, 1884-11-15
DYING IN A DITCH.
A Debauch That Ended in a Sad
Tragedy.
Miss Della Huffschmidt Makes q
Startling Discovery.
The Coroner's Jury viii Fully In
vestigate the Matter.

About 8 o'clock yesterday morning, as
Miss Della Huffschmidt, accompanied by
a number of children, wa going to the
school house near Whitcomb's ranch,
where she is the teacher, she was startled
by the cries Of some of the children, who
had strayed a short way from the path.
Going to the spot where the children had
gathered in evident alarm, she saw the
body Of a mar lying upon the ground.
The attitude and the ghastly face told at
a glance that life had long since departed
and Miss Huffschmidt hastened to
Ketchum's ranch, where she Informed
the peopleof her discovery.
Word wa at once sent to the city and
Coroner Chafin was notified. The Coro-
ner summoned a jury. consisting of H.
w. Moore, Joseph McGonigle. w. w.
Jeffrey, Harry Blake, w. +. Hosford and
J. G.. Pratt, and accompanied by the
jury, visited the spot where the dead man
lay.
Out upon the prairie abou. one hun
dred yards from Ketchum $ house and
about two hundred yards from Grow
creek, the body was found, lying at right
angle with a dry and shallow ditch
within which the hips rested, while the
feet lay upon one bank and the arms,
thrown above the head, extended out
upon the opposite side. Near the body
lay n quart bottle about half full OF liquor,
while The rigidity of the limbs and the
general appearance of the dead man
showed that he probably had expired
Wednesday night or early Thursday
morning.
Miss Huffschmidt was the only witness
examined by the jury and her testimony
was confined to a description Of the find
ing of the body. After the jury had
viewed the body it wa taken to the hos
pital at Fort Russell.
The deceased was known as William A.
Massey. He was a corporal of Company
=, 9th Infantry-Oaptain Poll ack-and
was also clerk of the company. He was
missed from Fort Russell during Wednes-
day and Thursday and aside from the fact
that he had visited a notorious resort two
miles north of the Post, no clue could be
obtained Of his whereabouts. The place
referred to. is much %frequented by soldiers
stationed at Fort Russell and there the
dissipated often indulge in orgies which
would not be permitted in the Post or in
this city.
Massey's remains were placed in charge
ofDr. Ives, the Post Surgeon, who will
make a post mortem examination with
the view of determining the cause of the
mans death. The half-flled bottle of
liquor was also given to the surgeon for
the purpose of analysis. At the present
writing Massey's death is supposed to be
due to a prolonged debauch and exposure,
but a careful examination OF all of the
circumstances attending his demise will be
made.
The jury adjourned yesterday pending
the result of the post mortem examina-
ton. 1t will assemble again in the City
Hall at 10 O'Clock this morning, when
witnesses will be examined and a verdict
will be rendered.
While it seems probable that Massey
drank until he was partially Supplied and
that he wandered around on the prairie
and along the creek until he became ex-
hausted, and lying down persisted from
exposure, there are reasons why a careful
and full investigation should be made.
The military authorities will join the civil
officers in the investigation and a criminal
responsibility may be connected with the
mans death.