Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1912-10-15
MURDERS HIS MOTHER-lN-LAW,
SHOOTS FATHER-lN-LAWA AND
COMMITS SUICIDE.
TRAGIC END Of OLD FEUD
Seaman Went to the Smith (Ignac)
Ranch, Seven Miles From Wind
ham, Intoxicated, and Following
Quarrel, Opens Fire With Deadly
Effect-The Inquest.

A horrible tragedy, one of the worst
in the history Of the county, was enact
ed at the ranch home Of Frank Smith
Ignac), seven miles from Windham,
Wednesday, Joseph Seaman shooting
his mother-in-law, Mrs. Frank Smith
Ugnac), to death and shooting his
twice. SuppOsing the
latter dead, Seaman then got into bed,
pulled a quit over his head and shot
himself, intilcting wound from which
he died in a teW hours. The father-in-
law, Frank Smith, was reported as
dead, but on examination it was found
that he was still breathing, and he was
revived sufficiently to tell the story OF
the murder and suicide. A message to
the Democrat yesterday stated that
Smith was then just alive, with the
slightest chance OF recovering.
Ine STANFORD World gives the fol-
lowing account OF the terrible affair:
A 1eud OF two years standing be-
tween the families Of Frank Smith
and Joseph Seaman, the tormer a
rancher residing seven miles east OF
Stanford and the latter coal mine
operator at Windham, terminated
Wednesday in one OF the most hor-
ritying tragedies ever enacted In Fer
gus county. Events have now settled
into normal grooves, but two lives
were first wiped out and third Is
sustained by the merest thread. Mary
K Smith, wife of Frank Smith, is dead
from a pistol wound inflicted by her
son-in-law, Joseph Seaman; Frank
Smith lies at the point of death from
wounds similarly received, and Sea-
man himself is dead by his own hand.
News OF the murder and suicide was
brought to. town by one John Estoch,
who was employed on the Smith
ranch. He had seen Seaman come to
the house at IL o'clock that morning,
but knew Of no disturbance until 1870
p. m, when he heard two shots, accom-
panied by screams from Mrs. Smith.
Afraid to investigate, he summoned a
neighbor, and then second, all en-
tering the house together. Seaman
and Mrs. Smith were found dead, but
Smith was lying in a field about 300
yards distant. One of the neighbors
who had been summoned, Simon
Janicek, carried Smith back to the
house, and Estoch mounted horse
and came to Stanford for doctor and
to inform the authorities. County At
torney Marshall, who was in Stanford
accompanied by Deputy Gregory and
Acting Coroner Hawk, first summon
ing DR.. Myrick, left Immediately fol
the scene of the shooting. The in
quest was held Thursday morning.
I cin diconunrnr
by the officers. Mrs. Smith, woman
of small stature, lay pathetically
huddled on the floor behind the stove
where she had instinctively but un
successfully crouched in an attempt tt
avoid the bullets from her assailant's
gun. On bed in another corner o.
the room was stretched the body o.
Seaman, entirely composed, one hant
still grasping the revolver he hat
used first on the Smiths and then OF
himself, and in still another corner
lay Smith, alive, but suffering torture'
from bullet wound in the lungs ant
in the jaw, the latter member being
all but torn away. The revolver wal
a 38-caliber Smith & Wesson. Smitl
has sufficiently recovered to give al
account of the shooting, stating Thurs
day night that Seaman had first killet
Mrs. Smith, attempted to kill hin
(Smith), and then did away with him
SELF
Seaman had gone to the Smitl
ranch badly intoxicated and had quar-
relied with the Smiths until a point o
violence was reached. The first at
tack was upon Mrs. Smith, Seaman
shooting her through the heart. Sea
man and Smith then grappled and II
their struggle passed out onto tn,
doorstep, where Seaman PROSTATE,
Smith was a blow over the head, thel
shot him twice, one bullet piercing
the lungs and the other entering thu
mouth, shattering the left jaw as
emerged from beneath the ear, follow
ing which Seaman committed suicid
by placing the revolver beneath hi
chin and pulling the trigger, the bul
let emerging from the top of his head
The Smiths have been residents o
the Stanford country for years, he be
ing employed on various sheep ranche
during the early days, later making
a livlihOod by farming. Their daugh
ter some years ago became the wifi
of Joseph Seaman. Trouble began tw'
years ago, when Mrs. Smith gave t.
the Seaman children a number of hea,
of young stock. This stock was takel
to the Seaman home. but later straye,
back and after a time were marke,
with the Smith brand. Hearing o
this, Seaman went to recover the AMI
mails, which he did, but only by fore,
and not until he had given Smith !,
terrible beating. Following this