Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1913-05-24
MANIAC MURDERS
FIVE COMPANIONS
Tragedy at 6Iackfoot lnfirmary When
Peter 6radovItch 6ralned
Victims With Table

Those killed were: George s. Race
Of Pocatello, George Shepherd Of Poo
atello, Hyrum Peterson OF Idaho Falls
George Il. Pede Of Boise and Elias
Bagley of Moreland.
Five inmates of the insane asy-
lum at Blackfoot are dead as the
result OF a violent mood on the part
of Peter Bradovitch, another inmate
of the institution.
AT some time before / o'clock on
the morning of May 21 tragedy oc-
Cured at the state insane asylum at
Blackfoot that was gruesome in the
extreme, and the lives Of five ment-
ally sick people were snuffed out in
cold-blooded manner. They were
Drained by a maniac, who used a
small table as his weapon.
lNSltucT Luo IMulucICl uol LILO Wv
tins had ever shown any disposition
toward violence, and were apparently
calm and harmless individuals.
Bradovitch, the murderer, had been
allowed great many liberties, and
in fact was sort of trusty about the
premises. He had never developed a
vicious tendency, and since commit
ting the crime shows no such sign,
retaining morose and quiet de-
meanor that is entirely foreign to
excitement, and a puzzle to physi-
clans.
1t appears that Bradovitch had got
ten out of bed between II and ]
o'clock, and possessed of a mad
streak to slay, had picked up a
small stand, or table, and welding
it with terrible effect, dashed out
the brains of George S. Race, Geo.
Shepherd, Hyrum Peterson, George
Pede and Elias Bagley, his compan-
ions in the ward. There was no
mark on the bodies Of the victims
other than on the heads, and II
would appear that must Of the VIC
tins must have been asleep.
In a phone conversation with DR..
Poole, superintendent Of the institu-
tion, this morning, the Tribune was
Informed that the men had been
placed in the ward, and everything
was quiet. 1t Is the custom to In
spect the ward every hour. and the
night watchman had visited the room
at 1910, noticing nothing unusual at
that time. No disturbance was heard
after that so 1t would appear that
the victims had offered little. II any,
resistance. An hour later the discoy-
cry was made.
The five men had been considered
mild cases, and the superintendent
cannot at this time determine the
momentary madness that prompted
the deed.
Bradovitch has been in the insti-
tuition about three years, and came
rom the penitentiary, az have q
number of others In the asylum. Dur
ing that time he has been working
regularly, and was made trusty,
and appeared to be improving, never
having shown any ugly traits.
That he had peculiar tendencies,
and was carefully watched by Dr.
Poole, who has made a careful and
lengthy study Of the criminal insane,
was but one of the instances utiliz-
ed by the doctor on which to base
claim to the state board for the
building of separate wards for in
sane people who possessed a crimin-
al streak, as did Bradovich, who had
Iln1BneO pcultchIldiy ooA0S' ~
was absolutely necessary to confine
some of the supposed milder patients
together, and in such instances as
the present, the swapping OF the
fibre of reason that holds the indi-
vidual in check, could be foretold.
Bradovitch was of the class desig'
mated as criminally insane.
An inquest was held at Blackfoot
this afternoon, and was attended by
Robert Graham, secretary OF the
Elks and ID. j. Elrod, secretary OF
the Eagles, to both Of which lodges
George Race belonged.
George s. Race, one OF the victims,
ia well known to many Pocatello peo-
pie. He was at one time steward at
the Elks' club, and his wife and
daughter reside here at the present
time. They we're notified by Secre-
tary Graham this morning, and have
the deep sympathy OF the community
in their bereavement. Some time