The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-11

RECORD OF DEATHS
Suicides, HOmieides and Other Hor-
rOrS Of Recent History.
STATISTICS OF INTEREST
The Old Reporter Has Eeen Keep
ing Tally by Making a Notch
In His Desk for Each
Fatality Published.

The old reporter on the Standard
who for years has been in the habit
of cutting a notch in his desk every
time he has had a murder or a suicide
to report has his desk pretty badly cut
up by this time. During the past six
years many horrible crimes that
created a brief sensation in Butte have
utterly passed from the memory of the
general public. 1t is true that distance
lends enchantment to the view, and IL
is equally true that time brings for
getfulness and softens animosities. 1T
is customary to find on the occasion
of every crime great deal of public
indignation and horror expressed, but
by the time the trial comes up of the
criminal IL is an open question whether
or not a convicting jury can be found.
The old reporter finds that the Oft
quoted statements that mining acct
dents come in ''threes," and so do
shooting scrapes and suicides is not
true. Whenever a mining accident &C.
ours In Butte IL is sure to be generally
remarked that now there will be two
more mining accidents. When one sui
eide occurs people expect two more sui
cides within a very few days. So, too,
with crimes of all kinds. But the facts
do not bear out this general supersti-
tion or idea. 1t is true that quite often
three fatal mining accidents have oc-
CURED within a very short space of
time, and that there has been a long
interval preceding and succeeding this
group of three accidents. This has in
fact happened often enough to occa-
sion comment. But ii has happened
quite as often that mining accidents
have come doubly or singly. and some
times they have come in tours. 1t is
still less true that suicides come in
"threes," and 1t has scarcely ever hap
pened that murders or murderous as
saults have come three in close success
sion.
1t is true. however. that one suicide
is very likely to follow close after an
other. Long intervals will contain no
record of a suicide at all. Then the
mania seems to come like an epidemic
of la grippe or the measles. One man
commits suicide. and that suggests to
some other man with troubles that he
should also commit suicide While
there is no rule of three" in suicides,
IL is a fact that suicides seldom come
singly. One is almost invariably fol-
lowed by a second and sometimes by
several
1t is also noticed that more suicides
occur during the holiday season than
at any other period during the season.
Along about the middle of December,
when the store windows are filled with
tempting gifts and people are on the
way home with their arms filled with
bundles, there is very apt to be a sui
eide. Some friendless. homeless wan
derer has become completely discour-
aged and concluded to end his days
There are usually several suicides be-
tween the middle of December and the
middle of January.
The record of horror I'm the year 1890
in Montana shows Is homicides, which
is a pretty light total. Under the title
of homicides is included not only muir
ders but all cases of manslaughter
Justifiable or not. even cases of officers
killing prisoners or fleeing criminals
being included in the category of homi-
cides. OF the Is homicides of that year,
five occurred in Butte, three in Ana
conda, one In Helena, and the balance
were pretty well scattered about the
state.
OF suicides in 1890 there were 10, of
which seven occurred in Butte and vi
cinity, three in Helena, two in Missou-
la and one in Stevensville.
OF deaths by mining accidents there
were IL in 1890, 10 occurring i'm Butte.
Eighteen deaths by railroad acct
dent occurred in the state that year
four occurring I'm Butte, four In Mis-
soula, three in Anaconda, one i'm Hell
ena, two at Drummond, one at Liv-
ingston, one at Garrison. one at BLxton
and one at Bernice.
Eight deaths occurred from accidents
other than mining and railroads, of
the eight, three occurring in Butte. one
at Deer Lodge, one at Anaconda, one
at Helena, one at Elliston and one at
Grantsdale.
There were nine found dead" in 1890
that including cases which did not
show clearly either murder or suicide.
but including cases of sudden death,
dropping dead. found dead in bed, etc
Eight of these nine were I'm Butte
The total deaths in the state In 1890
from homicide. suicide. mining acct
dent. railroad accident, other accident
and sudden deaths were 76. OF these
SO were in Butte.
The record for 1891 shows 80 homi-
cides, of which five occurred in Butte.
the list including the horrible Penrose
and Jordan murders. There was also
a decided increase I'm the number of
suicides. % being recorded, of which six
were in Butte. four in Helena and four
In Missoula. 1t was the year of the
of the Anaconda properties.
but yet there were 2S deaths by mining
accident, including Is I'm Butte.
There were also twenty-eight
deaths in the state by railroad acct
dent. of which 10 occurred I'm Missoula.
Thirty-one accidents occurred other
than mining and railroad. and % were
found dead or died very suddenly 10 of
them occurring in Butte and vicinity.
The total number OF violent deaths in
the state that year was III, Of which 81
In Butte.
In the year 1892 there were q homi-
cides. nine suicides. 21 deaths by min
Ing accident. seven deaths by railroad
accident, Is deaths by other accident,
and five cases OF found dead" in the
state. The total number OF violent
deaths that year was rs. OF which 81
were In Butte.