Hello Y'all! This sad note is just in. Steve Stout is believed to have been providing information about Eureka-Libby area smuggling to a Billings journalist in the months before his death. More information will follow on this very suspicious death (in terms of timing and forensics.) Is this yet another of the Hi-Line murders?? Where's there's smoke there's fire.
— Sam
Eureka, MT—On January 13, 1998 a raging fire took the life of Steve Stout. Stout was a well known land developer and political activist in Lincoln County Montana.
Stout came to Lincoln County some years ago and had acquired the building on the North side of Eureka, MT known by area residents as the Land Store. The Land Store had been the former real estate office of Albert Luciano. Stout had purchased several other properties in the area and had been developing a tract of land above Glen Lake.
Stout had purchased the Land Store building some years ago and was living in the apartment located on the main floor. For some time the front of this building had been the location of a gun store operated by Cajun James. James had closed his gun store back in July of 1997 and the front of the store had remained vacant.
According to reports the Eureka Volunteer Department was called to the Land Store building at 2:11 AM and arrived at 2:17 AM to find the building engulfed in flames. Firemen were unable to enter the building to save Stout. It was also reported that Stout was seen a short time before 2:00 AM in downtown Eureka. At the time of this writing it has not been determined exactly what time Stout arrived home.
An investigation of the fire has been conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department and the Montana Fire Marshall’s office. After three days of investigation it was determined that the fire started at the rear of the building but a cause has not been determined. These investigators have ruled out arson and say they have found no evidence of foul play. It seems strange to this writer that investigators would close their investigation after such a short time when a cause for the fire had not been determined.
During the past year I had the privilege of getting to know Steve Stout and I found him to be a very concerned citizen who was not afraid to get active in his community. We spent hour after hour involved in deep discussions about what was happening to our Country. How our Constitution was being trampled and how corruption seemed to be every where in government. Many people complain about the way things are but never get around to do anything about it. That was not the case with Steve Stout. Steve Stout was a man of action.
Stout would study a situation and try to determine what was wrong and then would try to find some way to fix the problem. He did not just criticize those in charge, but would go to them and would try to motivate a change. If he found the person in charge un-cooperative or incompetent then an effort would be made to hold that person accountable. If the person held an elected office Stout was soon looking for a new candidate for that office.
Steve Stout still believed in the system and was not ready to give up on the American Dream. He believed in the ideals of Liberty and Freedom that were handed down to us by our Founding Fathers. Steve Stout believed in the principles of a democratic republic. Although he expressed grave concern to me on more than one occasion, how our nation and state was going down the road to destruction; he was not ready to give up and disassociate himself from the political scene.
Steve Stout was an Army combat pilot in Vietnam and left the military with the rank of Major. Stout was also a commercial pilot for TWA for many years.
At the time of his death Stout was campaigning for a new library for the city of Eureka, working with the Lincoln County Commissioners on various projects, and was considering running for the office of Lincoln County School Superintendent. Steve had a number of ideas for rural education in Montana and was looking forward to the chance of serving his community.
Steve Stout loved children. Although he never had any of his own, he took a real interest in the young people of his community. When driving around Eureka, MT he would point out different young people and tell me what sport they were good at or some other achievement. He spoke of a young man in California that he had helped to the point I thought he must be talking about his own son. Steve had helped him and was very proud of this young man.
Steve Stout watched out for his community and was opposed to the Columbia Basin Eco-system plan being promoted by the US Forest Service. This plan if implemented will be severely detrimental to the economy and people of Lincoln County and the State of Montana. Stout had been researching the 1200 page document outlining this lunatic plan for weeks and would have met with Congressman Hill the afternoon of January 13th had he not died in the fire. Stout had expressed his concern to this writer just days before, that this was another move by the federal government to trample the rights of “We the people of Montana.”
Steve Stout was my friend and I will miss him. He was a true Patriot and the people of Lincoln County and the State of Montana have lost a friend and an advocate. It was an honor to know you Steve.
If you have comments or suggestions, email The BIG SKY PATRIOT
RHOADES
CAR
4 Wheel Bikes That Drive Like a Car!, Street legal,Multi-speed, 1-2 & 4 seaters-FREE
LITERATURE