Fell By The Way

Mysterious Death of William Redding in a Lewiston House.

En Route To Klondike

Struck Town, Filled Up on Liquor, Gambled and Spent Money in Other Ways.

Coroner To Investigate

Lewiston, Idaho, March 4. - William M. Redding died at 4 o'clock this morning in a dive on Fourth street under mysterious circumstances. Redding came to Lewiston about a week ago from the Salmon river country. He had $800 in cash, a team of horses and a wagon, and stated that he was en route to Klondike.

Shortly after his arrival he indulged in a drunken spree, which continued until yesterday morning. During his spree he gambled off and squandered all of his money but $200. Yesterday morning he made preparations to resume his journey, but in the evening he accompanied Mattie Williams, a sporting woman, to her room on Fourth street. He was alone there at 4 o'clock this morning when "Doc" Williams, the woman's male associate, found him in a dying condition. A physician was summoned, but the man died before his arrival.

Coroner Strong has taken charge of the body and a post mortem examination will probably be held tomorrow. The unfortunate man recently sold out an interest in a sawmill on Salmon river to go to Alaska.

Lewiston Morning Tribune
Friday, March 18, 1898

District Court and the Grand Jury's Report.

Work in the district court this week has centered about the action of the grand jury. That body made its final report yesterday and was discharged for the term. They reported that in their ten days session they had considered eleven charges and had found two true bills and nine not true bills, that they had carefully considered all depositions and documentary evidence and had, in addition, examined forty-two witnesses, fifteen of which were in the case of J. H. Moragne, charged with murder. They reported the examination of the causes of the death of Wm. M Redding and believe that his death was due to debauchery, brought on by the gambling element and the habitues of the houses of prostitution. They urge the city authorities to rid the city of the above classes of people, and charge the coroner in his being direlect in his duty, in holding no autopsy or inquest or taking such steps as would preserve the stomach of the deceased for expert examination.

The report further cites that subcommittees were appointed and that the books and conduct of affairs in the various county offices were looked into and that they report everything systematic and business like in every department of the county business. The principal cases where the grand jury could find "no true bill" were the cases if T. K. Morton, W. F. Kettenbach and Fred N. Hallett charged with grand larceny amt Reuben D. Rogers, charged with assault and J. H. Moragne, charged with murder.

More interest centered in the Moragne case than in any other. Since the beginning, public opinion has been very much divided over the matter and the same division still exists. When the grand jury reported in this case Prosecutor McNamee moved the court to hold Moragne in custody till Friday at 2 p. m., till he could decide whether he would elect to re-submit the case to a new grand Jury to rearrest and proceed with a new hearing. The prosecutor is not satisfied with the finding of the grand jury and will try other methods to bring the accused to trial.