Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-03-26
THE LACKEY
MURDER TRIAL
The Case OF the State VS.. Hugh Lack
ey Commenced in the District
Court on Monday Morning.
CHARGED WITH BRUTAL MURDER
The Defendant Is Accused With Brut
ally Beating Old Mike SINNERS
With hsndspike,

The case of Hugh Lackey. who is
charged with the murder OF Mike
SINNERS was called in the district
court on Monday morning 1t was
found necessary to call special
venire in order to obtain a jury,
which was not secured until p. m.
The jury is as follows: Ernes.
Lucket. Bud Doores, Clint Fitzhugh,
Ora e. Bennett. Henry Montgomery.
w. G. Charters. Z. J. Duffenbaugh, J.
w. Kearney. Adam Shell. J, s. Hovis.
Ed. Evers and Thomas Burleson.
A large number Of witnesses had
been subpoenaed, only a few OF whom
have been used during the trial, as
the only evidence of any importance
was that of Chas. Z. Long and the
expert testimony of the doctors who
were called as witnesses.
The states side OF the case was
ably presented to the jury at 2:30 on
Monday by County Attorney Belden.
and as Cort & Worden. attorneys for
the defense. waived their right to b
statement the states first witness,
Chas. f. Long. was sworn.
Mr.. Long said. in substance: II
didn't know either Lackey or Shin.
ners personally. but | know them by
sight. | saw Mike SINNERS often and
on the Sth of October I saw him with
Hugh Lackey and man whose name
| think was Hughes, about a quarter
of a mile southwest of the Kendall
hotel, where they we're engaged In
getting out logs, ! supposed for 4
cabin. was crossing over to that
part of the camp in order to get my
washing, and as I passed by where
they were working | saw that ths
man Lackey was driving team w
the hill toward the foundation of n
cabin while Mike SINNERS was walk.
ing up the hill about eight feet from
the team and on a level with them.
BY their actions | supposed that they
were jangling and | saw SINNERS
make a motion as II with the axe.
Lackey immediately dropped the lines
and | heard him say. III you wan,
any of that I'll give you some,' and
went and got a heavy handspike from
near the cabin and started toward
SINNERS. When SINNERS saw him
coming he stood for awhile as ii
dazed and then started around the
team. Lackey. being the quicker man
of the two. overlook him and struck
him a blow that staggered him. Shin.
ners tried to get away again and when
he saw that he couldn't he turned
sideways and put up his shoulder as
II to protect himself Lackey struck
him again and as the blow fell Shin
ners stumbled and dropped on his
right side. Lackey drew the stick uT
as II to strike again and the man
Hughes, said, Don't hit him." where
upon Lackey said. Mike, for little
would kill you" to which SINNERS
replied. "You needn't mind; you have
already done IT,"
The witness said that as he passed
by within ten feet of where SINNERS
was lying he noticed that he was un
conscious. Mr.. Long said that he re
turned over the same trail a shor'
time afterwards and saw SINNERS
walking over the hill ahead OF hin
on his way to Kendall He also said
II went to Kendall and sat down OF
the sidewalk in front of one OF the sa
looms and while there SINNERS cam'
over and sat down beside me. no
ticed that he had wound near tn
crown OF his head and one above th'
ear; he also had a mark on the bacl
of his neck as II he had been strucl
glancing blow there. He was bleel
, ing at the ear and seemed In ba,
shape" On being asked IL he no
ticed anything peculiar In SINNERS
: behavior when he saw him at any sub
sequent period. the witness said tina
, whenever he saw him SINNERS wa
E drunk and he couldn't tell whether h,
I acted naturally or not.
Both Henry Wareham and Witnes
Curry testified to seeing Simmer
around Kendall previous to his dealt
5 when he was In very bad condition
and Curry said that Lackey had toll
him that he had had trouble wit
SINNERS.
Il Constable Stephens OF Kendall tei
titled TO seeing SINNERS around Ker
ldal for several days In bad shap
and bleeding from the ear. He sal
that he saw him pushed out OF Rii
lers saloon one morning. at whic
ltime he went over and helped carr
!. him inside. The witness stated tina
SINNERS at that time was bleedin
freely from his ear. The witnes
brought SINNERS to Lewistown a fc'
tdays before his death