Fergus County Democrat., 1916-05-11
THE MURDERQF
GEO. CRAWL ORD
ALL THE FACTS BROUGHT OUT
AT INQUEST HEIR THURS
DAY AFTERNOON
VERDICT RETURNED BY the JURY

who was shot and killed last Sunday
afternoon in the Forest Grove section
by Pat Berger, a half breed. The in
quiry was conducted at the court
court house, the jurors being John II.
Deskins, Henry Urbach, Leslie NC
Cam, John Nodson, David Motherell
and G. r. .Jamme. Assistant County
Attorney Raymond Dockery looked
after the interests Of the state, the
prisoner not being represented by
counsel.
The investigation was a lengthy
and thorough one, the facts estab-
lished being exactly as stated in the
Democrat last week.
Summarizing the evidence. it seems
that last Sunday Max Longevin, a
brOther-in-law of Pat Berger, left the
Berger place Sunday morning to re-
. load a lot of furniture that had been
displaced and scattered in runaway
while he was taken it to his house,
which is only few feet from Craw-
, ford's cabin Pat and John Berger
Went to help him. Or the road Craw-
ford Joined them and they all chat
ted for a time, there being no unpleas-
ant feature until Pat tried to get Mr..
Crawford to let him get on the horse
with Crawford and when thi7 was
refused. held the horse by the bits,
but it terminated all right. Following
this Pat went to the Berger home,
where he had 5000 rifle, got the
weapon without being noticed by the
parents or others in the house and
went over to Crawford's place. His
sisters, Mrs. Longevin and Mrs Fred
! I.avadure, and Miss Mabel Smith who
We're in the l.ongevin place. saw bin
\ nass and 90 to Ora Words and Mrs.
Longevin witnessed the entire trag
/ edy. Crawford was sitting inside peel
ing some potatoes and smoking his
pipe. Pat pushed tie door wide OPP
| en- and shot Crawford twice as he was
seated in the chair the first bullet
going through the hand and into the
| throat, While the second entered the
body.
Immediately following, and in re-
spOnse to questions by Mrs. Long
evin is sister, Pat stated that he had
killed the man for her as Crawford
was going to kill her last summer.
| He also stated to his brother-in-law.
Mr. Longevin that he had killed Craw-
/ ford for Longevin This DOUBTLESS
! tween the parties in which Crawford
won in the local office, the case now
being on appeal. However there
was no i'll feeling whatever between
/ Longevin and Crawford, who go along
amicably at all times.
Most Of the witnesses WHO had an
opportunity to observe Berger's con
dition about the time of the tragedy
; la liz, ba inf
ence of liquor. although not drunk.
| Berger repeatedly stated that he
knew what he had done and was will
/ ing to hang for ii.
! Max Longevin. whose wife is Berg
er's sister, testified at length as to
the reloading OF the furniture and the
| incident of CraWford's coming up the
road while they We're engaged in the
work. After Crawford left, Pat Slip
! ped away and went to the Berger
home. The witness did not see him
! again but it developed that he went
there for his rifle and proceeded on
over 10 Crawford's place.
Fred Lavadure, another brother
in-law of Berger, testified to being at
Longevin's place when Pat went by
and shortly after he heard the shots
Z Ht W itHeSS W0HI Out anu IHtl HlHl
and then went on to the Berger place,
taking the rifle.
/ Mrs. Longevin said when Pat went
by the Loneevin place, she watched
him through the window, saw him
push open the door and aim the rifle.
1t was only then she realized what
was coming anad she turned away
She testified that Pat was undoubt-
l. I-,., Il.
LOngevin, a sister OF Pat. who also
saw him pass her house Sunday aft
ernoon watched him and saw him
fire the two shots She rushed out
and asked him what he had done. Pat
replied: I've finished him. Go and
see him. | did this for you He
was going to kill you last summer
but | wouldn't let him do it again.
4 John Berger, Teddy Berger, and Joe
Berger brothers of Pat. testified to
the statement of the prisoner when
he reached home, Immediately after
the tragedy, to the effect that he had
killed Crawford and was prepared to
take the consequences.
Mabel Smith, who was also at the
l4ongevin's place when the shooting
occurred, related the circumstances
as related by Mrs. I.ongevn and Mrs.
Lavadure.
Lincoln Walker William Everett.
William Woods and Ed RoSenhall all
testified to circumstances following
the tragedy, chiefly as related 10 their
efforts to keep Berger under guard
until the officers arrived
The rest of the evidence was un-
important. Mrs. Crawford, widow of
the murdered man. arrived vest rdav
morning from Alberta, Canada only
six miles over the line from Montana
and listened to the testimony. She
states that Mr.. Crawford was 81 years
OF age. They have two children.
The jury returned verdict in ac-
nordance with the facts, setting out
that the deceased came to his death
from gunshot wounds inflicted hy Pat
Berger and that the killing was fel-
OniouS.
CRAWFORD FUNERAL.
The funeral of the late George
Crawford. the homesteader who was
shot and killed at his place in the
Forest Grove district last Sunday by
Pat Berger, was held Saturday morn