Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1895-05-25
LEWISTON TRAGEDY
Old John siets Shot and killed
BY Mrs. Goddard.
TIE RESULT OF AN OLD FEuD
FRIEND tsed Rifle With Deadly
Effeet on the Woman and Her
sOn-in-Law

Lewiston, May 2o.-A tragedy which
mas no parallel in the annals of crime
IN Idaho and which has aroused intense
Indignation in this community is the
sensation Of the hour.
John siers, familarly known as
buena, on account of his deeds OF
eaiof at the famous battle of Buena
vista, is dead, with two bullet wounds
IN his back: NJ. F. Ward, one of his as
sallants, is probably fatally wounded
from Winchester bullets through the
stomach, and Mrs. Goddard, who slew
s!ers, is in jail awaiting the action
OF the coroner's jury, which is
| now holding an inquest over Siers.
The trouble is the outcome of a feud
OF long standing, but was aggravated
by more recent disagreement about
$50 worth of personal property which
Mrs. Goddard and Siers claimed.
Ten years ago the firm of Schissler &
slers was reputed to be the wealthiest
in north Idaho, possessing lands. stock
and money in great abundance and be-
ing influential in all public matters
schlssler died six years ago, the joint
property Of the estate was settled up.
ana among other property was a farm
at Waha, Is miles from Lewiston. which
was sold for $4,000 to NJ. f. Ward a
son-in-law Of Mrs Goddard. and Siers
was 10 De the beneficiary of the sale
Ward bought the place on time and has
never been able to pay up, and recent
~ Fred W. Piper a son of Judge Piper
OF MOSCOW, was appointed receiver
pending a settlement of the claim
Mrs. Goddard's brother, a Mr.. Mott. |
VINO also was close friend of Siers. |!
has been living on the Waha place for I
some time and recently became i'll. |
trouble arose between him and his sis
Ter ana ne was put out of the house and /
forced to take up quarters in the barn
SIers wished to call on his friend and
TO settle UP some other matters, as he
intended to leave shortly for Montana I
and made an appointment to meet Re-
celver Piper at the Waha place.
Yesterday, in company with three
friends, Siers drove to the farm. An
trouble, he took with him
Winchester rifle and a revolver. He
did not drive into the inclosure about
the house and barn, but left his friends
IN the wagon on the road Before 60
ing in he leaned his Winchester against
the fence. 1t was the intention Of Siers
to visit his sick friend in the barn. Re
2eiver Piper not being on the ground.
" hen fairly on the way to the door.
Ward. who was anbushed, opened fire
IN him with a revolver. Sters turned
% face him and drew his own gun. AS
le was endeavoring to locate his con-
;ealed antagonist Mrs. Goddard, who |
vas also invisible at first, came up from |
behind and fired two shots from her re-
yolver into Siers' back, infiicting fatal
Wounds. AS the dying man was sink
ng to the ground Ward rushed up and
'egan to club Siers over the head with
lis revolver.
The fusilade happened so quickly ,
nat Siers' friends in the road had no r
lme to Interfere, but when Ward COM :
nenced to club the wounded man one '
1 them, said to be a Mr.. Shorthil ran
O. the fence where the rife was lean a
ng and began to shoot at Siers' assail-
nts. His aim was deadly. Ward was "
ent to the earth with two bullets in his
tomach and the pistol hand of Mrs
ioddard was shattered at the wrist. l
This stopped q further attack on Q
iers, but reinforcements for the God Y
ard faction came from an unexpected a
uarter. Her 13-year-old son. perceiv- e
1g the wounds inflicted on his mother, il
ushed from the house armed with a t
Winchester rife and revolver and s
hased Shorthill to the Lake house a h
ummer resort three miles from the s
Gene of the tragedy, where ShorthiIl Il
nally evaded him. a
AS soon as assistance could be had V
le two wounded assailants of Sters s
nd the body of their victim were 7
rought to town. "
Ward has three bullet wounds in the
but it is not yet known how A
7rious they may be, nor is it known :.
neither Mrs. Goddard will lose her -
and.
a coroner's jury is now holding an in
lest on the body of Siers The bullets =
'und fitted the pistol Of Mrs !
oddard and there is little doubt but q
at she was the sole cause of his death. "
Mr.. Mott, her brother, denounces the N
fair as a cold-blooded murder, and q
le neighbors, and in fact the majority g
citizens, believe the same way sf
Sters was unmarried and was sup e
1sed to be wealthy, having large cat a.
2 interests in Montana in addition to u
e property about Lewiston. c.
Mrs. Goddard is a widow, her hus- ~
md having been dead some time. and rs
e and her son-in-law Were conduct ol
g the farm where the tragedy oc- or
lrred. =