Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-04-09
The Parricide Holds His Nerve to the
Last and Walks to His Death
Without Flinehing.
DID NOT MAKE CONFESSION
Talked Freely With the Press Repre-.
sentatives But Would Not Admit
That He Was Guilty.

Deer Lodge, April 4.-The execu-
bonof Clinton Dotson took place here
this morning at 1880 o'clock. The
whole proceedings from the time he
woke at 10 o'clock until he was
brought out to the gallows was with
out any special features. He was
not talkative to his attendants when
he awoke.
The matter of preparing himself
for the event seemed to be his only
object. Rev. A. B. Martin was with
him for two hours before the execu.
ton and was at his side until life was
extinct.
Drs. Dodd and Owings were In at
tendance and pronounced the neck
broken.
Dotson received many visitors last
night. among them representative of
the different daily papers throughout
the state. He talked freely with ref
erence to different crimes, but he new
er gave up anything new nor did he
incrlminate himself in any way.
He ate his lunch last night at mid
night with the watchman. After that
he read the Bible until o'clock when
he went to sleep. His rest was peace
full and he was not disturbed until 10
o'clock this morning.
He ate breakfast with relish.
Fried eggs. toast. coffee and some
bacon fried crisp was what he desir-
ed.
There was nothing in the execution
of any interest. The sheriff simply
did his duty and Dotson said not a
word. He was a trifie nervous as the
rope was being adjusted. but he went
through the ordeal like thorough
bred.
About 500 people were present from
different points in the state.
Dotson's crime was one of the most
notable in the criminal annals of the
state of Montana. The history Of
the case begins in 1899, when Dot
son, with Benson and Persinger, was
tried for the murder of a man of the
name of Cullinane in Powell county.
Dotson was sent up for SO years,
while his confederates were given
shorter terms in the penitentiary.
While in the pen Dotson became init.
mate with James Macarthur, some
times known as Fleming, whose term
was to expire on the Both OF December,
1900. Early in September of that year
Dotson told Persinger that he had
hired Macarthur to murder his father,
Oliver Dotson; that he had promised
to pay Macarthur $500 for commit
ting the crime. and that he had the
money buried in Wyoming; that when
Macarthur was released from prison
he was to kill Oliver Dotson in such
manner as to indicate that 1t was a
case of suicide, leaving on the body
confession that Oliver Dotson and
his son-in-law, one Cachline, had kill
ed Cullinane, and generating young
Dotson, Benson and Persinger; and
that as result of the discovery Of
this alleged confession the three con-
victs would be released.
Macarthur was released on the ev-
ening of December 80, 1900. He i'm
mediately sought out Oliver Dotson.
who lived alone in Washington gulch,
an isolated section of Powell county.
The men made a trip to Helena to-
gether, and were al different times
seen in the neighborhood Of the Dot
son home. On the 18th day Of Feb
ruary Macarthur murdered old man
Dotson, carrying out to the letter the
devlish plot hatched by the son who
was at that time in the penitentiary.
In addition to the confession left
near the body OF the murdered man,
Macarthur prepared and placed near
the dead man a pretended will in
which Oliver Dotson gave to Clinton
Dotson all of his property, except S.
to each of his six other children.
But the we'll made plan went wrong.
II was divulged by convict OF whom
Dotson had made a confidante. Nc
Arthur was arrested, he and Dotson
we're tried for the crime and convict
ed, Macarthur paying the penalty on
the scaffold and Dotson taking an ap-
peal to the supreme court. Judge
Clements, of the district court OF Lew
is and Clarke county, presided at the
trial, sitting in the place Of Judge
Napton.
In an opinion affirming the judg-
ment and order denying a new trial.
prepared by Associate Justice Pigott,
the supreme court said: THE dis
tinction recognized by the common
law between principles and accessor-
les before the fact is abolished in
this state, and all persons concerned
In the commission OF a crime, wheth'
er they directly commit the act con.