Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-25

Cheyenne, wyo., oct. 2i--Tom Horn,
the famous scout, and stock detective
was this evening found guilty OF muir
der IN the first degree The tratl Of
Horn for The murder OF WINE Nickel
"A years old, son Of Keis Nickel on
July rs, 1901, at his fathers ranch IN
the Iron mountain country was begun
oct. 10. The arguments We're finished
and the case given 10 the jury at HE'S
o'clock today The verdict was reach
ed before O'Clock this evening.
The claim of the prosecution Was that
Horn, IN the pay OF certain large caltle
owners, KILLED The Nickel boy In An e.
fort 10 brighten his father and cause
him to leave the country fhe strong
est evidence against Horn was his own
confession. made 10 Deputy sheriff JOS.
II. La Fors In which he gave minute
details Of the crime. Horn az the trial
admitted making the confession, but
claimed If was false and only made in
Dragging way while he and La Fors
were exchanging yarns
HON has long been known on the
| frontier as a fearless scout ana served
with the American army In cuba In
charge Of a pack train,
Commenting on the awfulness OF
| Horns deeds q writer In one oil ms
| livestock journals says
"There h on trial al Cheyenne Wyon
| this week man VINO, II he Il guilty
of the crimes charg . against him. Is a
| criminal beside whom the degeneratea
whose deeds have shocked the world
since Cain slew his brother are mere
| novlces In tie art ~ shedding blood.
| Tom Horn Is the defendants name, ana
the crime with which he stands charged
before the bar OF justice "a the killing
| Of Willie Nickel Il young boy VINO was
| herding his fathers sheet In wyoming.
| The killing OF the Nickel boy WAS suiil-
GENTLY coldblOoded II Itself 70 stamp
! the man who committed the crime as
| being an unusually abandoned crlml-
| nal. But II IL alleged that the Staying
| of the boy WAS but one Of series or
| murders committed by the same man,
| nrd stUl more that the killing was not
done for the purpose u robbery, or 20
| satisfy a thirst for revenge, or as the
result OF n fued OF long standing, but
| for price, In consideration OF 80
many dollars to the killer In hand paid
by men who occupy prominent places
In the community :,
"The Nickel lad was on horseback
herding his fathers focks on the open,
public range In Wyoming some dls'
lance from any human hahtation. This
man who ala the shooting was secreted
behind a clump Of rocks when he fired
tho first shot. The lad was unhurt, and
wheeled his horse and fed In the direc-
tlon of his fathers cabin. The paid as
sassn. fearing the lad would escape
and had guessed his identity followed
him. The boy came to wire renee
where his pathway was blocked The
murderer ran after him, overlook hin
and shot him TO death
"The killing Of Willie Nockeli grew
out OF the war between the cattlemei
ana the sheepmen for the possession o.
Tho range In Wyoming. II is charged
The cattlemen wanted TO drive out tn
shoepmen, Willie Nickel's father. kel,
Nickel was sheep renter who hac
leased n flock Of sheep and was eNinl
out a slender livelihood pasturing then
on the range. lie was warned % leave
, hut as he had nowhere 70 90 and leav
ing meant his ruin, financially he re
| NAMED Others were warned to leave
and. knowing what Il meant TO RENAL
and contest with the rich and prwertu
, cattlemen for the range, left Nickel
sheep were killed by the hundred. sho
down. and brutally hacked 10 pieces
, stuI he persisted in maintaining M
Y right to the range and his son wa
= slain. Then he Gathered M the rem
: nant OF his family. abandoned his fey
: earthly possessions, and found employ
ment az day laborer In the Union Pa
4 cinc shops at Cheyenne.
Horn, to detective, confessed ina
, NO had shot the Nickel boy and tina
q he did II for a price. officers claim
y have evidence that Horn was q pro
fessional -killer-that he made