The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-02
Especial to Tribune.)

Dickinson, N. D., May 2.-Whilc
neighbors and friends of the Caldwell
family tip.toe in and out of the little
morgue here which holds the bodies
of James H.. Caldwell and his wife.
murdered on their farm, 20 miles
southeast of here, Monday. guard
PAGES to and fro by q ward In . local
hospital here. In that ward Is Mike
Chamak, hired man of the Cald Wells
and the alleged murderer. who after
firing at the farmer and his \ wife.
turned the rifle on himself, tho bullet
piercing his left lung. 3Q7gHo5lSs
Inquest to ee Held Tonight. - n
1 /. A coroner's inquest was held, At tho
ranch home Tuesday forenoon. Cor.
oner Davis postponed final action in
the case until some time tonight,
when the jury will be reconvened and
the inquest be held in this city. The
jury is composed of George J. Brown.
Roy Butler and M. M. Burnett all OF
Dickinson. The verdict will be re.
turned some time Thursday in the
opinion Of the coroner. r...~.', ,
Shot in Self Defense.
The first story told by Chamak was
that he went to the barn and that
Caldwell came there with gun and
after an alteration shot him.
He then grabbed the gun from Cald.
we'll and shot and when Mrs. Cald-
we'll appeared on the scene he also
shot her. He then went and turned
out the cattle and Embarrassed some
horses, but was too weak to hang up
the harness.
cra~ls to Near by Home.
He then crawled to neighbOr.
John ,Elkins, where he arrived about
$50 o'clock in the evening, It taking
him all day to get there. Mr.. Elkins
bears him out in this story, as TO
the time Of arriving there.
Miss croy's story.
Miss Croy, the domestic, who was
at the place at the time of tho mur-
der, told her story in something OF
the following manner. She said
Chamak went to the barn in the morn.
ing and did the chores. About =
o'clock he came to the house and told
Mr.. Caldwell that bull at the barn
was sick and on getting some medi-
cine went to the barn with Mr.. Cald.
we'll. -
About half an hour afterwards ho
reappeared at the house and Mrs.
Caldwell then volunteered to 90 to
the barn with him. In about another.
half hour he again appeared at the
house and after taking several drinks
of liquor found at the place, he stayed
there until about 4 O'Clock In the aft.
ern0on.
Ties Girl 70 Bed.
In the meantime he assaulted Miss
Croy by tying her to the bed, all the
time telling her that he would kill
both the Caldwells and then burn
the place. Miss Croy pleaded with
him not to do this.
Appears with Rifle.
About 4 o'clock he again went to
the barn and .reappeared in 2 sh0rt,
time with a rife, telling the girl to
kill him with it, that he had just then
killed the Caldwells with the rifle.
Said He Was Going % Die.
when she refused to do this he sad.
died a pony for her and told her to
60 to some neighbors.. When she rode
away he told her goodbye, that he
was going to die, and the last she
saw was when he held revolver
against his breast and pulled the trig.
ger.
Denies Assault Charge.
After Chamak was cross-examin0d
he finally admitted everything the girl
said, but denied assaulting her.
The girls story as to the shooting
of himself was borne out by the tact
that the revolver was found wAQre
she claimed he did the shooting.
(CONtinued o f1G0 1S9O0)