The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-08-21
MURDER MYSTERY
STILL UNSOLVED
DEMISE OF FIVE SUNDAY is
SHROUDEO IN lNKY
DARKNESS

born lineage found their unhappy
way into justice court Tuesday
evening in a case that conferred
around the mystery of their kill
ing. One of the chickens was
a titan, the other four were straw
berry blondes. The case was I'M
iuue in certain respects, and at
tracted a crowd that filled the
courtroom at the courthouse where
the hearing was held.
The mystery of Who Killed
Cock Robin paled into insignifi-
canoe beside the mystery as to
who decapitated the four Buff
Orphingtons and one Rhode Island
Red at Ole Roses farm Sunday af-
ternoon at five o'clock or abbout
that time. Ole Rose doesn't know
who killed them. Mr.. and Mrs. A.
Hanson who had part interest in
the chickens on the Rose farm
don't know who did it. No one
was given permission to kill them
Dean Swanson and Clifford Olson,
hailed into court charged with the
theft of the chickens, didn't have
to take the stand in their W de-
tense. so there was nc chance to
cross question and lind out wheth-
err or not they knew anything a
bout the affair. Nobody asked O.
mer Stahlheim, a defense witness
who admitted being at the place
in the afternoon when nobody was
home, whether or not he took the
fowls. But the mute testimony
of the five severed heads in court
was conclusive proof that they r
dead.
Slaughter of innocents
The story, in brief as told by
the two sets of witnesses is this.
Ole Rose, who had been gone
from home from $50 Sunday
morning until five o'clock or a
little after. returned to find that
at least five chickens had been
taken. He found the heads of five
lying at various places around the
ward. there was eresh blood on the
heads and one of them was still
warm. Tracks showed that a big
truck had driven into the yard and
turned around. Mr.. Rose had given
no one permission to take any
chickens, and he was naturally
incensed, for they were no ordi-
nary chickens, they were pure
breds valued at about S1.00 apiece.
The car track turned south from
the farm. Later in the evening he
saw the truck down at the bridge
where a party was sitting around
a camp fire. Monday the truck
was found at Eli Maltby's. There
we're chicken feathers in it which
were the same color as the stolen
chickens. Dean Swanson and Cliff
ford Olson work for Eli Maltby,
and were members of the party
at the bridge recognized by Ole
Rose and others. After discovering
the chickens were gone Mr.. Rose
come to Wolf Point and reported
the fact to Mr.. and Mrs. Hanson
who have an interest in the chick
ems. Mr.. and Mrs. Hanson recall
ed meeting Dean Swanson and
Clifford Olson in a truck coming
from the north rear Small's store.
The Hansons had gone to SmalPs
to try to get some groceries, but
found the store closed, so went
to the S~outhside grocery. Return
ing from there they saw the same
truck coming out of the alley near
the Masonic building. 1t stopped
back of the Olson home.
Campfire by Shack
When they learned of the loss
of the chickens, they at once sus-
pected that someone was having
a chicken feed, and thought the
bridge the most likely place. Co
ing there they observed the crowd
sitting around the camp fire and
recognized Swanson and Olson and
others. They returned to Wolf
Point and got Sheriff Lowe. Go
ing back to the bridge they met
the party just turning onto the
highway. They went on to where
the campfire had been, near the
black shack, and found there a lot
of chicken bones, some OF which
we're gathered up for evidence.
Next morning the truck was rec
ognized at Eli Maltbys, feathers
we're found in it, and feathers of
the same color were found in a
shack on the back end of a lot
occupied by the Babcock family.
Swanson and Olson were arrested
charged with the theft OF the
chickens. The hearing was before
Judge Gordon Tuesday evening.
Conducts Own Case
Dean Swanson said that they
did not need a lawyer and would
waive the right to trial by jury.
himself conducted his case,
(Turn 10 page 3, col. 3, please)