The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-09-08
TOO MDSERlY TO BUY FOOD
WEALTHY REGlUSE STARwGS

fern back to Hobson and the stage III
to Utica, and then trudged back tt
his cabin on south fork on foot. Sc
far as is known, this is the last time
he was seen prior to his death.
Kept Calendar ON Door
Outside the cabin door was found
a piece of cardboard on which the
miser had been keeping track of the
days. He had written down each
day in July, and as far into August
as the 22nd. Apparently he got too
weak to go outside the cabin after
that, and probably had never walked
up the two miles to where the South
Fork was flowing, to get water. APP
parently he fingered along for about
four days before death from under
nourishment and lack of water car
ried him off. He has no known
relatives in this country, but last
fall received a letter from a brother
in Germany. Warner was born in
Germany himself, and was natural
lied in Lewistown.
Warmers history is a weird one,
and he has been a character for years
in the Judith basin. Over 80 years
ago he took up a homestead on An
te1ope creek above the home ranch
of Fred R. Warren, and near another
homesteader by the name of George
Brat. Brat made a trip to Billings,
it being the understanding that he
was going to get money from veal
thy relatives back east when he ar
rived there.
Boys Discover Missing Man Slain
Shortly after he returned to his
homestead, he dropped out of sight.
His relatives offered 5000 reward for
information as to his whereabouts,
and some neighbor boys named
Wight discovered his saddle in a
clump of bushes far up in the Little
Belt mountains, under the Twin Sis
tiers peak. Searching further they
found the body of Brat stuck in a
crevice in the mountain with a rope
tied around his neck and run around
a knob of rock and then back to his
hand, and a bottle of poison by his
side.
Warner was suspected of having
murdered him for his money, taken
him to the mountains and put him in
this position which would indicate
suicide. No proof could be produced
that Warner had committed the muir
der, and he was not arrested. To
day hundreds of old-timers in the
Judith basin are convinced, however,
that Warner committed the deed. He
gave color to this by brooding ter
ribly over the accusations against
him, and got in the habit of talking
to himself both when awake and
asleep.
Bank Funds Possibly From Cattle
Shortly after this he sold his home
stead to Fred R. Warren for $4,000
and moved to the Sweet Grass hills
and went into the cattle business.
Later he sold a piece of land which
be had taken up there, and came
back to the Middle fork of the Judith
and built a cabin. He went into
he cattle business there, but kept
1rooding about the death of Brat, and
appeared at times to be more than
demented. He finally sold out
lis cattle, having about 100 head,
Ind this money, with what he ~receiv-
I'd from the two ranches, might ac-
count for his having $4,000 at this
line.
After selling his cattle, Warner
away again and herded sheep
n the vicinity of Great Falls, Cho-
and Fort Benton. The Judith
Basin, where the Brat murder oc-
appeared to have an uncanny
attraction for him, however, and he
drifted back to the scene
If the tragedy. His last return was
made about six years ago, when he
ook up his winter residence in the
deserted cabin where he was found
lead. Twice a year he would make
rips to Great Falls to collect the
emi-annua1 interest on her c%ertifi-
ate and renew it, and in summer he
would sometimes linger for a few
months, herding sheep in Cascade
ounty. Returning every fall, he
resume his hermit existence
nd his diet Of oatmeal, s~ourdough
read and potatoes. I