Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-01

| anu uiNNi VIC PloAliS' hhu bNNlA iitANV
that he would be protected, Munzy re-
| lated the whole story, which appears
elsewhere In these columns. Accord
ingly two complaints were issued
against Rice and Hunter today by
Assistant County Attorney Whitaker
charging them with the murder OF
Beutler. The complaints were signed
by Sheriff Emery and were fled with
Judge Diehl this afternoon.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The story OF the crime, which was
committed seven years ago on the 25th
OF this month, is as follows:
on the night of the above date at
about o'clock, Beutler. who was 80
years OF age, and lived alone in an
adobe cabin OF 14S West South Temple
street, was summoned TO the door of his
house by knock. Upon opening the
door he was confronted by two men and
he Immediately cried Murder" The
men grabbed and choked him into In
nsensibllity and then stuffed an old rag
down his throat, thus causing him to
strange to death The motive for the
crime was robbery, as It was supposed
that the old man had about $1,000 each
ed In his cabin. The men were scared
away evidently without securing any
money, for when Beutler's body was
searched there was about Sl2 in his
pocket.
HEARD CRY OF MURDER.
Joseph Morris. who lived next door
to Beutlcr, said that he heard the
knock on Beutlers door and heard him
yell murder" and also heard the scuf-
ile He said that he then got out
through his back window and went to
the corner Of West and South Temple
streets where he met Mr. Holt and
told him that he thought Beuter and
his wife. who had separated from each
other some time previous 10 the affair
were quarreling. A telephone message
was sent to police headquarters and
Captain Esllnger and officer Shannon
fastened to the scene. Upon arriving
there about S:l5 o'clock, they found
Beuter lying on the floor dead. They
picked him w and placed him on the
bed and removed the rags from his
mouth but could not revive him. They
then called an undertaken to take
charge OF the remains, after which
thorough search of the vicinity was
made to find traces Of the murderers.
DEAD MANS WIFE SUSPECTED.
Unsuccessful In their attempt the
officers returned TO headquarters and
later decided TO go to Murray and inter-
view Mes. Beutler They knew that
9eutler and his wife had had trouble
and had separated, and they were Of the
opinion that she knew something OF the
crime, She was arrested al the home Of
her daughter and taken TO police head
quarters She denied knowing anything
about the crime, but told the officers
that Jack Rice had been TO see her TO
lnluire where Mr. Beutler lived.
RICE UNDER ARREST
The officers accordingly went to Rlce's
horne and arrested him that night. At
the Inquest evidence was brought out
which implicated Rice, Mrs. Beutler
and Alvin Mitchell, Mrs. Beutlers SON.
ln-law and upon the strength Of the
verdict OF the coroner's jury, complaints
were issued against the three above
named parties on March l. 1897.
CASES DISMISSED.
The preliminary hearing was held be-
fore Police Judge Wenger and, on Sat
March G, Rice was bound over
10 the district court to answer to the
charge of numbering Beutler but the
other rwo parties were discharged be-
cause Of lack Of evidence to hold them
on the charge. The case against Rice was
IN tho district court for some
time, but II finally became necessary TO
dismiss It on account Of lack Of evil
dence to convict. Rice was discharged !
from custody and Immediately left the |
nity and went to herdIng sheep In
rooele county Later he married and
now has several children, MunSy and
Hunter remained in the city and were
NEVER SUSPECTED
II completely In the crime until several
months ago, when Sheriff Emery OBJ.
aimed Information which led him to
believe that Munzy knew something
,bout IL, From that time on he has
oeen working hard on the case and I'm
lily his efforts were crowned with sue.
,ess and he has now secured complete
confession from Munzy and has the
,artIes who committed the crime safe
n jail.
HUNTER AND RICE SILENT,
Hunter and Rice refuse to say any.
hing about the affair and all the
sweating to which they have been
ubjected has failed TO bring out any
statements from them.
Both men are well known In local po-
Ice circles as being tough characters
nd they have been mixed up In several
rimes previous to and after the XIII.
ng OF Beutler, With the confession OF
iunzy and other coroborative eYi.
ence now In the hands Of Sheriff
emery, Il II believed that It viii be no
rouble TO convict Rice and Hunter,
here viii be no complaint issued
gainst Munzy, but he will be held in
all and used rs witness FOR the state.
SHERIFF EMERT's GOOD WORK.