The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-20
WORRY LED TO SUICIDE
Miss Celia Peterson Shot Herself
to Avoid It.
PREFERRED DEATH TO LAW
A Case Was Pending Against Her for
Defamation of Character-Law Had
Untold Horrors for aer-It
Unbalanced Her Mind.

Miss Celia Peterson. also called Lu-
cinda Peterson. put a bullet into herself
in a desperate attempt to commit sui
eide which, in all probability, will
prove successful. The rash act was
performed at No. 1870 Utah avenue.
South Butte, in a little house occupied
by Miss Peterson and her brother joint
ly as a residence and shoe store. Miss
Peterson was in the back room and her
brother, Charles Peterson, was in the
front room. At about 5 o'clock there
was a revolver shot and the brother
ran into the back room to find his
sister lying on the bed with a revolver
in her hand and blood flowing from a
wound in the pit of her stomach. The
shot was heard by several on the street
and when Mr.. Peterson appeared at
the door in an excited condition they
entered. officer Peters soon arrived.
He took possession of the revolver,
which is of a 80 caliber with Light
ming Flash" engraved on the handle.
The officer questioned the woman and
she said that she had shot herself, but
would give no reason for il. The Off
Ger then telephoned to the police sta
tion and to Murray & Freund's hos
pital. Captain Dawson and Sergeant
Leyden arrived about the same time
as Murray " fItufu > dHlDuidlIt. bt-
fore the woman was removed the Off
GERS questioned her closely. for some Of
the neighbOrs were suspicious that she
had not fired the shot. The woman de-
clared, however, several times, that she
fired the she herself and that she was
alone in the room at the time, but she
would give no explanation of her act.
Miss Peterson was removed to the
hospital. The bullet was found TO have
entered at the pit of the stomach and
rome clear through, passing out at the
back. The physicians considered that
there was scarcely any hope of her re-
covery.
Celia Peterson is rs years old and
rather good looking. She and her
brother came to Butte from
five years ago. They have been run
ming the little shoe store since. The
trouble which produced the condition
of mind which led the woman to COM
init suicide dates back about four
years. An acquaintance and neighbor
from Denmark appeared in South Butte
at that time. His name is Lager
Green, or at least that is the name
which he has taken in Butte, and prob
ably no one in Butte wou ever have
questioned il was his real name but for
the stories the Petersons are credited
with having told their ~neighbors in
South Butte. 1t came to Lager
Green's ears that the Petersons were
circulating stories that he was travel
inc under an assumed name, that his
real name was James Christiansen and
that he was a criminal and q fugitive
from Justice in Denmark. The Peter
sons denied having circulated these
stories, but Lager-Green brought suit
in Judge Clancy's court against them
for 81. 900 damages, $4,000 apiece.
That suit has been pending ever
since and il preyed on the woman's
mind. She seems to have been of sim
pie nature and the law had untold hor-
rors for her. With the approach OF
every term of court she became more
worried until she became demented on
the subject. A few days ago she went
up to the court house to see Judge
Clancy and make her peace with him.
but she was informed that he was not
back from the park yet. Her brother
and her friends assured her that there
was nothing to worry about, that u
the case ever came to trial they would
win it, but she was not to be comforteo
and became more melancholy every
dav. She would sit and brood foi
hours with her head in her hands
Then she became fearful that Lager.
Green was going to wreak a persona
vengeance and she was fearful or be
ing out after dark and fearful thai
they would both be murdered in theil
sleep.
Peterson concluded at last to send
his sister back to Denmark. away from
her terrors. She seemed delighted a.
the prospect of going. Everything was
arranged and she was to start yester'
day morning. Fifty dollars in bills
were sewed up in her dress under he
arm to pay her fare back. But whel
the hour came for her to start, sh'
backed out. She was positive sh'
would simply land in Jail. She knew
that she would never be permitted Il
leave with that terrible damage sui
pending against her. No persuasion
could induce her to start, and he
brother gave up trying to get her Il
the depot. All yesterday the woman
brooded and became more and NOR
melancholy as evening approached
She was undoubtedly demented. bu
seemed harmless. Shortly before sh'
fired the shot she got the idea in he
head that dynamite was being PLACED
under her house and that she and he
4 brother would be blown into eternity
She sent her brother out to see abou
1 IL. When he returned his assurance
that there was no dynSmite aroun'
failed TO quiet her. Soo after that
while her brother vas in the from
4 room, she fired the suicidal shot. evi
IDENTIFY having concluded that death wa
the only escape from the terrible jus
tice of Clancy's court.
Miss Peterson was of a very quiet
retiring disposition. She helped he
brother in the shoe shop. sold shoe
and handled all the cash. h wen
out little and made few friends. bu
all regarded her as a good. simple CIR
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