The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-12-04


Which Resulted In Couk's Conviction
Trial---Joke on q st. Paul Travelling
Man. .g.a
DEADwooD, D. T., Nov. 24.-The first
conviction in capital case in the history OF
the Hills, a history replete with murder and
indiscriminate taking of human life upon
little or no provocation, was secured at
o'clock this morning, and the circumstance
not only marks the Inauguration of new
era for this remarkable and isolated district,
but attests the fact that in Gideon G. Moody,
the recently appointed successor to Judge
Granville G.. Bennett, who relieves Judge
Kidder as our delegate in Congress, this
community has a conservator of peace and
good morals of whom it may justly be proud.
The case above alluded to is, probably, the
most peculiar and revolving in the annals of
crime; and its result emphasizes the fact
that ''murder will out" be it ever so deeply
shrouded in mystery, and however barren of
motive it may appear to be.
THE CR1ME.
On tho Goth of August last denizens of
this gulch we're thrown into great excitement
by the discovery of the corpse of Mrs. Min
ME Calison, the wife of Woodworking, 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 Sherman
street, her head mashed into an almost IN
recognizable mass, ana the bed
one sickening pool of gore
She was arrayed in her
night dress. No signs of ravishnent were
disclosed by medical examination, nor was
aught in the house disturbed to indicate
that the brutal deed was committed for the
purpose of robbery. From the position of
the body and surroundings it was clearly
evident that the unfortunate woman had
been murdered while asleep, and, in opinion
of experts, while under the influence of
powerful narcotic. The usual coroner's in
quest was held, and although the investiga-
ton was of the most thorough character, it
failed 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.
The poor uoman's wounds, nine in number,
clearly demonstrated that they had been in
tiicted with Ratchet having an octagonal
head.
THE ARRESTS.
With this meagre information the officers
quietly went to work and, upon general prin-
ciples. arrested notorious niger known az
General Fields but he speedily established
his innocence and was released. Two or
three weeks later, when the crime had
ceased to be a sensation, the community
was startled by the announcement that Mar
tin L. Couk and Mary Y. Baughton had been
arrested for the murder. Couk is a well
known and extensive mine owner.
and proprietor of what is known
as the ''model brewery Lee street. He is
something of dandy, great lady's man,
and the last person in the hills that the aver
age citizen would suspect of being capable
of so henious a crime. Mrs. Baughton is the
wife of a pioneer to this Eldorado, who
brought in the first saw mill, amassed con-
siderable fortune, invested largelys in mines,
and is considered representative Citizen
She is past the meridian of life, tall, ungain-
", anything but prepossessing in appear
ance, and the reverse of cultured lady. For
several days prior to their arrest the officers
had kept them under surveillance, and final
~ learning that the couple were
preparing to leave tho country
together took them into custody, and before
any very strong or complete chain of evil
dence had been secured. AS result of the
latter fact the justice presiding at the pre-
iminary examination almost decided to re-
lease them, but SO strong was tho opposi-
ton of the public, as expressed through the
local press, that the justice, awed by the
popular voice, although he refused to admit
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 trials-was moved for trial on
Thursday last, the prosecuting attorney was
fortified with evidence, circumstantial tits
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.
TILE ELIMINATING EVIDENCE.
The thread of testimony as finally woven,
was as follows: Defendants became &C
quainted in 1876, soon after arriving in
Deadwood. Baughton was frequently alb
sent in Chicago, and the East, and the two
were constantly together, and soon engen-
dered relations that provoked
general comment. Investing heavily
in mines, from which Boughton could
not readily realize, he became embarrassed,
and to protect himself transferred greater
portion of his estate to his wife, in whose
affections Cauk had 80 completely ingratiated
himself that he found it an easy matter to
prevail upon her to turn over considerable
portion to himself through the farce of a
sale. They finally resolved to convert the
property into money, and together flee the
country, and for this purpose held frequent
meetings at the house of Mrs. Calison, who
or some inscrutible reason, was taken into
their confidence. The trust was partially be-
trayed to the injured husband, and a promise
given that a full confession, together with
recital of the final meeting to be held Aug.
IS, would be made the following day. IN
fortunately for Mrs. Calison and himself.
Baughton, doubtless actuated by jealousy.
Prematurely accused his wife of infdelity,
terrifying the same by giving the name Of
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