Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1905-05-09
Patrick Rodgers, the Slayer of Burke,
Was Arrested in Kendall
Last Friday.
OWNS UP THAT NE KILLED BURKE
After His Arrest He Talks Freely
With Deputy Dennis and Says he
Had to Kill Burke.

Patrick Rodgers, the slayer Of Geo.
Burke, of Butte, on March 18th, was
arrested by Deputy Sheriff Dennis at
Kendall last Friday morning, brought
to Lewistown and safely placed in
the county Jail. He arrived in Ken
dali on Thursday and was pointed out
to Dennis as tough character by
resident of the camp who knew him.
Deputy Dennis went through a lot of
descriptions he had in the office and
among them found one of Patrick
Rodgers, issued at the time of the
Jail break in Butte two years ago.
The description fitted the new ar
rival to dot and Dennis kept track
of him until Friday morning, when
he ascertained that he was the man
wanted for the Butte murder and
made preparations to arrest him.
AS the result of communicating with
the sheriff's office in Lewistown, Den
mis- ascertained that Rodgers was a
hard citizen and gun fighter. In
order to prevent trouble Deputy Den
mis- enlisted the services Of his broth
er Kirk and arrested his man in the
Moccasin saloon by getllng the drop
on him and having Kirk put on the
irons.
Rodgers was taken so by surprise
that he made no effort to resist ar
rest and quietly accompanied the dep
Hty sheriff to LewistoWi.
There is no doubt but that Rodgers
is an extremely hard character and
the account of the killing of Burke
shows that the shooting Of the latter
was done as the result of a general
row amongst a gang of disorderly
characters in the St. Lawrence saloon
in Butte.
At the coroners inquest, which was
held on the body of the murdered man
the following verdict was returned
by the jury:
I'VE, the undersigned jurors, after
hearing the testimony and making all
needful inquiries, do hereby return
the following verdict: That the de-
ceased, George F. Burke came to his
death on the eighteenth of March from
a gunshot wound, and from the evil
dence adduced, we, the jury, believe
that the gun was he'd by man sup
posed to be one Patrick Rodgers.
(Signed). Mike Carroll, Dennis Car
ey, V. B. Sabine, Frank Call, P. v.
Ryan, R. J. Langan."
After his arrest Rodgers admitted
killing Burke and said that he had
TO do it in self defense. He told
Deputy Dennis that he remained IN
Butte for month after the killing
and stated that he had been work
ing in various parts of the state since.
He said that he spent Wednesday
in Lewistown. The deputy brought
Rodgers to town Immediately after
the arrest owing to the fact that there
is no Jail in Kendall.
Rodgers became somewhat COM
municative during the ride to town
and told the deputy that he had to
kill Burke and said that on the even
ing of the killing that he went into
the st. Lawrence saloon and had a
row with the bartender over some
trivial matter and knocked him down.
The bartender secured a piece of gas
pipe and hit Rodgers; there ensued
general row in which Rodgers was
badly pounded up. He went out and
after walking short distance found
that he had lost SIS nugget, which
row. He returned to the saloon and
saw that they were kicking his hat
around and having general "hot
time" He went and secured a couple
of guns and returned. On entering
the saloon Burke hit him with a chair
and Rodgers shot him. He states that
he remained in the city for month
after the shooting and was on the
streets almost every night.
Rodgers bears the earmarks OF a
general rough house fighter and his
appearance certainly indicates that
he had been in a mix up of serious
nature in the near past.
There is a reward of 5000 standing