The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1913-05-22
FIVE MEN DRAINED ;.
WITH TABLE BY INMATE
Horrible Spectacle Presented Guard Grimes On Entering Ward
ID" In Idaho Insane Asylum Superintendent Pool
and All Attendants Exonerated

Between twelve and twelve thirty
o'clock Tuesday night murder of
five inmates of the Idaho State in
sane asylum occurred. Peter Brad
Ovitch, released from the peni-
tentiary Boise, three years ago, after
serving term for manslaughter, was
taken in charge by asylum authorities
and brought to Blackfoot for confine-
ment. He has been a trusty for the
past year, working both inside and
outside of institution buildings and
never creating trouble. New inmates
were brought in Tuesday night and it
became necessary to transfer Brado-
witch from one dormitory where he
had been sleeping with three other
men, to dormitory where there were
five men, He expressed his pleasure
at the change saying that he could
not sleep in his old ward, but knew
he could in the new quarters for
inmates were more quiet.
At 1910 Night GUARDS Mr.. and Mrs
Clyde Grimes entered the dOrmitOry
where Bradovitch slept and found
the six inmates apparently asleep. At
l2:4O Grimes started for the engine
room to inspect the heating plant and
heard noise in the dormitory. Re-
turning, he and his wife unlocked the
door and found Bradovitch standing
with the top of a table three feet
square in the hands, elevated as
though in the act of striking George
Shepard, one of the occupants of the
room Glancing around Grimes dis
covered that all the inmates were
dead He commanded Bradovitch to
lower the table and not take step,
Quickly jumping out of the room, he
ran to the quarters of the day guard,
aroused him, and together the men
returned and told Bradovitch to come
into the hall. AS cool as though no.
thing had happened, he walked into
the corridor and accompanied the
guards to the strong room.
DIR. F. H. Poole, medical superin-
tendent, was called and it was dis
covered that five men had been kill
ed Their names are George Race,
"ocatello; George Pede, Boise; Hy-
rum Peterson, Idaho Falls, Elias Bag
ley, Moreland, and George Shepard,
Pocatello. Their heads We're crush
ed and not ap indication of a strug-
was apparent, one blow from the ta-
Die In the hands of the insane man
having killed each man. Bed cloth
llg remained over all except George
shepard, who had put his feet out OF
bed. No bruises appeared on the
bodies except on the left arm of
Shepard, where two black spots were
discernable.
DR.. Poole Immediately wired Gov
crnor Haines and Asylum Trustees Ir-
win and Moss. An inquest was held
and the verdict OF the corners Jury
was to the effect that the men me,
their deaths at the hands of Pete
Bradovitch, an insane inmate of the
institution, and that it was due to the
overcrowded condition of the institu-
tion, necessitating crowding all kinds |
OF patients into one room, and that |
no blame attached to either the su-
perlntendent or attendants.
Owing to the fact that the appro-
priation for help is about exhausted
insufficient guards are employed, thero
is no chance to classify patients ac-
c0rd1ng to their respective degrees
OF insanity, and the numbers are in
creasing daily.
After the coroner's jury consisting
of twelve of the most prominent busi-
ness men of Blackfoot, investigated
conditions in the institution, all ex-
pressed wonder that such TRAGEDIES
had not occurred before, and these
men have taken steps to demand
that the institution be enlarged,
amount of help increased and better
rondprod NV tho cto,o