Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-02-16

who had hated him were suspected of
his murder. One man was even accused
Of numbering him for the food he had
in his cabin. heard one man threaten
to kill him and warned him that it
was a too risky business. If he failed
told him, his only chance was gone
because he'd never come back. Long
before the body was found his horse
drifted out on the highway with
saddle on and logging chain tied to
his foot. probably for a picket chain.
People who went up to his cabin
found everything of value taken ex-
cept a couple old suitcaseS and some
pots and pans, which are at the site
of the cabin today. What became OF
the property is still a mystery and if
it was Simmons who was killed, why
should everything be stolen. especially
If the motive was revenge? On the
other hand. if Simmons was the killer,
why should he leave his horse unless
he had others no one knew about and
left this one to create an impression
that he was the one who was muir
dered? But with the body buried there
was a good chance that no one would
ever find 1t and if he turned his horse
loose in this manner it might create
suspicion which he wouldn't want.
THE last time 1 saw him 1 was
herding sheep north of Elliston where
He seemed nervous and acted queer
and brooding and told me that he
was leaving the country for good.
had not seen him for months so /
asked him where he had been. He
explained that he had an interest il
a mine in South America with two
other men and had been there work
ing it. That wasn't unlikely because
he did do a quite lot of prospecting.
However, he related how one of his
partners had died down there and he
and the other returned to Montana.
I did not pay much attention to the
story at the time because he was an
accomplished liar when he took no.
ton but now I am certain that 1t Is
either he or his partner who was shot
up there. Somehow I've always had a
bunch that Simmons is still alive"
Thirty years have passed. The cabin
is just a heap Of rotting logs today.
The stable is gone, probably hauled
off for wood, but the tent frame is
grave filled up and the trail that led
to the spring is graSS-grown. but there
are still frying pans. coffee pots and
other things of this nature laying
around. While many people are still
living who knew him, most of them
are gone and legends of his deeds have
sprung up. OF his deeds, wherever old
gument can still be started as to
whether it was Simmons who was
killed there or not. Each side has its
arguments and proof. in many cases
added on to and changed to make
them more effective.
One hot afternoon last August,
Donohue stopped in to see me. could
see that he was excited and before he
had time to set down his pack he
started telling me Of a man he had
seen downtown.
II was walking down by the tracks"
he began. II met man who knew me
He asked me what I had done with
the mining claims and the homestead
had years ago. I told him and then
said, My name is Donohue but don't
remember yours He said, I know that
but if I told my name here everybody
would know me- He was an old man
with gray hair and didn't know who
he was at the time but do now. Can
you gless?"
mo" I answered, wondering what
he was driving at.
II forgot to look for the scar on his
neck but I'm certain that the man was
jim Simmons!"