Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1906-01-02


murderer of Samuel Studzinski, must
go before the district court for a for
mai trial for the crime that he has re-
peatedly stated that he committed.
His preliminary hearing was held last
Saturday before Justice William T..
Mcfarland in the district court room
of the county court house. The hear
ing was begun about 10 o'clock and
the court room was crowded with cur
ious spectators.
Little change was noted in the APP
pearance of young Sherman when he
was brought into the court room by
Jailer Silverthorne. He was some-
what paler than usual but nodded and
smiled to his friends as he passed
through the crowd up to the bar. No
plea pas put in and the state swore it's
witnesses. County Attorney Ayers
and Attorney Q. w. Belden represent
ed the state and John c. Huntoon ap-
peared alone for the defense.
J. w. Luton was the first witness
called He told the story Of going to
the cabin Of the old man, failing to
get in, becoming suspicious and noti-
flying the officers OF the circumstances.
He stated briefly something of the old
mans history and habits, mentioning
especially the fact that Studznski
frequently kept an odd assortment of
jewellery about.
o. l.. Bryant, one of the members OF
the Lewistown Meat Co, testified that
he left a piece of meat outside the old
mans place Thursday morning and
that the meat was there Friday after
the murder had been discovered just
as the witness had left it.
Undertaken George r. Creel testih-
ed to being called to take charge oi
the body and Of the condition of the
composition had set I'm and that it was
evident that death had occurred at
least a day before the finding OF the
body. He testified as to finding the
cord around the murdered mans neck
and demonstrated how the knot was
tied.
Coroner DR. T.. +. Attix was next
called to the stand and testified at
some length concerning the position
%
stated that he was called to the off,
GERS and after the door had been brok-
en- in, he went into the room and
found the old man lying under fur
overcOat and several beaver skins. He
also found a trunk till on top of the
dead mans chest and upon removing
all of the articles, he found lying on
the bare chest OF Studzinski the card
bearing the blood written inscription,
*. c. No. H." He examined the
body and found that the jew had
been struck three times in the back OF
the head with some blunt instrument.
Two of the blows had crushed the
skull and the third only inflicted a
scalp wound. BY the side of the mur-
dered man was found big knife
which was identified by the witness
He stated that it was entirely posi-
BILE to inflict the wound with that
knife providing strong man was
welding the instrument Witness
stated that blood and brain matter
We're scattered over the room and par
ticularly over the side of the trunk
over which Studzinskki was evidently
ha OF,
He testified that the cord which wa.
later found around the neck of the
murdered man stopped the hemor-
rhage.
The autopsy performed by witness
four hours later after the body had
been removed to another building by
the coroner showed that the old man
had been dead for at least "a hours as
decomposition had set in
II. r. Watson, business manager of
the Argus, was called next to the wit
mes stand. He testified that he was
called from his home Sunday night,
Dec. 10th, by Under Sheriff Ed Mar
tin and requested to go with the offic-
er to the Argus building. He went
along as requested and upon arriving
at the building and getting inside, the
officer opened a trap door and while
the witness held a light, Officer Mar
tin crawled down through the floor
and handed out two suit cases. The
cases We're marked with the Golden
Rule cost mark and were filled with
articles which We're enumerated by
witness as follows: One pair silk
gloves, one pair ladies' drawers, one
corset cover. three ladies' vests, one
tailor made suit, four corsets, one
pair slippers, one box cartridges, one
one scabbard and belt, one
Colts 41-calibre revolver, three silver
one gold filled watch. These
things were put back in the cases and
given to the officer who took them to
the JAIL
Witness stated that certain circum-