Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-08-20
BODY OF MURDERED
MAN IS FOUND
Johan Martilla Of Moose Lake, Minn.,
fOuIy Murdered Near City.

lUuly WOIUCl 81 NCdI AUys
Monday morning "a partially cover
ed body Of Il man was found along
the Great Northern tracks four miles
southeast OF the city. The discovery
was at once reported to the local cit
liens. Deputy Sheriff Ed Taylor. who
was at Harlowton at the time, was
'pllOned to and arrived on the even
ing's train, when he and a number of
citizens drove out to the scene OF the
tragedy. They found the body on the
south side OF the track, with the dead
mans coat over his face, and partially
covered with gravel and rocks. There
was every sign of Il fierce struggle
having taken place-the victims neck
had been nearly pierced through from
the rear with some sharp instrument.
and his head had been fearfully crush
ed, presumably with bood-stained
rock which was found near the body.
The gravel between the tracks at the
scene OF action had been firmly pack
ed by the scutfie, and blood stains were
numerous. Two knives were found.
The body was brought to town and
proderly cared for.
County Attorney W. +. Ford and
Coroner J. y. Sharey arrived on Tues
day evenings train from White Sui
rhur Springs and they with Deputy
Sheriff Ed Taylor and coroner's
jury consisting Of G. l.. Beers, John
Dolan, r. 4. White, Oliver Readel,
II. l.. Bills and Marion Small. drove
to the place where the body of the
murdered man was found, in search
Of evidence. His vest and cap were
found partially buried near where he
had been-the vest having been cut
off the body. No money was found
in any of the clothes.
Wednesday morning the coroner's
jury met at the Gap hotel to hear the
testimony of those who knew any
thing Of the murdered man. \ num-
Der of Bulgarians and Greeks were
put OH the stand, but they knew moth
ing OF the matter, except four who
had found the body and reported the
same to their foreman, Albert Lar
son, stationed at Oxford. II. NJ.
Hanson, Harry Lane and S. +. Cusic
testified that they had seen the de-
ceased IN company with two other
men about the city during different
days of last week. His companions,
so the testimony went, were Il tall
and short man. Section Foreman
Cusic said that he had talked with
the tall man, and that he said they
were bound for a place near Billings.
Saturday afternoon was the last seen
of the three. s. X. Campbell, a ply
sician of HarlOwtOn. examined the
body and reported that what brought
death was the fractured skull, al
though the wound in the neck would
! have resulted in death. He said the
knife wounds inflicted were done with
very sharp instrument, and that it
/ would be impossible to make such
wounds with the two knives found.
He testified that the man certainly
did not come to death by means of his
own hands or by an accident.
The Jury returned a verdict that
JOhan MARTHA. aged about 81 years.
probablya II Russian, came to his death
at the hands of an unknown party or
parties about the 14th or 18th Of Aug
ust. 1909. about miles southeast of
Judith Gap-that the death wounds
inflicted consisted of Il crushed skull
and numerous cuts in the back and
neck.
The dead man was evidently we'll
to-do, and undoubtedly murdered for
! the purpose of robbery. Papers found
on him identified him as Johan Mart
tia, aged 81. Final natura lization
papers issued in Carlton county, Min
nesOta in 1900, a filing receipt issued
in Duluth land offices Sept. Is, 1897, Il
letter addressed to him at Thompson
Minn., Dec. 26. 1906, from Shandelina
Bros. of Eveleth, Mimi, and writer
in a foreign language, a conductors
cash fare receipt on the Canadian Pa
cific railway from Portal to MOOSE
Jaw, dat d July %, 1909, a torn en-
velope addressed to Mrs. MARTHA
Moose Lake, Mimi, constitute til.
papers found on the body.
AS no answers were received to thu
kilograms sent, the remains were in
tered on Ed Taylor's ranch Wednes
day night.
PUBLIC Meeting