The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-11-25
MURDER MYSTERY
MAY BE SOLVED
SKIDMORE, HELD IN IDAHO FOR
THEFT, MAKES DAMAGING
ADMISSION
Betrays Fear of Hanging When He
Thinks Montana Sheriff Has Come
For Him; Was Found in Posses
sion Of Missing Woman's Effects;
Wholesale Auto Thief.

Belief that murder vellS the
mystery Of Mrs. Ernest LaCasse's
disappearance has been revived by
q conversation Sheriff Beals of
Anaconda reports having had with
G. G. S1kidmOre In the jail at P0ca.
tellO, Idaho, during visit there
to interview the prisoner ON some
OF his actions while In Montana.
Several months ago Skidm0re was
q prisoner at Butte as q result of
being found in possession of the
missing woman's trunk, and at.
tempts were made by the authori.
ties to develop murder case At the
time.
Skidmore has denied numbering
the woman, but in the conversation
which the sheriff alleges took place
at Pocatello, he is represented as be-
traying a fear of being hanged 1t
brought back to this state.
Fears Hanging, at Least
When Sheriff Beal entered Skid
more's cell he declared that he said
to the man: Il have come to take
you back to Montana"
Skidmore, according to Beal, then
said: What for? Murder?"
Beal then said, YES"
skidmore is then said to have ask.
ed: Ibid you find the body?"
Sure" Beal replied.
"All in one placer
mo"
well, did you find enough to iden
tify the woman"
"Sure."
Skidmore, according to Beal, ther
turned to one of the Idaho Officers
and said: For Gods sake take me-
to Utah. Don't let them take me t
Montana, or they will hang me sure.
The disappearance of Mrs. LaCass'
occurred last February. Search TO
her body has failed to reveal it, bu
Skidmore Is believed to have beel
implicated in the alleged murder. HI
was angry with her because she tes
titled against him in Bozeman whel
he was given four and a half to min
years in the penitentiary. He is GU
on parole, which has been revoked.
Boasts Stealing 1875 Automobiles
Skidmore has the reputation of be
Ing one of the cleverest criminals i
, the northwest. He boosted that fror
: the date of his parole from the stat
penitentiary until February he ha
stolen and sold 1875 machines.
He was a chemist and was able
change not only license plate nun
bers but those on the motors as vel
, He had a complete set of keys whe
) arrested at Pocatello and variety {
y tools.
\ His scheme in automobile dealing
y was to steal a car and then repre-
> ent himself as the original owne
. The buyer, in looking up this nj
chine at the office of the departmel
of state, would get the mans nan
y and license numbers as proof th'
g the deal was all right. He could fir
. nothing irregular about the transa
q ton and would make the purchase
l. Used Other Mans registration
l. In other, instances Skidmore wou
Is get the name of machine, its ow
or and numbers. He would thu
d steal a car, change the numbers
). fit, represent himself as this man al
IS sell the car. In this manner it W
r difficult to check up his actions.
h worked with his mother. who W
70 also said to be clever at playing h
1t part.
Skidmore was arrested at Pocatel
4 few weeks ago and after an {
8, tempted escape, during which he "
e shot in the shoulder and arm,
$, tainted while trying to change t