The Murders of James Wilber

Warning: Graphic Content Ahead

At the end of this article are two historical images that some readers may find disturbing: The first image is a newspaper illustration from 1889, below the illustration is the original photograph.

Great Falls Tribune Clipping, "Murders That Horrified the People of Montana," January 27, 1901

Act 1: The Crime

“Never in the history of Montana has such a crime been committed as we are called upon to chronicle in this issue. In fact, we doubt if ever in the west such a blood-curdling story has been published.”

This was the opening line for an article in the Fergus County Argus on June 20, 1889. Five days prior, a cowboy who was part of the Moccasin roundup came into to town and announced that the body of a woman had been found in the Judith River about 20 miles south of Lewiston at a place called Samples crossing. The coroner left as soon as he was notified and upon examination found the woman had died from a rifle shot. He then buried the body and returned a day later to exhume her and continue his inquest. A group of citizens had returned with him and discovered along the river more bodies. Two men, two women and a child were taken from the river and examined.

At several points on the river, wagon tracks were found where a wagon would have backed down the bank and blood or some pocket apparel proved that the bodies were dumped at each spot. The Fergus County Argus investigated into where the people had come from and their path.

“On June 6, a Bain wagon drawn by who heavy states horses and carrying three men, two women and a child passed Ubet. On June 7, John Beck of Castle Butte saw the same outfit on the stage road about 1pm between Beaver and Rock creeks, just after they had finished eating dinner. He says he saw two women, three men and a little girl. Had a conversation with one of the women, who told him they [the party] were from Helena, having been there about a year, and that during their stay there the men were engaged in mining. That they were now looking for a desirable place to settle and make a home. Mr. Beck says they were unusually well dressed for emigrants and had considerable jewelry on their persons. The horses were large, state horses, one a bay and a buckskin pony behind. The other horse he was in doubt about as to color.

“On June 8, at sunrise, L. S. Butler, who lives five miles below Lewistown on Spring Creek, was out looking for some horses. On the bench land between Spring and Cottonwood creeks he saw a man and wagon, and riding within twenty feet of him, asked if he had seen any horses, describing the same. The stranger replied that he had and told him there were about two miles back. The stranger’s team and wagon were the same as described by John Beck, and he also noticed the buckskin pony following the wagon. The wagon appeared to Mr. Butler to be full to the top of the box, while the wagon sheet was tucked in tightly all around the sides. On his return home Mr. Butler came across a smoldering fire and saw some irons which he thought resembled trunk irons and convinced himself that they were. He is satisfied the wagon was loaded, and after hearing of the finding of the bodies in the river, expresses his positive belief that the wagon was loaded with the dead bodies found in the river, and the murder occurred on the night of the 7th near where he saw the man. The stranger started in the direction of the Judith River as Butler passed him.

“James L. Crowder reports seeing a man driving a heavy team with a new wagon at or near his ranch at the mouth of Cottonwood Creek, about eight miles from the Judith River, on the 8th. He says the wagon appeared to be loaded and was covered with a wagon sheet. As far as heard of no one else saw this conveyance up to noon of June 9 [after the river had been forded.]

“G. W. Morgan, who is freighting between Lewistown and Great Falls, was in town yesterday and says he camped on Louse Creek at noon on Sunday, June 9, and while in camp he saw a wagon approaching from the Judith River. When within speaking distance he hailed the party and asked him to camp with him, which he did. Morgan says the team corresponds exactly with the one seen by other parties between Ubet and Cottonwood Creek, one horse being a large brown weighing about 1300 and one buckskin weighing about the same, and a new Bain wagon and new cover, a buckskin pony following the wagon. The man said he was from Nebraska enroute to Milk River, and that he had purchased the wagon in Billings. He was very reticent and refused to eat or drink with Mr. Morgan and acted very queer in that he would not converse with him. Morgan remarked that he was off the road when approaching him, to which he replied that he was looking at the country in the river bottom. Mr. Morgan thought that the man might be a horse thief, and consequently took extra pains to examine the horses, and says they were both state horses. He describes the man as being about 5 feet 11 inches in height, weight about 175-pounds, florid complexion, smooth shaven recently, dark colored hair. The harness was new and ringed with ivory rings. He left after eating dinner and went in the direction of Fort Benton and would probably get there the 12th at the rate he was traveling.”

Rough estimate of Wilber's trail, staff produced image

Act 2: The Chase

From here we jump to the Great Falls Tribune, June 22, 1889, to continue our story:

“Soon after he [the Sheriff Clary of Fergus County] learned that a woman’s body had been found – which occurred on Saturday, 15th inst. – he started from Sample’s crossing and arrived at James Wood’s ranch, near Stanford, where he found a span of heavy horses and harness for which Mr. Wood had traded on Sunday, 16th, giving in exchange therefor three small mares and one small yearling – the mares branded with a pipe on the left shoulder and vented by Mr. Wood on the left thigh. The gelding was branded with a figure 4 and an italic F combined. The party exchanging with Mr. Wood gave his name as Jack Gilding and told him that he had left Shading, Nebraska, six weeks previously. He told Mr. Wood also that he was going over to Belt creek.

