Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-19

The first find was on top Of shelf |
near the ceiling. Behind some boxes.
the officers and Halsey r. Watson un-
earthel leather purse containing
some gold rings believed to have been
stolen from Studzinski Near the same |
place was found a mask, made. appar- |
entity from the top Of woman's stock
ing. Eye holes mad been cut in this, |
and later, when Sherman was told Of |
this, he laughed and said:
Il saw that made"
A little later Mr.. Watson found a |
small box on a shelf in the toilet room
among many other boxes. It contained |
pair Of lady's slippers of a size so
large that any ordinary man could |
get them on. The shoes are of the
high heel variety, the heel running far |
forward under the foot, so that the i'm
print of it would be like that of a
much smaller shoe. With it was a
pair Of ladX's stockings which appear
to have been worn only once or twice.
The search was continued, but moth
ing further rewarded the efforts of the
officers.
The Public Appalled,.
The news in regard to the addition
al arrests. together with the details. in
a general way, of Shermans' last con-
fession, spread rapidly over the city,
and this formed the sole topic of dis
cussion everywhere throughout Lewis
town. The public was simply stunned
by the succession OF events, and the
many different versions of the affair
given out by Sherman. The number OF
men implicated by him and the whole
trend of affairs filed everybody with
apprehension as to what might be
next expected of HIM The chief fear
was that he would come to the front
with a brand new confession at any
minute and once more throw the Off
GERS completely off the track they
were then following. And just because
of his many changes, a considerable
portion Of the public was inclined to
believe that possibly after all, Sher-
man alone was the guilty one, and
that he had resorted to the tactics fol-
lowed by him in order to bring in
other issues and direct attention
somewhat from himself. This feeling
OF nervous apprehension as to what
might come prevailed until well along
in the afternoon, when it was report
ed tnat the last confession had been
reduced to writing, and that Sherman
signed it. This, coupled with the state
ment that both the officers and Sner
mans father were fully satisfied that
he mad at last brought himself to the
point of telling the truth, at last al
most convinced the public that all was
known, and for the first time since
Sherman was arrested, citizens went
to bed Sunday night feeling reasonab-
ly sure that they would not face a new
sensation in the morning.
How Murder Was Committed.
Naturally there was much interest in
learning the particulars concerning
that remarkable and bloody crime, the
murder of Samuel Studzinski on the
night of August % last. Sherman has
given Sheriff Slater his version of it,
which is as follows:
The prisoner says that the crime
having been decided upon by the gang,
he and DR.. Long met down town that
night somewhere about 80 o'clock.
| They walked along Main street to near
Hopkins & Sons store, where they
| were joined by HOrtop, AtchisOn and
Couch and all proceeded to the corner
of First avenue and Main. Couch,
Atchison and Hortop were placed in
positions near the shack occupied by
Studzinski, Sherman himself taking
| position on the corner. All being in
readiness for action, DR.. Long turned
| out the electric street light and enter
ed StudZinski's place. Just what his
| pretense was for getting admitted has
not been stated, but he had no trou-
BILE in entering. The doctor was all
alone in this and remained inside sew
eral minutes. He then opened the
door and called Couch, who entered
the place and the door was smut. Long
and Couch remained in the shack
quite long time, and then came out
with the plunder. Sherman says he
was given three $50 gold pieces as his
share, and he knows nothing further
as to the division Of the plunder, ex-
cept that later he and Long went to
the Argus office and cached the var
ious articles since found there. This
whole story, from beginning to end.
is now known to be absolutely false,
and as atrocious a lie as was ever
told.
| Young Sherman's Career.
| James Sherman is the eldest son of
Mr.. and Mrs. JEFF Sherman, and is
about 10 years of age. He was born
in LewistOwn, and has lived here all
his life. He attended school until he
was about 16 years of age, and was
an apt scholar and was looked upon
by all who knew him as a promising
youth. AS boy he was always stud
iOus. serious minded and obedient.
Some three years agO>he was given a
position in the business office and
stock room of the Argus, and applied
himself to his duties so diligently that
he had soon mastered every detail of
the business and became invaluable in
his department. Incidentally he took
up the type-setting machine, and in
a comparatively short time became
quite proficient operator. His general
conduct was such as inspire his en-
pOyers and associates with the most
complete cOfidence in him, and that re-
mained unshaken until short time
before his arrest. Some time ago he
won prize of $500 offered by an east
ern magazine in a guessing contest.
This money he invested. buying lot
from Charles Mcdonald and using
$3.50 in making partial payment.
The rest he invested and spent. He
paid most Of the purchase price of
lot in monthly installments, and on
Monday, Dec. II, the day of the dis.
covery of the loot under the Argus,
sold the real estate to business man
for something over 500. All of the
money received by him from that deal
has been accounted for except the
sum of about $3.50, which he first said