, 1921-10-27
MAN WHO SAW PRIEST
TELLS OF MEETING.


LEAD. s. D.. Oct. 27@A new angle
to the murder Of Fnther A b. Bslk-
nap developed here today when Ar
thur Miller. ass;stant night foreman
81 the Homestake Mining company.
while the latter was on his way to
answer tho supposed sick call which
sent Father Belknap TO HE death.
Father Belknzp. pastor OF St Pat
rick's cathedral. was founo dead on
the highway near the outskirts OF
Lead yesterday morning A short
time before his body was found a
stranger had called at ths residence
OF Bishop j. J. LAWYER Of Lead. wher
Father Belknap lived. and asked the
priest TO 60 to h bedside OF a man
who was said TO be dying.
Miller is the only man known to
have seen the priest after the latter
left Bishop LAWYERS residence on the
errand OF mercy which resulted In
Father Belknap's death.
Miller told the police he had just
got on shift At the mine and was
walking TO his home In Bender Park.
about a quarter OF n mile from the
scene OF tho murder when he was
passed on Main street by n man walk
Ing very fast Miller said he followed
along after the man and after he had
gone two or three blocks the man
waited for Miller and introduced him
self as Father Belknap.
The priest was alone according to
Miller.
Miller said the priest told him he
was on his way to answer a sick call.
The priest asked Miller. the latter
told the police. where n certain fam
lily lived In Bender Park. n suburb of
Lead. telling Miller he thought their
residence was near the oil tanks OF the
Standard on company, near the city
limits. Miller said he accompanied
the priest to a point near where Fa-
their Belknap was going. gave 'hm
instructions how to reach the home
and bade him good night The spot
where Miller left the priest, he said.
was at the top OF the, hill leading
down 10 a small settlement known as
Poor Mans Guich." The priests
body was found near this place. NIL
Ter told the police after leaving Fa-
Their Belknap no vent TO his own
home and retired. III said he did not
hear tho shots which preceded the
icath OF the priest.
Questioned by Deputy Sheriff War
rem Owen. Miller said he could not
remember the name OF the man who
Father Belknap had old him had
called at the bishops home and asked
the priest to make the sick call.
Miller said that before he parted
company with the priest. Father Beik-
nap told him Someone had attempted
% steal his automobile during the
hight. The priest said he had heard
someone in his garage, according TO
Miller. and declared when he at
empted TO start the machine for the
Journey TO the sick mans home the
car would not work. The priest ex-
planned. Miller said, that he had there
fore been compelled 10 make the jour
ney on foot.
After talking with Miller. authorI
ties believe the murderer after call
ing at the bishops residence and ar
ranging for Father Beiknap to mike
the call on the alleged dying man,
may have hurried to the spot on Poor
Mans Gulch highway and waited for
he coming Of his victim. II was
pointed out. also. however. that the
nan who wen to the bishops home
night have been only n confederate
IF the murderer who sem the priest
IN his journey knowing he would be
met by the murderer at the lonely
spot on the road where the crime was
committed.
Miller will tell his story at the coro-
ier's inquest. which has again been
postponed and now is scheduled to
start tomorrow afternoon. Several
persons living near where the body
found also have been summoned
to testify.
Funeral services for Father Belk-
nap, at which Bishop LAWYER will Of
iciate, will be held in St Patrick's
cathedral here at 10 o'clock Saturday
morning. Priests of many parishes
the Black Hills VIII take part in
the funeral mass. After the service.