Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-28
Sidney Sloane Killed Him in Hopes
OF Getting Five Hun
dred Dollars.
AT FIRST DENIED HIS GUILT.
Stole an Axe From Neighbour
Dumped Body ON Pile of Rocks
Near Home.


OF James +. sloane. pioneer merchant
OF this city. was found behind a Pile
@, rocks in an alley near his home
on Sixth avenue near stevens street.
Great gashes on his head showed he
had been murdered apparently with Il
Ratchet, and a trail of blood led from
the alley TO Mr Sloanes home. In
yestigation proved that be was muir
dered iu his room shortly after mid
night, his body being loaded into a
wheelbarrow, trundled to the alley ana
dumped against the rocks.
Sidney Sloan, the l7-year-old son Of
the murdered man, was taken into GUS
tody by the police shortly after tho
BODY was discovered. At hrst he
protested complete innocence. but broke
down and confessed the murder He
SAID he slew his father with an axe I'm
me nope Of getting 500 which he
thought his father was carrying This
murdered man has been one OF Spo-
kanes leading merchants for years,
being the senior member Of the Sloane
Paine company.
Investigation Of the Sloane murder
by "a representative of The Spokane
chronicle shows one OF the most cold
llooded crimes ever committed In this
city.
Sidney sloane, Who was the only
member Of the family Ia the city. ox-
cepting his father had made every
preparation for covering up his tracks.
lie had stolen an axe from his neigh
bors backyard and waited for his
fathers appearance on the upper floor
or his home. Evidently he struck his
father on the head with the axe as the
latter entered his room. The noise
Weakened Mrs. and Miss Syphers, who
were sleeping directly under Mr.
Sloane's room. sloane was a heavy
drinker, and they thought he had
stumbled over the center table so let
the matter rest.
As soon as the boy had searched his
fathers clothes for the money which
was The motive for the murder he went
20 20 neighbor's backyard and unloaded
q Tot Of apples from a Wheelharrow
aud. carrying his fathers body down
stairs, placed 70 IN the vehicle. lie
then wheeled around the block and
dumped the body In an alley. Return
inc, he washed out the Wheelharrow. re-
placed the apples and left them i'm their
original location. lie carefully washed
OFT The axe and also rcplaccdtu
There were rugs on the floor OF The
bedroom and the blood from the wound
on Mr. Sloanc's head had soaked
through The rugs onto the floor These
TUGS lhe boy rolled mp and took M
carrying them 20 The back porch. thor
gughly washed them. he washed the
moor clean and placed several Indian
blankets on the floor
lie arose early this morning ana CALI
lhg 10 Mrs Syphcrs told her his father
hdd NOT been ln that night and that hc
Was gong out To look Tor him. While
ne was talking several policemen ar
rived and told the boy that his father
has been killed. The hoy an first rlcad.
ed innocence. but finally confessed.
Inc lnnco suspect th8t young sloane
nad older accompliccs. including
woman. tie Is also suspected of being
the burglar who robbed two stores I'm
the block where his father was long
engaged in business, He is also sus.
pcctcd ~ being a partner ofthe burglar
who was shot and killed few weeks
ago while breaking into Staples candy
store.
When submitted to a rigid question.
Ing by Chief Waller and Detective Nc
Dermott young sloane first told a long
story about making arrangements with
a man named Riley Of Sheridan. Wyo..
TO come ON here and murder his father.
Tie said he and Riley planned 20 Sc
cure 500 IN cash which he knew his
father had ON his person. and divide a.
He stated that Riley came last night
and carried out his part Of the pro-
gram, and that % was Riley who struck
his father with an ak. he said Riley
then took $50 and lied TO Rossland n
G., leaving Sidney with $50 The TO-
lice had previously found $50 ON him
when ne was arrested.
He later broke down completely aud
confessed that he alone killed his faith
er. but said 10 WAS IN the heat ~ pas
sion. his father having attacked him
when intoxicated. The boy who Is only
u years old. broke down and cried.
Chief Waller believes the boy cooIy
planned the murder TO secure the 500
which DE believed his father had.