Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-06-20
TERRIBLE MURDER.
Five People Murdered Near Lewis
town. THE Bodies Found in
the Judith River.
The Most AtrOcious Crime Ever
Committed in Montana.
INTENSE EXCITEMENT.

issue. Ia fact. We doubt if ever in the
west such blood-curdling story has
been published.
Last Saturday evening one nj the
cowboys on the Moccasin roundup
rode into town and announced that
the body OF II woman had been found
| IN the Judith river near what il known
rs Samples crossing. about twenty
| live miles below I.ewistOwn. Coroner
Hanson was Immediately notified and
left at once for the purpose OF holding
an inquest. An examination al the
body Developed he fact that deceased
came tn her death from a wound
caused by u rifle shot which entered
the left side above the hip and passed
out OF the right shoulder. such arti-
| cleS a. might give clue aus to who the
| woman was were taken and the body
temporarily buried. The coroner re-
| turned. and at his request several of
our citizens returned with him on Mon
day for the purpose Of exhuming the
body for firi her invest isation. The
party had been on the river but "a
short time before u second, third
and still II fourth body were discov-
| cred, and last Tuesday evening mes
-cnser brought the following note
from County Attorney +. T.. Smith:
Samples Ranch. June is.
-Four bodies, dive in allD have been
found. indicating the most atrOciOus
murder in the history ri Montana.
Organize Il party AMI come ont AMI
help Us. Yours, r. T.. SMITH.
Within an hour about twenty men
had secured mounts and started for
the scene of death. and "Wednesday
| morning n party went out with pho
tosrapher for the purpose ri securing
pictures al the corpses To enable the
more speedy idrni ilicaiion OF The I'M
fortunate victims.
The bodies of two men. two women
and a child were taken from the river
up Ia Tuesday afternoon and thor
oushly examined 10y the coroner. All
came TO their death by violence. The
Two women were shot. one rs above
described and one through the lett
hand and through the head, appar-
-ntly entering l- eye and coming out
N the back oi the head. one man
was shot through the heart AMI he
other was killed by having his head
crushed with dull instrument. while
the child. II girl of about six years.
showed no marks OF violence and it is
presumed she was strangled tn death.
All the bodies were well, ii not richly
dressed and considerable jcwelry, such
rs finger and ear rings, breast and
scarf pins, We're found on their persons,
indicating that they were compare
lively well-to-io people.
At several points on the river wagon
tracks have been found where n wagon
has been, apparently, backed down To
he bank OF the river, and ut each
point there has been discovered blood,
wearing apparel or some pocket ariicle,
going To prove that n body was ruth
lesslv thrown out into the stream.
We will he enabled to give fuller partIc-
ulars as to bodies. wounds cts. next
week. No one, as far rs heard from.
has any knowledge ~ to who the muir
dered persons We're. We have made
every effort to ascertain where they
were from and the route Travelled and
We give full particulars as far as
learned.
On June d a Balm wagon drawn by
two heavy states horses and carrying
three men, two women and Il child,
passed TIBET. On June . John Beck oi
Cast le Butte saw the same tit on
he stage road, about ! p. M. bet ween
Beaver and Rock creeks, lust after
they had finished eating dinner. lie
says he saw two women. three men
and a little girl. Had conversation
with one oi the women. who told him
they lthe party were from Helena.
having been there about u year, and
that during their stay there the men
were engaged in mining. That hey |
were now looking ior desirable place |
to sett lie and make "A home. Mr.. Beck |
says they were unusually well dressed |
Tor emisrants, and had considerable |
Jewelry ON their persons. Tie horses
were large, state horses, one "a bay and
u buckskin pony behind. The other
horse le was in doubt about as to
color.
On June =. ut sun rise. l.. :. Butte
who lives tive miles below I.ewistown
on Spring creek, was out looking fOr
some horses. On the bench land be-
{ wcen Spring and Cottonwood creeks
he saw man and wagon, and riding
within twenty feet oi him, asked ii he
Iiad seen any horses, describing the
saline. The stranger replied that he
had, and told him they were about
wO miles back. The strangers team
and wagon were the same rs described
by John Beck, and he also noticed the
buckskin pony following the wagon.
The wagon appeared to MIR. Butler to
be full to the top OF the box, while the
wagon sheet was tucked in tightly all
around the sides. On his return home
Mr. Butler came across n smOuliering
lire and saw some irons which he
thought resemble,l trunk irons, and
convinced himself that they We're. lie
l. SAT listed the wao0n WAS loaded anI