Man of Misfortune: Ed Heilman

 

The Citizen Call on January 27, 1897 carried the following story: “Reports reached this place [Philipsburg] last Sunday that Ed Heilman, the well known valley rancher, had been caught in a storm Saturday afternoon and was evidently buried in a snow bank somewhere between this place and his home, in the vicinity of Stone Station. The day was bitter cold, and as Ed had left here in his cart for home the day before, the story looked plausible. Anxious friends made diligent inquiry concerning the particulars, but nothing further than the first report could be learned until Sunday evening, when Jack Sullivan, who had come up from Dunkleburg Saturday, relieved their anxiety by telling what he knew about it. He related that on his return from Dunkleburg he stopped at Stone station about noon to take a short rest and say “howdy” to the boys. Shortly afterward the storm began and he mounted his horse for home. When about 300 yards this side of Stone he ran across Heilman’s horse and cart in the wild storm and not knowing the owner, led the rig back to Stone, where it was identified as Heilman’s. As advised he then took it to Lindgren’s place, and not finding the owner there, Billy Albright got into the cart and drove along the road in search of Heilman, where he was found at a neighbor’s home safe and sound, and toasting his shins. Before reaching Lindgren’s, Sullivan found a 100 pound sack of sugar which had fallen from the cart. Mr. Heilman is very much alive and cannot be killed off by the imaginative brain of the individual who put the first report, with its attendant horrors, in circulation.” 

The next information found regarding Ed Heilman was his conviction of stealing a calf owned by Frank Carnegie and H. M. Thomas in 1898. Ed was sentenced to one year in the State Penitentiary. His nephew Ed Powell was also implicated but escaped and was not caught until early in 1899. Apparently Powell skinned the calf for his uncle believing it was his property. When he heard that he was implicated he took off and traveled by horseback to the Bitter Root then onto Idaho where he sold his horse. He finally arrived in Salt Lake where he became ill with Typhoid Pneumonia and was under treatment for many weeks. After recovering Ed returned to his family in Butte and was arrested by stock detective J. C. Collins. 

Ed’s trial was on March 17-18, 1899. Powell testified that the killing was done in broad daylight and there was no attempt to hide any of the circumstances which gave him no reason to believe anything but that the animal belonged to his uncle. On Sunday, the jury returned with the verdict: “We, the jury in the above case find the defendant, Ed Powell, not guilty.” The outcome of the case was a surprise as citizenry had expected a very strong case being presented by the prosecutor as during the trial of Heilman most of the testimony tended to make Ed Powell the guilty party. 

Six years later, Edward H. Heilman was not as lucky as in 1897 and was killed on his way home October 8, 1903. His wagon rolled over him when it went off the grade between Bennett’s and Loughrin’s about 6 miles down the canyon from Philipsburg. Heilman stopped at Mrs. Franz’s place and picked up a calf he had bought. Near Loughrin’s place the team evidently got off the grade and the wagon turned over with Heilman being caught underneath. The team was caught about one-hundred yards away from the wagon. Patrick Loughrin was the first on the scene but Heilman was already dead. All Bennett and others kept watch over the body during a very cold night after Coroner Ray stated he would hold an inquest at 9 a.m. and for them not to touch the body. After the inquest they brought the remains to Allison & Sherman’s undertaking establishment. Mr. Heilman was 54 years old and unmarried.