Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-29
NOTED MURDER
CASE REVIVED
Growing Belief That Hiram Otis Wal.
bridge Was Never Killed by J.
G. Carlisle Hunter.
WOMAN APPEARS IN A NEW ROLE
Mrs. Melville, Much Married Butte
Woman, Witness on Whose Testi-
mony Hunter Was Convicted.

udy W uoy lOOIuIuS up W prove IudI
she is not the person she represents
herself to be, Mrs. Melville Northey
still insists that she is not Mrs. Mel
vile, never was Mrs. Walbridge, and
is not the daughter of J. G. Carlisle
Hunter, now serving life sentence
in the state penitentiary for the kill
ing of her first husband, Hiram Otis
Walbridge.
The evidence in the possession of
the county attorneys office was streng.
thened yesterday by the further iden-
tificatiOn of the accused woman as
Mrs. Melville, the daughter of Hunt
er, and the certificate Of her marriage
with George Melville, August 19, 1901,
was placed in the hands of County
Attorney James Healy.
Judge George A. haywood, the pres
ent county attorney Of Granite coun-
ty, and who defended J. G. Carlisle
Hunter on the charge of murder at
Philipsburg, in March, 1902, was in
the city yesterday. For the purpose
of Identification he called on Mrs. Mel
ville-Northey at the county Jail. The
woman was affable and allowed herself
to be questioned. Judge haywood,
however, identified her positively as
the daughter of Hunter, and as hav-
ing spent two weeks at Philipsburg.
at the time of the trial, and then
known as Mrs. Melville.
THE woman is irresponsible" said
Judge haywood, "and her demeanor
and improbable stories are the same
now as they were when she was a
witness at the Hunter trial.
while the story which she told
at the trial was most impossible one,
she told it with such frankness, cool
ness, and with such deliberation, that
1t was impossible to impeach her.
Her stories were remarkably clever
1T was solely upon her testimony
that Hunter was convicted, and the
most damaging feature of the whole
trial was the fact, which was admitted
that after the disappearance of Wal.
bridge, Hunter assumed the name OF
Meyer, and he and his daughter, now
Mrs. Melville-Northey, lived together
as man and WIFE"
WaIbridge May Live.
There is a reasonable ground on
which to base the theory that Wal
bridge is still alive" continued Judge
haywood, "and this one circumstance
is all that saved Hunter from being
hanged.
1T will be recalled that the testi
oh knf ,,y1o
Walbridge and his wife left Saltese
on Iron Mountain, and went into camp
on the Rattlesnake. they had but two
horses. When they went into camI
on the Georgetown fats they had fou,
horses. 1t will also be remembered
that Walbridge and the two extra
horses. one carrying light saddle
and the other a pack saddle, disap
peared at the same time as Walbridge
and have never been heard Of since
Two Mysterious Horses.
Concerning the two horses, Mrs
| Melville testified at the Philipsbure
trial that Walbridge went to Nilsson
la one day, where he met a mysterious
man of dark complexion. and that this
| same man paid several visits to thu
camp on the Rattlesnake, though hi
never came nearer than a certain log
The reason for this was never ex
planned.
"On the day that the party broke
camp on the Rattlesnake, the myster
ious dark-complexioned man paid then
a visit and gave Walbridge a team
OF horses. There was no considera
ton. Walbridge had no money, an,
| odv hn< Z,
out funds.
1T was shown at the trial that Hun
ter and Walbridge went hunting on
day, shortly after leaving the Rattle
snake. taking the two extra horses
Hunter returned alone and afoot, an
Walbridge and the horses were neve
again heard from. The bones. allee
ed to have belonged to Walbridge
were found in gulch eighteen month
later, and were identified by portion
of the clothing that had survived tn,
elements.
His Eyes Did Not Fit.
"Walbridge was man peculiar Il
the fact that he had eyes which di
not match" continued Judge Ma,
wood. zone eye was dark and tn
other light blue Assuming this to b
fact, advertised in one OF tn
Butte papers for man answerin
that description. received a repl.
from two men, then living at Victor
and used them as witnesses at tn
trial. They testified that they me
such a man quite long time afte
the disappearance Of Walbridge, an
that he told them his name was Wa
bridge.
Mrs. Melville an Actress.
81 recall very clearly" said Judg
haywood. "the appearance Of Mr.,
Melville at the trial, and in compa
ing her actions then and now, it
evident that she can readily assum
any role she chooses.
"She claimed to be very Ill whe
she reached Philipsburg, and she a.
peared in the courtroom lying on
couch. To the jury she really appea
ed to be very i'll. but at the concl
sion of her testimony. when she We
removed to her hotel. it was only
few moments before she was able [
walk about. and even run. as well ,
: the best of u.s.
=