Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-20
CORONER ORDERS AN INQUEST
Sarpy County Farmers Say Officers
Bullet Killed Young Man.
MORLEY PUT IN swEATBoX
Shorty Gray Said to Have Shot Blunt
Just Before Fusillade.
PRISON PRIVILEGES RECALLED
Governor Aldrich Interests Himself
In Bloody Disturbance and Pro-
pose. that Hunts widow
Receive Payment.

Roy Blunt, the young farmer who was
forced to transport the lincoln mutineers
in their flight. was deliberately murdered
Just before the battle between civilian
posses aud escaped convlcts.
Sheriff Hyers Of Lancaster county.
whose bullet. n Convict Morley's story Is
true. killed Charles Taylor. alias Shorty
Gray. in the running battle with the three
escaped convicts. does not believe that
Blunt was killed by the posse. He is Of
the opinion that Blunt waa shot by one
Of the convIets while trying To leap from
the wagon I'm an effort to escape
II is reported that Morley was sweated
at the penitentiary and. among other
things. he told the officials that Gray
killed Blunt when the latter tried to jump
out of the wagon.
Officials refuse to admit or deny the
abatement.
Governor Aidrlch spent most Of yester-
day at the penitentIay. but what was
done Is not given out except the state
ment that in the future the regulations
regarding visitors will be much more
strict and no one will be allowed to see
the prisoners unless they have good and
sufficient reason,
Suggests Appropriation.
Sheriff Gus Hyers writes to the widow
of Roy Blunt condoling with her over
the unfortunate death OF her husband as
the one regretable feature OF the pur-
suit Of the fleeing criminals.
He also wrote Governor Aldrich sug-
gesting that he recommend to the next
legislature an appropriation OF $500 for
the relief Of Mrs. Blunt. not only on ac-
count Of the tragic death Of her hus-
band, but In recognition Of her own sery-
ices In running down the criminals.
Jury view. BIunts BODY.
The evidence In the inquest over the
body Of Roy Blunt will be held next FRI
day. Coroner r. Armstrong Of Papillion
impAnelled 4 jury early yesterday after
noon at Springfield. aud after taking the
members TO the Blunt home to view thel
corpse Of the unfortunate ypsug uans he
ordered Adjournment until the official
inquiry.
Following are the members Of the iury:i
O. W. Miller. editor Papillion Times.
A. J. Peters. physician. Springfield.
L. ]. Quinley. reporter Springfield Mon
ltor
Bert Hamilton. laborer. Springfield.
Roy whitney. retired farmer. Spring.
field.
A. r. Empey. retired grader Springfield
Immediately upon the appointment OF /
the men TO jury duty they were taken
by the coroner to the Blunt home. There
il was found that the bullet which ended !
Blunts life entered his hip and came out
through his abdomen. ranging downward. /
AS the bullet went clear through and
could not be found II is not known from
whose weapon II came. 80
Ballet Hole In EndRate.
The coroners jury examined the body J
OF young Blunt to discover the direction
Of the bullet and found that It hit Blunt
in the back of the hip and ranged down
ward, passing clear through the body.
A bullet hole was found In the endgateof j
the wagon that would have been In
direct line with Blunt on the drivers seat
and as the team was going down an In
cline when Blunt was shot the friends
Of Blunt argue this bullet must have
killed him and IN that case II came from
one OF the officers rifles and not from
the guns Of any OF the convicts. This
point viii be the big question OF difference
at the inquest.
Coroner Armstrong will issue subpoenas
for sheriffs Hyers and Chase and Chief
Briggs and other eye-witnesses Of the
young farmers death today. Whether
Morley's testimony will be admitted or
not has not been determined.
Funeral arrangements for Blunt have
been made and services will be held
Thursday at the Methodist church at
Springfield. Rev. A. g. warne viii Of
ficiate.
Routine mt Penftentiary.
Barring the presence OF the militiamen
everything at the penitentiary is now
going along as IL nothing unusual had
happened. The convicts were all at work
at their usual tasks yesterday and other
prison routine has been taken up. Gov
srnor Aldrlch plans to go TO Leavenworth
to look over the federal prison there to
see how things are managed with a
view TO adopting some OF their IDEAS II