Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-05-14


Williams Thursday. was made TO him
Wednesday night, but was not given out
for fear that LAYER might be lynched,
Mr. Williams said. Layer was herd
before Judge W. l.. Nuessle, of the
Fourth Judicial district court here. at
o'clock Thusday and was sentenced TO
life Imprisonment. officers leaving with
him for the state prison almost i'm
mediately after sentence was pronounc-
ed.
Wolf Rushed Him With Gun.
The story of the most revolving crime
ever committed in this region of the
northwest as told by Layer says he
went to the Wolf farm shortly before
noon on Thursday, April y. and that
hot words, followed by VOLTS demand
that Layer leave the place Immediately
were events leading directly TO the muir
der of the eight persons.
When Layer refused to leave the
place, the confession says, Wolf went
into the sitting rom and got double
barrelled shotgun. Layer grasped the
gun and attempted to wrest il away
from Wolf, the struggle taking place in
the entrance TO the kitchen, during
which the wespon was discharged twice,
Layer asserts in his confession.
First Shot Killed Wife and Boy.
One of the shots killed Mrs Wolf and
the other the 13-year- chore boy.
LAYER believes By this time. he had
succeeded in taking the gun away from
Wolf. and. darting into the sitting room.
got a handful of shells from bureau
drawer and hurried back to the kitchen
entrance. Wolf was running toward the
barn and Layer fired. the charge strik-
ing Wolf in the back Wolf fell TO the
ground and Layer, rushing up to him.
placed the mu2zle of the gun against
the wounded man S side and fired again,
tearing huge hole in VOLTS back.
Shoots Screaming Girl.
Two of the smaller daughters, fright
ened at the fighting and seeing their
mother and the chore boy fall dead III
the kitchen, ran into an adjoining bed
room and escaped from the house by
window, running to a nearby cowshed
for protection. Attracted by the
screams of these two girls, Layer rush
ed into the barn, firing one shot which
cut furrow in one of the girls head
and splintered the wall. Layer then
pressed the muzzle of the shotgun
against the head of the other girl who
was screaming and pleading for mercy,
and pressed the trigger. He then re-
loaded. put the muzzle against the head
of the first child shot, who was not
dead. and fired again.
The three little girls in the house
were screaming aud Layer returned TO
the kitchen and deliberately killed the
two of them with shotgun fire
with the muzzle against the curl-cover-
cd heads and the third with smashing
blow of a hatchet.
Covered Bodies With Hay.
After the seven members of the fam
ily had been killed Layer went TO the
c0wshed. covered the two bodies of the
girls with hay and dragged VOLTS torn
body into the shed. also burying it un
der a pile OF hay He then went into
the kitchen, opened the trap door lead
ing into the cellar and dumped the five
bodies into the basement.
Taking the murder gun. which he
broke in order to conceal il better. Lay
pr went to the slough north of the Wolf
farm and threw two parts of the weapon
into the water where il was later found.
While AT the slough, Layer washed his
hands and removed all traces of blood
from his clothing fle then returned
10 his home by circmtous route.
The solution of the mystery which
Continued on Page Twol