Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1903-03-06
TRAGEDY BROUGHT
OCCURRED NEAR PoMERu
Remains Identified as Those Of Henry
Lartiaue-His Wife Is Held for the
Murder-DetaiIs of the Discovery Of
Rody-Was Buried With a Saddle
Wife 10 Dumb on the Subject.

Pomeroy, Wash, March 2.-The
body round buried in the dooryard of
the Estes ranch has been exhumed
and identified as that OF Henry Larti-
que, husband OF Amanda J. Lartigue,
VINO is neld for the murder. A coro.
ner's jury has decreed that Lartlgue
came TO his death by the wounds Of
an unknown instrument in the hands
OF an unknown assassin.
When Sneritf Strain drove away
from the place with the wife in dis
custody body of neighboring farm
ers joined Deputy Sheriff Hawkins,
and together they made a minute in
spection of the premises. The Estes
farm house stands in little plat OF
level ground scarce half an acre In
all, graded out of the side of a steep
bank cut from the hillside by the win
Ger freshets that swell Deadman creek,
which flows at it's foot In this little
plat few flowers grew. and nothing
more.
For some time past the accused wo-
man has offered the ranch for sale or
rent, but has always made the condi-
ton that the house, together with this
dooryard plot, should be reserved. This
seemingly insignificant fact gave the
deputy sheriff his clue. He reasoned
that if there was any body there it
must be in this yard. He provided
himself with an iron rod several feet
long and went all over this half acre,
sinking this rod into the earth. At
point 40 feet northwest from the COR
ner of the house stood a dead locust
tree. When the iron was thrust be-
meath the roots OF this tree it encoun-
tered an obstacle. Repeated trials
met with the same resistance. The
iron had struck the saddle, which lay
over the dead mans head.
Willing hands with shovels soon
reached the telltale object and reveal
ed the body of the victim, crowded
face downward under about three feet
of earth in an old potato hole, used
winter. Darkness had now fallen ON
the scene and the searchers suspend
ed further examination till the arrival
OF the coroner in the morning.
At $3.50 o'clock in the morning, Cor
oner Black having arrived, a jury was
empaneled from the Outstanding far
mers and complete exhumation of the
remains made. The body lay cross.
wise in the potato hole, which, being
dug square, was about a foot too short
to contain it at full length, and even
in this position the legs had bad to be
curled under to find room.
No clothing was on the corpse ex-
cept an undershirt and a black over
shirt with horizontal white stripes.
Around the neck was blue and white
polka dot bandanna handkerchief,
which article was never absent ad-
junct to Lartigues cowboy makeup
during life
AS the outlines of the form met the
view of the onlookeAs, many were the
comments on its unmistakeable resem-
blance to that Of Lartigue. The hair
was of medium length and in perfect
order, without DISAGREEMENT, and had
the same blue black hue, and hung in
the same rope like strands, which were
striking and well remembered feat
ures OF the appearance Of the deceased.
Head MutiIated.
The head and face were horribly mu-
tllated. The entire right side was
crushed in. A huge aperture yawned
behind and above the right ear and
another over the left eye. Both laws
were broken loose from the head and
the skull came to pieces during the
examination.
The theory is that Lartigue was kill
ed while In bed. The remains will be
buried In the potter's field outside of
this city.
Woman Is Silent.
Inc accused woman maintains the
same sphinxlike demeanor that has
characterized her every act since ar
rest She was subjected to sweating
process all day yesterday, but nothing
escaped her by word or action to in
dictate the slightest appearance of
quit. Not an eyelid quivered or the
slightest change of color showed in
her face as the officers confronted her
with the proofs of the crime. Chero-
kee blood runs in her veins. Nothing
seems to break her stoical behavior
except an occasional profession of ig-
horance OF the entire affair.
The officers say they have incrimin-
atlng evidence which can not be made
public at present.