The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-29
MURDER TRIAL WILL
BEGIN ON TUESDAY
Staying of Gustaye Pierre ln
Idaho to Be Investigated
by Court.
son OF VICTIM C0NFESSES
TO FIRING Fatal, SH0IS
Mother and Brother Charged
With BeiDg accessories i'll
Startling Tragedy.

Sp,cia; TO The Tribune.
ST. ANTHONY. Nov 2S.-Much ir-
teresi IS ccnrcriue around the big
Pierre murder case which is called tor
Tuesday Of This week. The first case
called will bo that Of the murderer
Paul Pierre. who. according TO his own
statement committed tie deed. The
other eases. those Of his mother ard
brother. will be called the following
DAY, "Wednesday. i possible, although
there is doubt as 10 thig. owing to the
seriousness Of the charge and the ma
lure of thc ease.
Gus,ave Pierre. the murdered nam,
MAS i homestcader on Mud lake, where
he lived with his family. apparently on
thc hest of terms. Ills absence was
discovered by the ncighbors one day.
aud an Investigation developed inc 1ael
that there had been strife among lpe
Incmbcrs OF the household for months.
brought about by the inhuman treat
ncnt b. husband Of tho wife. When
;uc delegation called at the Pierre home
the Youngest son made complete con
fcssion OF The crime.
Immediately after making the con-
iession the lad was arrested and gwen
Juto the custody of Constable Shcc!Y OF
Market Lake. who brought the prisoner
10 Idaho Falls and took him to st.
Anthony later AS soon as communlca-
tion could be had with Idaho Fails,
the officers there were requested TO
take into custody Mrs Pierre and Ed;
Pierre, as they were also concerned
in the murder, at least to the extent
of being accessories after the fact Inc
officers received word about $3.50 that
night, and they soon located the par
ties wanted in camp west of the city;
Mrs. Pierre and her son were placed
under arrest at once, and Miss Alctnea
Trapp. who was with them and VINO
was soon 10 be married 10 the elder
Pierre boz, was held as witness. When
the officers found the party they had
retired for The night. the two women
sleeping in the wagon and young Pierre
on the ground underneath.
Story of Crime.
Paul Pierre, who made the original
confession which led TO the arrests, told
In substance the following story. He
talked very reluctantly and had to be
questioned very closely to bring out
the connecting links of his confession,
but he told an apparently straight
story. though he would not give many
details of the actual killing, He said
in substance that his father was de-
mented, and that he was very cruel TO
his family, and beat his wife frequent,
" and had often threatened to Kill
fine whole family. On the day before
the shooting. which occurred on the 25d
day of July at 9:15 a. m.-Paui sand
he was very certain of the date and
hour-the' elder Pierre vas particularly
violent ard duarreled with Paul in the
havfcld. The scene became so violent
that both quit working in the bayfield,,
and Paul went to work on cellar He
said the father continued TO rave and
curse, threatening TO Kill all or them;
as we'll as the horses and cattle, and
to fire the haystacks and buildings.
The next morning when the family
arose the father was still in terrible
cage. and stormed outdoors Immediately.
No words were exchanged between Paul
and his father that morning. but Paul
SAYS he was so scared that nc scarce:
lv realized what he was doing. He said
that his father had such terrible look
of hate on his face that he believed
lie was going to carry into execution
his threat Of the day before. and IN i
blind fear lie took Il Winchester rifle
and shot his father while the latter was
abusing ;hc dog il the yard He says
lc was ABOUT twenty yards from hlS
father when lie shot him. He said ms
father was facing him. but not looking
ai him, when the killing occurred. At
the first shot the father fell, but got
up again and the lad shot again. and
Pierre expired without n word, Giving
a reason for firing the second shot
Paul said. az was afraid Of his death
swearing.
Shields Mother ana Brother.
Paul said that his mother was com
lug from the corral or barn, where she
rad been milking the COWS, when tho
shots were fred, and he was not sure
az 10 thr whereabouts OF bis brother
but snid he was somewhere near. Pau
was determined 10 shield his mother
and brother, repeatedly declaring that
they had nothing 70 do with II ano
that he alone vns responsible, and ;ha'
he was driven to it by the cruelty ans
threats OF his father. He declared that
7hc father had kept them in 4 living
he'll all winter, and that he would have
he did not want to leave his mothe
alone with Pierre, feeling sure tha
lie would kill her Paul says he neve
looked 10 sec where his bullets tool
effect
After the killing the mother and TIL
two boys rolled the body in a blanke
and covered il with hay to keep of
the flies and chickens. Paul then rippe'
some boards off the barn md built
rough easke.. explaining 10 The re
Porter thai there was 10 lumber avail
uhie III tho farm other than this. Pau
Ays tint nc, unassisted, then dug
Nayc about Gve feet decp--'t just dee
cuongh 20 be decent" he said-an
that night by moonlight the three o
iaem buried the fathcr--that IS. a
three said prayers over the body an
thc two brotheGs filled in tho eartl
Three .iags oi old hay were then throw
oycr the grave. owe done the hes
we could for him, y" said the boy.
When Mrs. Piorrc and I'd were Il,
rested they were not Informed of til
nature of the charge or Of the fac
that the younger son was in custod!
Yncy were questioned Il little by til
Officers, but j0ld conflicting stories. z
t'ierre snid hat his father Ind pon
10 his old home IN France, while Mr
Pierre said that he had gone 10 Was'
jnetun 10 ;ook for work in the co,
mines, and if bo failed 10 get it
would gn TO California 20 dig gold.
Money May Be Involved,
Ii is said that Piorra had betwee
$4,000 and $1,000 in money, besides OF
Of the honlestelds was IN his nam
These facts. taken in connection wit
IL a..