“Sheriff Clary, upon learning these things from Mr. Wood, came forth with to Great Falls and telegraphed to different points to learn, if possible, whether any person had been seen traveling with such an outfit. Returning to Castner’s on Belt Creek, Mr. C. there found that the person having such an outfit had been in Belt and traded of a new Bain wagon to J. M. Hobson for an old, heavy spring wagon, with canvas cover, and that he gave his name as James Wilber.

“Sheriff Clary then immediately returned to Great Falls reaching here on Thursday, 20th, where he learned that Howard Criss’ blacksmith shop that Wilber had been there, had his wagon top repaired and gone toward Sand Coulee. With this information, Sheriff Clary came at once to Sheriff Downing, who as heretofore related, promptly ordered his deputy Jo. Hamilton to accompany him in pursuit of the miscreant.

“Accompanied by Deputy Hamilton Mr. Clary started on the trail of Wilber. Inquiry at the ferry near Myers’ sawmill elicited the fact that Wilber had taken the Deep Creek Road up the river. Following this road to the mouth of Deep creek, they took the bottom road on to the mouth of Hound Creek, where they were informed by persons who knew Wilber, that he had gone to Cascade. Between the mouth of Hound Creek and Cascade they lost the trail; but continued on to Cascade, stayed over night and, very early next morning, took the back track for four or five miles and, upon taking a sweep of the open country, with their field glass, discerned a wagon which they had reason to believe was Wilber’s outfit, about half a mile away from the main road, camped near a house.

“Pushing onward to this wagon, they found a man peeling potatoes for his breakfast. Officer Hamilton recognized the man as Wilber. Upon seeing Hamilton, Wilber rushed towards his wagon for a Winchester, which he had there. Both the officers leveled their guns on him and commanded him to throw up his hands, which he did reluctantly, his right being hardly kept from grasping a self-cocker in his hip pocket. His wife, who was by this time roused from her slumbers in the wagon, exclaimed, ‘Don’t kill my husband, you villians!’ and other incoherent exclamations. The Winchester in the wagon was secured and, disarming Wilber, they ordered him to hitch up his team and accompany them to Great Falls, where they arrived about noon yesterday and lodged Wilber in the county jail.”

Act 3: The End?

With our man caught, you think this would be the end of the story, but it isn’t quite yet. For our third act, we go to the Great Falls Leader June 26, 1889:

“About midnight Friday night [the 22nd] a noise was heard in one of the upper iron cages of the county jail, as though something heavy had dropped. The other prisoners thought that someone had fallen out of his bunk. No further notice was taken of the matter until about 7 o’clock this morning when the jailor went his rounds and upon looking into the cell where Wilber was confined, he was seen hanging from the top of his cell, cold, stiff and dead. The news of Wilber’s suicide spread through the city like wildfire. Crowds rushed to the jail to know the facts. Sheriff Downing finally gave orders permitting the citizens to go in and see the body as it was found.

“His final deed was in perfect keeping with the demon he has shown himself to be by his life’s conduct. No one but a fiend incarnate could have conceived and carried out such a means for self-destruction. Tearing a wide strip off the blanket on his bed he tied it for a loop near the top of his cell. For a hangman’s rope he tore a strip off the pillowslip made of new and heavy cotton. Taking his silk handkerchief, he tied his right wrist and ankle together. He then slipped his head into the prepared noose, his body all the time reclining on his couch. He made a slip-knot, into which he put his left ankle and fastened his left wrist to the ankle. Both feet being drawn up so that they would not touch the floor when he fell, he rolled himself of the bed and, in a moment was a dangling corpse.”

Interviews were conducted with the other prisoners to ensure that this was of Wilber’s own doing and not a nighttime lynching. Wilber’s choice seemed to demonstrate of his own admission that he committed the murders. Again, the end, right? Well not just yet…

Great Falls Tribune July 10, 1889:

The Body of the Murderer Wilber, Disappears.

“The public will be startled at learning the body of James Wilber has disappeared. Some one walking near the grave of the murderer noticed that the earth had been disturbed. This led to further search. The coffin was raised and was found to be empty. Where it has gone to no one in authority seems to know or care. All that can be learned is that Mr. Powers was entrusted with the burial of the murderer’s body as soon as the coroner’s jury had viewed it. The undertaker placed the remains in a plain coffin and conveyed them to potters’ field in Highland cemetery. There ‘unhonored and unsung’ the body of the murderer and suicide was buried.

“Few cared to inquire what had become of the body of the human monster. It is understood that the medical profession could have had it for surgical purposes, but they declined the offer, deeming it perhaps unlucky to make use of it even for such purposes. It is surmised that the carcass was carried off by some one who was roused to indignation at thinking that it was allowed a place in the cemetery where the remains of the pure and innocent repose. It could not be said that the body was in the cemetery proper, but people are not likely to make such distinctions. It looks as if public execration pursued the murder to the grave.”

As far as anyone knows, the body was never found but rumors of it being in some doctor’s office in Great Falls followed. Nothing confirmed of course.

-Megan Sanford, Archives Administrator

Clipping from the Great Falls Tribune, June 22, 1889. "Sketch of Wilber Hanging from the Cell Grating. Above is an accurate view of Wilber as he appeared when found dead this morning. It is from a photograph by Mr. Aaberg and was engraved by Mr. Scotten."

Photograph of James Wilber, hanging in his cell at the Cascade County Jail. 1889. [CCHS 091.0005]