The Lamar register., 1902-01-29


Horn, the stock detective, who was ar
| rested January 18th, charged with the
murder Of Willie Nickel, a fourteen
year-old son of Kels P. Nickel, an iron
Mountain ranchman, who was assas-
sinated near his fathers home July
1S, 1901, was to-day bound over to the
District Court of Larimie county with
out bail by Justice Becker. OH charge
OF murder in the first degree.
The testimany upon which the ac-
cused murderer was held was that of
Deputy United States Marshal Joe Le-
fors Deputy Sheriff l.. e. Snow and
Stenographer Charles ]. Ohnhaus, all
of Cheyenne, which was given at the
afternoon session of the court to-day
and which created a big sensation,
both in the court room and throughout
the city, when the nature Of their evil
dence became known.
{. Lefors, Snow and Ohnhaus testified
that they secured statement Of guilt
from Horn, Lefors questioning him
while Snow and Ohnhaus, the latter n
stenographer, were concealed in an ad-
Joining room, beside an open door near
which Horn sat, Ohnhaus taking down
the accused mans words in shorthand.
The attorneys for the defendant
were taken entirely by surprise, for
they did not have so much as an ink
ling of what was coming, and as for
the prisoner himself, he simply sat
still, his blanched cheeks and staring
Eyes showing plainly the tumult that
was raging within him as the witnesses
repeated the words of his own confess
sion of the awful murder of little Will
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 a
whittier hue, and it was plainly to be
seen that he was greatly disturbed.
He had until this time supposed the
deputy marshal to be one Of his best
friends.
Lefors stated that he told Horn he
had secured for him position in Mon
tana and wanted Horn to come to the
marshars office and talk the matter
over. Horn visited Lefors Sunday
morning, January 18th. They occupied
the outer office and the door connect
ing with the private office of the mar
shal remained closed.
Horn said he wanted to learn more
about his new job in Montana and
what would be required of him. Lefors
told Horn that all he had to do was to
go in there and get the confidence of
the people and he would be all right.
Horn asked IL the people objected to
shooting and Lefors Informed him that
they did not, meaning Horns prospect
i've employers.
Lefors led Horn to think that he was
familiar with all the work he (Horn)
had been engaged in and stated: "Tom
know all about all of the killings you
have been In"
Little by little Horns confession was
brought out and every detail Of the
killing of Willie Nickel exposed.
"How about the murder. TomY in
quired Lefors. "I have kept track of
you on the other cases, but must con-
fess that after working on this case for
a long time could not ascertain how
you came to kill that boy"
"Well, 1 suppose it was like this" re-
piled the detective. 1.-The kid was prob
ably coming up the draw that empties
into the creek back of Nickel's house,
and when he saw the man that was
there to do the killing he tried to get
back to the ranch. The man, realizing
that the kid would create n disturb
ance, got back behind a pile of rocks
and as the kid came along, gave 1t to
him."
"But, Tom" continued Lefors, ''how
did you get across there without leav-
ing n trailY'
81 never leave trail, I go barefoot
ed"
"But. Tom. didn't 1t hurt your feet to
run across the prairie? I could not do
It,"
Eyes, but did not mind It. usually
have ten days to rest up after job Of
that kind"
"How far away were you when you
shot the kid?"
about 300 yards"
"What kind of gun did you useT
"A 5000. like it better than any
other. 1t carries true to the mark.
thought once that the kid was going to
get away from me, but nailed him.
It was the finest shot ever made in
my life and the dirtiest job I ever
done"
Don't you get hungry when You are
out on these hunting expeditions?
"Yes, but I get used to It. l get so
hungry sometimes would kill my
mother for some grub"
"Did you leave any shells behind"
"You can bet your life didn't"
Lefors testified that this conversa-
ton took place in the presence Of no
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-
III Snow and Stenographer Ohnhaus
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