The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-02
County Attorney Says Three
Men Are Working for
Defendant.
,M'CAFFERY DENIES
HAMPERING STATE
Every Chance Given to Put
Prosecutors Evidence
to Jury.

| Wade Parks, prosecuting attorney Of
Sanders county, last night accused
Coroner Il. r. McCaffery and DR.. II. y.
! Peek, In whose hospital the prisoner
Is now held, OF acting with Attorney
4. s. Ainsworth In the defense or
Arthur Soulc, charged with the murder
of Ben Soulc. his nephew, q week ago.
There Is no doubt" he said. that
Mecaffery, Ainsworth and Peek are
together In the dcfpse Of Arthur
! Soule. and the coroner's inquest was
conducted along lines that would tend
to help the defense" gsa
Parks declared that both McCaffcry
and Peek have hampered the prosect-
tion. lie based his charges upon the
following alleged facts:
That Dr. Peek has refused to let !
the prosecutor talk to Soulc.
though the old man is under guard
In pecks hospital;
That McCaffery Ii fighting the
prosecutors attempts to have an
autopsy performed upon the body !
OF Ben Soulc by some other physl-
clan than DIR. Peck, who was
| 4gB, 1ss5
That McCaffery told Parks that
he could not afford to 80 against
Ainsworth and Peek In this mat
| ter" ~
"lt's a Lie,' Says Coroner.
Coroner Mccaffery. interviewed by
telephone ut his home In Plains last
night, denied Parks charge.
IT'S II lie," he said.
Continuing, he insisted that tho
prosecutor was given every opportunity
to present his case at the inquest. Eve
held the inquest over from Saturday
until Tuesday so that Parks could
present new evidence II he was able
to find any" the coroner said.
Considers Autopsy Unnecessary.
lie denied having told Parks that
he could not afford TO oppose Ans
. worth and Peek. He refused to au-
thorize n second autopsy, he said, be-
cause he did not consider II necessary.
8 II told Parks that had DR.. Peek
. perform the autopsy because he had
r always been satisfactory to Parks be-
a fore. I didn't know that they had
o fallen out.
I "Dr. Peek determined the cause Of
. Sonle's death. and another autopsy is
! not necessary. | advised the widow OF
/ Ben Soule not To permit It. and while
Y did not try to Influence the county
l commissioners against 1t ! did tell
them that I would not authorize an
other autopsy
eF Necessary, Says Parks.
: The county attorney said last night
that he considered the autopsy ncces
sary. DIR. Peek, he H,id, had testified
that young Soulc met his death In
stantIy through one blow on the head
The coroner. he said, declared thai
| there were two abrasions on the heal
while Mrs. Arthur Soulc, an eyc-wlt'
- ness of the duel between uncle anc
:, nephew, has said that the older maj
struck Ben several times with the bar
III, frel Of his rifle and that the young maj
a, lived for several hours afterward.
e Case Now at Standstill.
J. Meanwhile the case is Mt standstlll
~ The coroner's jury has found that Rel
Is SotIle came TO his death at the hand
et Of Arthur Soule, according to the con
J. fidential verdict" now on file at th
!" Sanders county courthouse. SOuie
10 under guard at Dr. peek'5 hosptta
" though the prosecuting attorney is nc
allowed to see him, he says.
,f The body OF young Soule is lying 4
x state at the Odd Fellows hall !
F. Thompson Falls until James Soule, tn
In father. arrives from Michigan.