George Logan Burrell
Birth 2 Jan 1880
Morris, Grundy County, Illinois, USA
Death 20 Sep 1932 (aged 52)
Choteau, Teton County, Montana, USA
Burial Choteau Cemetery, Montana, USA
George Burrell Is Found Murdered
Fiendish Crime Committed Tuesday Night With Robbery the Evident Motive. Piece of Telephone Wire Used to Choke Crippled Man to Death
Geroge Burrell, the proprietor of The Club in Choteau and a widely known and highly esteemed citizen of Teton county, was murdered at his place of business at about midnight Tuesday night.
The deed, which has aroused this community as nothing else has in many years, was evidently committed by a lone man whose motive was a robbery. The
Discovery of the fiendish crime was made by Jessie W. Davis at about 6:15 Wednesday morning.
Mr Davis has been in the employ of Mr Burrell for a number of years and in accordance with his custom of coming down early in the morning to prepare the place for business, he entered and found Mr Burrell's body lying in the card room just back of the partition that separates it from the front portion.
A piece of interior telephone wire was wrapped twice around his neck and twisted so death was brought about by strangulation.
There was a slight wound on the head and another on the right temple, but neither were of sufficient violence to result in death.
Money in the safe and cash register had been taken, and if there was any on Mr Burrell's person, that was also taken.
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Mr Burrell was born in Morris, Illinois, on Jan 2, 1880. When 9 years of age he was brought to Marysville, near Helena, by his father, Alexander Burrell, who came to Marysville in 1888.
A year later he went back to Illinois and brought out his family, George being the eldest son.
From that time until 1914, the elder Mr Burrell was general manager of the Drum Lummon mine.
About 1905, he came to Teton county and purchased tracts of land to form a large stock ranch about four miles northwest of Choteau.
Here he erected a large house and and the family came to make their home. George came in 1905 and made his home here ever since.
About 1920 he went into the employ of H.C. Peters in the same building where he met his death.
A year later he purchased the business from Mr Peters. Not long afterwards David "Smokey" DeTour bought in with him and they continued the business until 1928 when Mr DeTour sold his interest to George.
His mother passed away in 1911 and is buried in Choteau cemetery. The father died in 1917 and is interred in Helena. Five brothers and two sisters survive. The brothers are Alex Burrell of Choteau, Professor John Burrell of Columbia University, New York, Sid Burrell of Chicago, Roger Burrell of Akron, Ohio, and Howard Burrell of Hollywood, California. The sisters are Mrs Con Hayes of Hollywood, California, and Mrs T.H. Givens. Henry Burrell of Choteau is a cousin.
George was one of the charter members of the Loyal Order of Moose, and when the lodge ceased to function here he continued in good standing in the Mooseheart of Illinois. He had suffered a spinal affliction and was dependent to a large measure upon his fellow men for assistance in getting about and attending to his duties. He was liked by all who knew him and lived and conducted his business in a way that won him popularity and high esteem.
George Logan Burrell |