The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1921-08-11

xne OOUy OF NeOrge II. SLlllm8N,
prominent Minot lawyer, was found
in his Chalmers car on the Lookout,
at the point on the North Hill which
overlooks the city, at .4:3O O'Clock
Sunday afternoon, with a bullet
wound thru the head. 1t is believed
that death had occurred nearly "a
hours earlier.
Although scores of cars had pass
ed the spot, several driving to with
in a few feet Of the car, the fact of
his death remained unknown until
Joseph Rowan, Minot undertaken, who
was on his way to the city from the
north in his car, saw the. body of a
man lying huddled up in the front
seat. Mr.. Rowan, thinking the man
asleep, went over to the car and shook
the body to arouse him and discover
ed Mr.. Stillman's body cold in death.
Clasped in his right hand, so tight
ly that the weapon was removed only
with considerable effort, and with the
second finger of the hand pressed
tightly against the trigger, was a
small .32 calibre U. S. Bulldog revolv-
er, apparently new and unused, with
two chambers of the revolver empty.
There was but one wound, which
was caused by the bullet which en-
tered the head just above the right
ear, the bullet plowing its way clear
thru the head, coming out at the OPP
posite side. Death must have been
instantaneous. The body was found
lying on it's right side, huddled up in
the car. Mr.. Stillman wore a derby
hat and this remained on his head.
There was blood all about the front
seat of the car, on the floor, running
board and on the ground.
Mr.. Rowan notified the coroner,
DR.. r. w. Pence, who after inves-
tigating the scene, ordered the body
taken to the morgue.
A coroner's jury consisting Of A.
B. Dill, Geo. Hoover and Fred Almy,
was summoned, and started its in
vestigations Monday morning. An
adjournment was taken until 10 o'clock
today, evidence concerning the case
being secured in the meantime.
Bert McEwen, Of the Auto Mart,
was the last person to see Mr.. Still
man alive, so far as the evidence
shows at the inquest. At about four
o'clock Saturday afternoon, Mr.. Still
man drove his Chalmers czr, the one
in which his body was found, to. the
Auto Mart, and had MI. McEwen
make slight repairs on his car.
Mrs. Stillmar last saw her hus-
band at 80: O'clock that day. At
that time, he was called to the phone
by H. E. Schlegelmilch, Of Eau Claire
Wis, president of the Union Mort
gage Loan Co., for whom Mr.. Still
man had handled considerable busi-
ness. Mr.. Stillman was asked to call
at the Leland hotel, but while Schle-
gelmilch waited all afternoon, he did
not call. H. S. Strandness and l..
J. Wolfe of Eau Claire, representa-
tives of the same company, arrived
by auto Saturday evening. Mr..
Stillman had been advanced consid-
cradle sums of money by the COM
pany at different times during per-
iod of years to pay the taxes on the
land upon which they hold mortgages
and it had been his custom to pay
those taxes and to look after the fore
closure of mortgages whenever neces-
sary to do soa Mr.. Stillman had
always been very punctual in looking
after the interests Of the company
and was noted for being very metho-
dical. The representative Of the
company stated that they have every
reason to believe that Mr.. Stillman
had looked after their interests care.
fully. He had planned on leaving
for Plentywood, Culbertson and other
points in Montana early this week to
look after their business and also