Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-10-12
A MOSCOW TRAGEDY
WItte Was Murdered by the
Maniac While Asleep,
BODY CUNNINGLY CONCEALED
Diiigent Search Revealed No Weapons
or Instrument with Which the
Crime Was Committed.

Moscow, Oct. 3--Only meagre par
ticulars were obtainable yesterday con-
corning the terrible affair at the county
Jail.
For the past few weeks, since George
N. Hinckley was taken to the peniten-
tiary at Boise the Jail has had but
two occupants-Joha White, held for
trial on the charge of selling liquor to
an Indian on the Cpur d. AIeue ieser-
walton, and Joseph Roberts, former
soldier of Uncle Sam. Roberts had
been an inmate of the Jail since June
., 1893, having been brought here to
be tried for the murder of fellow-sol-
der at Fort Sherman. He was adj
Judged insane ut the session of the
| United States court in May and re-
manded to the custody OF the sheriff
to await orders from Attorney-ienera
Olney. He had attempted to commit
suicide several times last spring before
he was declared insane. but since
that time has made no move in that
direction. He and Witte had got
along together with far less friction
than usual between persons in confine-
ment.
Owing to the wretched accommodate
lions Of the Jail they were not kept in
their cells except at night, but allowed
the freedom of the corridor inside the
cage. Witte had been sick for several
days. and Roberts had acted as his
nurse large part of the time.
Monday evening, when Deputy
Donahue went 10 lock them into their
cells Tor the night, lie found what he
supposed was Wit,e lying mononless
on his bed. Roberts assured him that
he was fast asleep. and assisted in
closing the cell door, and then was
locked in himself. The next morning
he was up bright and early, us United
States Marshal Crutcher and deputy
had arrived the previous evening, and
were to leave with him for Washing
ton, where he was to he placed ia an
insane asylum.
The ManIac's HorrIble Cunning.
Witte could not be- walked when
called and the deputy went to his cell
to investigate. He made the horrible
discovery that what he had supposed
the night before to be White was only
the blankets cunningly arranged TO
represent q human form, while behind
the trunk, wrapped in blankets, was
the dead body mnngled in the most
horrible manner and stiff and cold.
Roberts at once stated that it was -,
miracle performed after an understand
lug between himself, White and God
Almighty, and after talking the mat
ter all over with Jesus Christ, the con-
clusion was that he was to die and he
killed him with ha,chet that would
DO found In his CELL" He was taken
away by Marshal Crutcher on the
, morning train, in accordance with the
original intention, and Whites body
taken to the morgue, where Coroner
Friedline summo led Il jury aud began
the inquest. A most diiigent search
revealed no weapon or instrument
with which the deed was committed.
, Murdered While lie Slept.
The deputies in the sheriff's otfict
: assert that Roberts statement with re
/ regard to the Ratchet was false, as none
was found In the Jail. They were al
lowed one to cut klndling with, bu
r were always required to return it o.
once. An examination of Witte'.
wounds would indicate that Roberts
came in;o his cell while he was asleep
! and dealt him terrific blow on this
lett side OF the head, crushing in tn,
} skull 80 that the brains protruded
t This alone would have caused death
The murderer then. with moniaca
, frenzy, proceeded to cut and slash hi.
victim, apparently with dull cas-,
, knife. Some forty-five gashes wer,
found about the neck and throat, ant
there was a terrible cut on the chin
, The deed must have been done very
, quietly and rapidly, for any unusua
+ noise would have been noticed in thu
, office outside. Roberts must have ar
q ranged the body as discovered, removed
= all traces of his deed. aud then gon,
, out rs If nothing had happened.
: A Fad State of Affairs.
) The occurrence brings two thing
: into painful prominence-the made
8 Quate accommodations of thu jail ant
the slowness of the authorities in sucl
matters. The jail has only three Ills
= and these are not so arranged that al
Z insane prisoner can be kept in confine
ment for any length OF time. Tn
, sheriff aud other county officials hay
9 made numerous vigorous appeals /,
- the government officials 10 take hin
J away. 1t was nearly year aztec hi
e arrest before decision was reache,
with reference to his sanity, and fou
= months more ELAPSED before the official
arrived to take him away, although
the order tor his removal was mad
= out III July.
" spangle Notes.
y SPASGLE, WASH, Oct, 3-The Dor