Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-02

Der-NIartin S. Conk and His Paramour
Arrestsd-A Strong Chain of Evidence
Which Resulted in Couk's Gonvic,ion---
Ir'al--Joke on St. Paul Travelling
EIau.
Especial Correspondence of the Globe.
DEADwooD, D. r., Nov. 24.-The first
conviction In capital case in the history Of
the Hills, a history replete with murder and
indiscrininate taking of human life upon
little or no provoca,ion, was secured at 4
clock this morning, and the circumstance
not only marks the Inauguration of a new
era for this remarkable and isolated district,
but attests the fact that in Gideo:: c. Moody,
the recently appointed successor to Judge
Granville G. Bennett, who relieves Judge
Kidder as our delegate in Congress, this
community has conscrvator of peace and
good morals of whom it may justly be proud.
The case above alluded to is, probably, the
most peculiar and revolting in the annals Of
crime: and its result emphasizes tee fact
that murder will OUT, be it ever 50 deeply
strouded In mystery and no ever barren of
motive 1t may appear to be.
TIE CRIME.
thi. guich were thrown into great excitement
by the discovery of the corpse of HRS. Min
ME Calison, the wife of bard working, but
very poor, miner, then absent in the vicinity
of Rockville, fifty five miles south of Dead
wood, lying in bed, in her cabin on She rmau
street, her head mashed into an almost I'M
| recognizable mass, and the bed
one sickening pool of gore.
She was arrayed in her
night dress. No signs of ravisbment We're
| disclosed by medical examination. nor was
aught in the house disturbed to indicate
| that the brutal deed wss committed for the
| purpose of robbery. From the position of
the body and surroundings il was clearly
| evident that the unfortunate woman had
been murdered while asleep, and, in opinion
of experts, while under the influence of a
powerful narcotic. The usual coroner's in
quest was held. and although the investga-
ton was of the most thorough character, it
tailed in securing the first clue to the per-
petrators of the deed. The front door was
found locked on the inside, the windows
Were nailed down and the back door, which
| closed with peg latch, was found as usual.
Fhe poor woman's wounds, nine in number,
clearly demonstrated that they had been in
fiicted with a Ratchet having an octagonal
head.
THE ARRESTS.
With this meagre information the officers
quietly went to work and, upon general prin-
cip!es, arrested a notorious niger known as
General Fields,' but he speedily established
his innocence and was released. Two or
three weeks later, when tho crime had
| ceased to be a sensation, the community
vas startled by the announcement that Mar
lin l.. Couk and Mary Y. Baughton had been
trrested for the murder. Couk is we'll
known and extensive mine owner.
| md proprietor OF what is known
IS the "model brewery Lee street. He is
something of dandy, great lady's man,
md the last person il, the hills that the aver
'ge citizen would suspect of being capable
# SO henious crime. Mrs. Baughton is the
wife of a pioneer to this Eldorado, who
brought in the first saw mill, amassed con-
siderable fortune, invested largely IN mines,
| and is considered representative citizen.
She is past the meridian of life, tall, ungain
lv,. anything bnt prepossessing in appear
| ance, and the reverse of a cultured lady. For
several days prior to their arrest the officers
had kept hem under surveillance, and final
| Iy learning that tho couple were
preparing to leave the country
together took them into custody, and before
any very strong or complete chain of evi
dence had been secured. AS a result of the
latter fact the justice presiding at the pre-
| liminary examination almost decided to re
| lease them, but SO strong was the opposi
| ton of the public, as expressed throu. Il the
local press, that the justice, awed by the
popular voice, although he refused to ADM,
any and all evidence at all bearing upon the
case, committed the prisoners to await the
action of the grand jury. With several
weeks time in which to search, the officers
succeeded in gathering sufficient evidence to
warrant the grand jury in finding true bill
| for murder, and when the case
of Cauk-defendants demanding sep
arate tfials-was moved for trial on
| Thursday last, the prosecuting attorney was
! fortified with evidence, crcumstantlal it's
true, but so consecutive and conclusive that
the jury was led direct to the prisoner, and
with minds entirely clear of ..reasonable
| Doubt" declared Martin L.. Cauk guilty OF
the foul murder.
| THE ELIMINATING EVIDENCE.
| The thread OF testimony as finally woven.
was AS follows: Defendants became &C
quainted in 1876, soon after arriving in
DeadWOO6. BauuhtOn was freonentlv oh