create Il disturb
nnce, got back behind pile of rock.
and as the kid came along, gave 1t t.
him."
But, Tom" continued LefOrs. 'how
did YOU get across there without leav
Ing trnil?'
Il never leave Il trail, I go barefoot
ed"
But. Tom. didn't It hurt your feet t.
run across the prairie? l could not dt
It."
Yes but did not mind it. usually
have ten days to rest up after job OF
that kind"
"How far away We're you when yo,
shot the kid?"
'About 300 yards"
"What kind of gun did you use?"
"a 3O-3O. I like 1t better than an!
other. 1t carries true to the mark.
thought once that the kid was going tt
get away from me. but / nailed him
1t was the finest shot I ever made ir
my life and the dirtiest job 1 evel
DONE"
Don't you get hungry when you are
out on these hunting expeditions"
''Yes, but 1 get used to it. l get sc
hungry sometimes l would kill my
mother for some grub"
Ibid you leave any shells behind?"
"You can bet your life didn't"
I.efors testified that this cOnversa
tion took place in the presence of nc
one. He says he then left Horn, the
two agreeing to meet again at the mar
shal's office In the afternoon for the
purpose, as Horn explained, of learn
ing more about the position in Mon
tana. 1t was then that Deputy Sher-
ifr Snow and Stenographer Ohnhaus
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PRINCE COMING LOADED.