Probably Homicide, The Edward Morrissey Story, Epilogue
I have been back to Butte more times than I can count. I have visited the Granite Mountain Memorial and gazed to the southeast where the Granite Mountain/Speculator headframes used to stand. I have scoured Walkerville and the Alice Mine area- now overgrown with weeds. I have stood in front of the boardinghouse where Frank Little was kidnapped. It is gone, replaced with some hideous motel. I have been in the Hennessey Building as a child but never up on the Company's top floor. I have stood in the entryway where Jere Murphy was killed, and I've been in the ballroom at the Finlen Hotel where Murphy and other armed men were seen discussing something about 12 hours before Frank was murdered.
And no matter what I do or what I read, I simply can't escape Edward Morrissey. What a piece of work. Violent, mean, ill tempered, and drunk. How does a guy like that become Chief of Detectives?
He was in that position because that is where Jere Murphy wanted him to be. Two Irish born sons. The solid and stoic Chief, protecting this maniac.
Right after Frank Little was killed, Morrissey who spent every night in the Crown Bar, could be heard mumbling about killing someone. A couple of years later, Morrissey's wife was found dead in her home. I read the autopsy. They assembled 5 doctors to perform that autopsy because everyone assumed Morrissey had killed his wife and Jere apparently wanted to avoid some more bad press. The doctors unanimously agreed she had died as a result of intoxication and falling down the stairs. I don't even believe that anymore- and I read the report page for page in the archives. It seems compelling but there is a part of me that says to keep Morrissey silent about the Little murder- you better not let him get squeezed for his wife's killing. He might come clean. There was plenty of motive to protect Morrissey from any further interrogations.
Mrs. Morrissey's death was only a couple of years after Frank Little's death.
I believe that the Frank Little hit squad was comprised mostly of cops. Morrissey was the ringleader. I think the Prlja brothers(police)...here...https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27236693/peter-j-prlja and here... https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68423420/phillip-prlja
Phillip actually shot a couple guys in the leg over the course of his career. He was the brother who was murdered on Park and Main- by one of those guys he shot.
Billy Oates gunman, JF Taylor or John Berkin rounded out the entry team. I think Alix Loiselle was the limo driver. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/233979880/alix-william-loiselle. Loiselle was also mentioned in the Nevada car accident that killed several occupants. I might have a couple wrong but I am willing to bet I have 4 out of 6 correct. There is no doubt in my mind that Jere Murphy and Lt Dwyer knew about everything that happened.
Then there are the Company ringleaders. They guys that would have tabbed the police department contacts for the hit. Percy Rockefeller, John Ryan, DeGay Stivers, Roy Alley. L.O Evans, the attorney who made one last plea to Burton Wheeler to arrest Frank Little, the day before he was killed. It was the last three, Stivers, Alley, and Evans that would have been communicating directly with Morrissey and the goon squad. They would have protected Rockefeller and Ryan in the event they suffered blowback.
All in all, we've got about 15 people who were most likely in on this. Many of them died violent deaths as a result of the violent things they did.
In 2017, on the 100th year anniversary of the slaying, I was prepared to communicate my findings with Jane Little Botkin, grandniece and biographer of Frank Little. I was sure she would want to know who I thought had killed Frank Little. I have read Jane's book. I have used it many times, including the writing of this. So I must give credit here. https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Little-IWW-Stained-American
Jane didn't react the way that I thought she would. Through some blend of her intelligently recognizing that we would never know for sure who was responsible for what, she saw a larger picture. A picture where Frank Little stood against all of the wicked power that opposed him, unwavering and courageous, and died doing what he did best. Organizing workers by utilizing the rights guaranteed to all people in the First Amendment.
I get that now.
The Prlja brothers were both killed. Phillip, the sergeant was killed at Park and Main St., shot in the head by a man he shot in the butt. I have always wondered on which corner that happened. The "all knowing" Jere Murphy was killed during a struggle on a marble floor many years later in the Montana Power building. News accounts never named his killer.
Edward Morrissey got drunk one last time in the Crown Bar. Sources said he was in another bar fight. He staggered home, just a block or two away. His body was found 10 days later in his home on Idaho Street. He was frozen stiff. Originally, they thought he had suffered a heart attack. When his body thawed out, they realized he had some very serious wounds and blunt force trauma to the head. Like Frank Little had. Sometimes the world just drips with irony.
The coroner listed his death as "probably homicide."
Nobody investigated. No one was ever held accountable for his death.
The 1985 Jon Axline thesis detailing Butte police corruption with the Anaconda Company.
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