The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-03-13
WEAVING A CHAIN.
Testimony for the Prosecution in the
Bryson Case as Addueed at the
Trial Yesterday.
Prospector Dixon Describes His Search
for the Body and How
He Found II.
The shipping Of Annie Lundstrom's
n....H. A.. n.sa. .,a TsI..ls. ~ a ..r.n
The shipping Of Annie Lundstrom',
Trunks 10 Butte and Their Return TO
Helena


and Mrs. Mixture was recalled to the stand
for further cross-examination. Questioned
as TO the date OF Annie Lundstrom's leAv.
ing or disappearance, she said she was
positive II was on Wednesday, but could
not tell the date. Referring TO the calen.
dar she fixed the date az Aug. q. She said
the woman was alone when she left the
house; did not know OF the defendants
return, or when the trunks were removed
from the house; saw them next at the
sheriff's Office in Helena. Questioned
whether she had any conversation with the
deceased relative TO going to Butte, she
said she had heard her tell she would go
into business there. Recollected Lund
strom was looking for work In Helena, and
had worked out one or two days; had heard
them quarrel In the hallway; he took his
satchels and started away, returning on
the next Monday. She described deceased
as thin and slender woman, bald headed.
with false hair and teeth. The trunks
were reopened and everything taken out.
Witness Identified several dresses as they
were taken out, as belonging TO Annie
Lundstrom. She said she had had
opportunity OF seeing the woman's cloak
on q Sunday afternoon, deceased had taken
Il out OF the trunk 10 show II 10 her. Some
undergarments were introduced bearing
the initial "E.,;" also lot OF gents hand.
kerchiefs marked variously, some with mi.
tlals as p. L., j. b., l.. AK. o., o. B.,
and 4. Witness also recognized pillow
been on her bed. A large portion Of the
deceased woman's undergarments were
produced In q rather s0iled condition, and
II looks NJ II defense was trying 20 estab.
lish that Mrs. Lundstrom was diseased NJ
the time OF her death.
The next witness called was Duncan
Dixon, the prospector, who found the body
In q prospect hole near Helena. After
making diagram OF the place, showing
he then proceeded 10 tell his story as fol.
lows: 81 heard that reward was offered
for q missing woman and started out TO
look for the body. l lived one-half OF q
mile from the prospect hole and started
first to look through patch OF
timber, located higher up on the hills. On
returning passed the hole and noticed 4
mans footprints leading towards it. and
then resolved 10 investigate. There were
some poles around the hole, from which
the dust had been brushed, and i noticed
that something had slid down the hole aud
cleaned OF the edge. | went 70 dinner and
returned with rope and candles and slid
down the shaft. The first thing discoy
cred was woman's hat on top OF n pile OF
rocks. These rocks looked as II some one
bad placed them thsSeh saeh a2e 2s,dvcqsa e9sapsness @
mans arm, and then the breast and head
Climbing up, / started for town and went
10 the court house and returned with Sher
in Hathaway and Marshal Hard. Ther'
WAS quite O company out there, and foul
men went down the shaft with rope and
those on top hoisied the body
while we steadled it 20 keep II
from striking against the sides Of
the shaft. We found an umbrellf
which was broken, and fan near thu
body. There was long chain around the
neck and the clasp looked broken. A raw
hide strap was fastened around one wrist
while the other one showed marks as u
both had been tied together. (The Tawhid,
strap was here introduced and recognizee
by the witness.) Officer Bashaw first called
attention 10 the strap. The woman's b0dy
was clothed IN a white dress. This wa
also ldenti6ed.) The face was badl,
mashed, the jaw broken. and the eyes wer'
bulglng out. We took the body to thu
court house."
On cross-examination witness stated b,
had never seen the woman before the day
he found the body, had never pr0spectet
| In that locality, and did not know OF thu
existence OF that particular prospect hole
| When asked II he had seen tracks OF |
carriage near the hill, he stated II was i'm
possible for vehicle TO drive up ther,
without upsetting He remembered tha
he had seen tracks higher up on the hill
about 800 yards distant, but did mot know
the company had seen tracks when the'
| cama affair the hadv
Dr. Moore was the next witness called
He stated In what condition the body hal
been found. The right jaw had beel
| broken, and behind the right ear was
mark on the scalp. These wounds coul
have been produced with club. rock, O
| by a fall down the shaft. The strap wa
wound three times around the left wris
and the right wrist showed marks as II
/ had been fastened around there. IL mut
have been fastened before death, or els
there could not have been any marks o
the flesh. Witness stated he drove 10 IN
| place In a carriage with some reporter
They drove within 800 yards of the spo
but could have approached II by q ridR
much closer. When asked concerning th
stains on the garments and the stains on
handkerchief around the leg OF deceased
witness stated the stains could have bee
produced by various causes. The witne,
admitted the body was not pressed out {
shape by the pile OF rocks under which
was found. The skull was not broke
and the wounds were not necessarily fata
At the evening session Jacob Karatofsk
was called. Karatofsky is q pawnbr0ks
on the corner OF Main and Wall stree
Helena. The defendant visited him abot
August 22 and asked him II be would bu
ladies' clothes and household goods. II
sent his clerk with him the next mornin
| ...A hrnnnbf haaI m naada for which 4
gave BrysOn check for $40. This was Q
the morning OF the 23d. The witness hei
examined his check book and found stu
with the name OF j. ID. Lundstr0m, Il
name Bryson gave. The goods pawns
were examined by the witness and ide
tilted. as was Mrs. Lundstrom's watc
The crossexaminatl0n eliclted no new ]
formation except the watch pawned for OF
dollar was worth about ten. IL was bras
On the redirect examination witness "a
they were pawned for thirty days: th'
were not redeemed. lie did not see Brys,
again until the sheriff asked him to 70
jall TO Identify hlm, which he did.
Mrs. Mixture was called. She had motto
Mrs Lundstrom wearing a chain like u
one shown her, but could not swear 70 IL.
Grover B. simpson, agent for Wei
Fargo, was called. He was agent al
route agent In August; had charge Of I
| IlfAtuh Viltts ~ ~ ID Wi ADt Aht IL - VI
the evening Of Aug. 22d; fixed the d,
from the records; came into the Office
ship trunks; he notified him he must p
pay the charges, but he did not want 10
so; said the person lived In Butte a
would get the trunks. ! asked II she "
one OF the girls. He said yes; asked h
what house she stopped At He said
didn't know. concluded TO Oh
C. o. d., and gave him
; tags 20 write the address. which he
4 witness examined the tags and identl6
tbeml. He took them with him and b
me 10 call at the Lenoir house, room
which we did, but there was no one the
) The trunks were shipped from our on
Aug. 23d TO Butte, 70 Miss Annie Lu
strom. saw the trunks again when Il
we're brought back from Butte. She
Hathaway told me 20 send for them Rnd
did go. The weight OF the trunks was
same when they were returned as befg
The trunks were not sealed Mt my once
q Mr.. Ballet In the cross-examination II
. 90 establish the truth tulness OF a ret
that one OF the trunks was shipped to
wrong person, but failed 20 do so. WITH
weighed the trunks 10 protect his compa
He did not see The trunks sealed, but
them Afterwards In the sherifFs on
Witness stated on the re direct examinai