A BUTTE MURDER CASE: The shooting and death of Dr. Henry A. Cayley

A BUTTE MURDER CASE: 

The shooting and death of Dr. Henry A. Cayley by James W. Kelley, Editor

The "Damsel" involved in this case --- Madame Ruth La Bonta --- or Eva Hart

A better movie script could not be written than the case of the shooting and death of Dr. Henry A. Cayley in Butte, Montana by editor of the Inter-Mountain newspaper, James W. Kelley. who testified at his court hearing that he thought the doctor was a burglar breaking into the home of Madame La Bonata, a case of mistaken identity.

Or did, as she said she did, the "Dressmaker" Madame Ruth La Bonta or her true name, Eva Hart, really shoot the illustrious doctor by accident because he made unwanted touches against her in her home, a home conveniently attached to that of the editor, whom she stated was not even in the room at the time of the shooting. 

Eva stated that the doctor had been infatuated with her and when she refused to go away with him, a struggle ensued and Eva grabbed a pistol which "Accidentally discharged twice and one of the bullets struck Dr. Cayley.

Or was it two men, one woman, jealousy and murder rising to the top?  The editor finding his lust/lover in bed with the good doctor?

No one knows truly what happened on that night of the shooting, October 11th, 1902, except three people who remain deathly quiet to this day.

A trial was held for James and after two weeks, on April 27th, 1903, he was acquitted of murder.

And Eva was not even tried as the prosecutor did not believe he could win after James acquittal.

Eva and James apparently disappeared into the fog of history with just a few mentions afterwards including but not verified if it was the same Eva, of her death(murder) in Omaha in 1908 by a "Sewell Sleuman" as reported by the Billings Gazette newspaper.

James apparently moved to Anaconda and stayed with his brother Robert soon after the trial.   

ARTICLES FROM THE TIME

October 14th, 1902 - St. Paul Globe - St. Paul, Minnesota

EDITOR KELLEY SURRENDERS

November 20th, 1902 - Morning Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

CHARGED WITH MURDER

WOMAN HAS SKIPPED

December 10th, 1902 - Fergus County Argus - Lewiston, Montana

Ruth La Bonta Back

April 28th, 1903 - Pacific Commercial Advertiser - Honolulu, Hawaii

Butte Killer Acquitted

May 1st, 1903 - The Daily Pioneer - Demidji, Minnesota

Woman Set Free

LINKS TO OTHER ARTICLES

Harmon’s Histories: A slew of Montana scandals from the early 1900s by Jim Harmon - An interesting article going more in-depth about Ruth La Bonta ala Eva Hart from her days in Red Lodge with her hubby Ed Hart to Butte where she starred full force in a shooting to maybe her death in Omaha. (UPDATE: Omaha murdered Eva Hart was not same Hart. See notes below)

Prominent Omaha Business Man shoots girl and himself - Herald Democrat - October 18th, 1908 - news article on the murder. suicide involving Sewell Sleuman and a Eva Hart in Omaha, Nebraska. Could it be the same Eva? (it's not! See notes)

Sewall F P Sleuman (1849 - 1908) Find-A-Grave - The grave and some information on Sleuman.

Another article about the murder.suicide Evening News 20 October 1908 - Trying to find the article in the paper but there's a text version on the side.  Sounds like our Eva. Spurned his love, he couldn't live without her, and well....sad story either way!

Another article on the inquest of the events October 20th, 1908 Omaha Daily Bee interest details including the Eva Hart's brother taking the body to Regar, Missouri for burial. 

1900 Census courtesy of FamilySearch.org - Our Eva, living with her husband Ed Hart in Red Lodge, Montana.  She was born in June 1874 in Missouri. According to the census, her and Ed had 3 children but only 1 living at time of Census (Not listed on Census). They were married in 1891.

NOTES FROM THE WEBMASTER

1. I went further down the rabbit hole, even further than I had on the Butte murder case, in the reference to the murder of Eva Hart in Omaha, Nebraska in 1908. This is not the same Eva. I discovered an article from February 26th, 1910 on page 8 of the Omaha Daily Bee where the family of Eva sued the estate of Sleuman.  Her father, brother and sister were listed --- the father being John H. Hart, brother Byron W. Hart and her sister Mrs. A.W. Taggot.  This Eva was born a Hart. Eva Hart in the Butte story married Ed Hart in 1891 (no maiden name for her, yes, it's possible she married her cousin, I have ran into that researching my own family once or twice. Highly unlikely. But the Omaha Eva story is an interesting one as well so I will include all links and mentions in this article. 

(Link to article about the suit in Omaha case can be found here --- Article)

2. Eva Chloe Hart that was murdered in Omaha, Nebraska was born on November 19th, 1881 and died on Oct 17th, 1908.  Here's the link to her FindAGrave page ---- FindAGrave