The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-10-08
MURDER MOST foul
John Caddick Kills Jason LunSiOrd,
an InOfensive Old Man.
NOT A SHADOW OF EXCUSE
Caddlck Cot Drunk at q Dance
He Clasped the Corpse In His
Arms to show His
Sorrow.
Special Dispatch to the standard.

Special Dlspatch 10 tuc sthhaaHs
Deer Lodge. Oct. lone OF the most
brutal and cold-blooded murders In the
criminal annals OF Deer Lodge county,
occurred at an early hour yesterday
morning at l.. q. Blood's saw mill. SIX
miles west uf Avon. The victim is
Jason Lunsford. an inoffensive OLD
man. who had reached the three-score-
year mark but his nature was sucn
that he enjoyed the sunshine OF hte
with as much pleasure as II he had
been younger In years. John Caddick
Is the wretch. who. as he sits behind
the bars In the county Jail must feel
the hangmans moose pressing against
his throat. Caddick was employed
around the saw mill as helper and
he attended dance given by the mill
hands on Saturday night. as a specta-
tor Towards midnight he became
very abusive and fiourlshed his six
shooter several times, making threats
at the same time that he would hurt
some one before the night was over
Mont Gilbert who attended the dance.
went to him and tried TO induce him
to put his gun away and go home, but
the next instant Gilbert was looking
down the shiny steel barrel OF Cad
dicks a. Colts. just then Gilbert re-
membered that he had a partner en-
gagged for the next dance and he left
Immediately to fill the engagement.
Caddick left the building. and on going
outside saw James Ennis coming to-
wards him. Ennis asked him to put
his gun up and caddlck answered by
taking two shots at him. but fortu-
nately neither one reached Its mark
Jason Lunsford was standing only a
few yards away when the first two
shots were fired. and thinking that
they were fired into the air In play
| ful manner. he approached his slayer
and asked him to quit his capers.
Those were the last words he uttered.
for the next moment the gun was
pointed at his own head and the fatal
shot was fired that sent the bullet
crashing through his head. He fell
heavily on the ground and expired
without groan.
James Ennis and Tom Thomas. who
witnessed the shooting, fearing vio-
lence to themselves ran Into the dance
hall and when all was quiet on the
outside they returned. 1t was then
o'clock In the morning and by the
| light OF the moon they could see that
the murderer was lying on the ground
| by the side OF his victim. They ap-
preached cautiously with leveled guns
and called on him to surrender. He
answered not a word. and on coming
still closer they found that his right
arm extended under the corpse. and
still grasping the gun. and the other
arm lay over the body. He took this
method OF expressing his sorrow for
what he had done. but he was pulled
away and bound hand and foot. A
team was procured and Mont Gilbert
and l.. J. Blood drove hurriedly
with him across country to the county
| Jail. n distance OF Is miles. They
breathed freely when they saw their
prisoner safely behind the bars. for
had they waited until the sherlff's
Office could be notified. the county
would have undoubtedly been spared
the expense OF trial.
j. NJ. Hartwell. Justice Of the peace
left for the scene of the tragedy al
once. to hold an inquest and investi-
gate the causes that led 10 the man.
death. He was accompanied by Dep
uty Sheriff Brennan. They returned
to Deer Lodge at noon to-day and
brought the body with them for burial
The jury's verdict is chat Jason Luns
ford came to his death by a bulle
wound. said bullet being fired from {
Colts revolver in the hands of Johl
Caddick"
Caddick was visited at the county
Jail to-day by a Standard reportel
but he had nothing to say except 4
express great sorrow at the unfortu
nate occurrence. He stated that h,
had been sent 20 Avon that night L
get liquor for the boys and that h,
drank very freely OF the contents o.
the bottle. while returning TO the mill
and that he had no recollection At al
OF doing any shooting. Why" he re
marked Il would not have killed oil,
man Jason for all the world. for h
was a good friend OF mine" Caddicl
Is 90 years of age and was born II
England. He has waived his prelim
mary hearing In the Justice court. an,
Is held 10 the district court withou
hail