The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-11-25
JUROR CAUSES
A SENSATION
Says Innocent Serving Prison Sentence for the Kill
ing of Fred McCabe-P G Butler Saw the Murderers
the Night of the Tragedy

Farley G. Butler of this city, one
CT the jurors OF the regular panel for
the November term OF the district
court, created quite sensation In
court this morning when he stated that
re knew William Reese end Harvey
Bass, now in the state penltentlary,
are not the men who killed Fred
McCabe on Twelfth street, Novem-
Der 2S. 1902
Il know the officers made a mis-
take In that case and that the wrong
men were arrested. / did not testify
In the case because they would not let
me."
This statement was made In answer
to question by the attorney for the
defense In the case of the State VS..
Frank Bell and Bell Rio, charged with
robbery, before the court for trial
today. The question was whether Mr..
Butler had ever been connected with
'holdup" and if the fact that officers
had arrested a man or men on the
charge of robbery would Influence his
mind either for or against the ac-
cused and would render him unfit to
sit as a trial juror in the case. Mr..
Butler said that it would not. because
lac knew that the officers might make
2 mistake, citing the McCabe mur-
der case as an instance,
1t will he remembered that Fred
McCabe was shot to death by two
highwaymen on Twelfth street, Noyem-
beT rs. 1902. Immediately after n
dance William Reese and Harvey
t..l Of
the crime They were put on trial
and convicted, the sentence for Reese
being 40 years and that for Bass be
ing 80 years in prison The men were
convicted principally on circumstan-
t,al evidence
Recently Reese and Bass petitioned
the state board of pardoEs, Tor their
release. they still protesting their in
nocense and claiming they are not
the parties who did the killing. Among
those who think Reese and Bass lnno-
cent is Nh Butler, who made the
statement that mistake had been
Lade. Mr.. Butler was accepted as a
trial juror in the robbery case before
the court today, after stating to the
attorneys for the state and The defend
ant that ne could give the men n fair
and impartial trial ana that his mind
Is not biased against the states side
because Of the Reese-Bass affair
Mr.. Butler states that on the night
OF the killing of Fred McCabe he ac-
companied two young ladies In bug
ey not more than two minutes ahead
OF Fred McCabe and companion, and
that he saw the men who shot
McCabe They wTe concealed in the
weeds along Twelfth street and when
he and his ladies approached they
arose from their hiding place. with
the evident intention of holding him
uL and robbnG him of his money
But, Mr. Butler says, he thinks they
changed their minds when they saw
lie had two ladies with him, and he
was permitted to pass unmolested
He says he drove near the men and
Got good view of them. He stated
further that he had seen the same
Tden at about six o'clock OF the same
evening. their particular build and
countenances being strongly impress
ed upon his mind and tba, he knows
Reese and Bass are not the men.
The petition for pardon has not vet
been finally passed upon bT the board
OF paTdons. but it is anticipated that
lC viii be within short time. Mr.
Butler says he has appeared before
the board and tod Ms story, with the
hope that the men may be released.
Mr. Butler says he told the off
GERS at the time Of the arrest OF
Reese and Bass that they were not the
night men, but Ee says he was rather