The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-04-03

the greatest hanging they had ever
heard of, again proclaiming that he
was not a murderer
One Man Faints.
Pete Disbrow tainted in the aud
ience and had to be carried out. SEN
ator Long responded to LeBeau's last
call and shook hands with him, bid
ding him goodbye. AS the black cap
was adjusted and the rope placed
around his neck he insisted on hav-
ing it tighter With a wave of the
hand Sheriff O'Connell grasped the
lever that sent LeBeau into eternity
After all was over it was learned that
he had torn up the manuscript that
he had worked SO constantly upon
having destroyed it just after awak-
ening this morning. He gave as his
reason for destroying it that he was
afraid that they would trace his rela-
tives and cast a disgrace upon them
About 300 persons witnessed the exc
cution, half as many having waited
a couple of hours for the gates tc
open.
Voluntary offerings by visitors who
called up LeBeau prior to his execu-
tion amounted to enough to enable the
condemned man to buy himself suit
of clothes in which to be buried. He
objected to being buried in prison
garb.
According to his own story, LeBeau
was born 49 years ago in Montreal
Canada His mothers name, he says
before she was married, was McMil-
lon; that she was of Scotch and
that his father was of French descent
His father died when he was but q
mere lad of II years, and, although he
has not heard from his mother since
a short time thereafter, he is of the
opinion that she has remarked, anc
does not know whether she is now
living or not. In lauding terms ant
with an evident sense of shame he
mentions his sister frequently and
states that should he wish he could
communicate with her on very short
notice, and had not the least doub
that were his or her identity disclosed
and their relationship proven he would
never meet his death on the gallows
He says he has worked as a steam
boat man, worked on railroads ant
followed logging for many years II
Michigan, Wisconsin and western
states, and has always been a top
notcher in the latter business. Tha
in many different places he has as
sumed different names, all Of which
he had good reason for doing, anC
that LeBeau, while not his true name
ha hoe faunrnd fn
nearly 90 years.
Speaking of the murder at Fortin'
of the Yoakums on June 10 of las
| he says it was due to his weak mint
and his submission to the murderou
will of Joseph Hobbins, his youthful
| companion that is now serving a lif'
sentence in the state penitentiary 70
completely in the same crime.
Meets Hobbins.
LeBeau and Hobbins met each othe
at Whitefish on June 13 on the depo
| platform, and both were broke. 4
pal of Hobbins' came along. The.
| proposed several easy money schemes
but the third man was yellow" Th
third man had swiped couple o
| wheels and was going to sell them
and they were going to get out o
town and look for greener fields. TIL
trio planned to "boxcar" out tina
evening. LaBeau and Hobbins got ou
but Willie" the pal, didn't com,
through. A couple of days later the
met the latter at or near Rexford. H
had sold the wheels and was takin
on a spree. He didn't look good t
them, so they took him down to tn
railroad track and tied him hand an
j foot and attached weight to his leg
and threw him into the river. Th
water was not more than waist deeI
and the weight came loose and tn
lad scrambled to the bank, where
was released and given lecture an
told to start for Canada and mum
the word" which he did, and ha
never been heard from since.
1t was on the morning of the 1St
that they were walking between Eu
reka and Fortine, and they met
section hand who asked them to rid
Continued on Page Four)