The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-12-13
TRAGIC DEATH OF
VICTIM OF DRUGS
YOUNG BUTTE WOMAN FOUND
STRANGLED TO DEATH; BODY
THROWN IN WOODSHED
Once a Woman of Beauty, Became an
Addict; Made a Brave but Unava1-
ing Fight Against Drug Habit;
Murdered, Say Jurors.


ing Fight Against Drug Habit;
Murdered, Say Jurors.
Ruth Mayfield, rs years old, once
beautiful, a drug addict, was found
strangled to death in a woodshed
in the Cabbage Patch district, near
Butte, a few days ago. The autho-
rites are of the opinion that she
was murdered.
The jury which sat through an
inquest conducted into her death
by Coroner John c. Murphy also
thought so and returned a verdict
of death by strangulation after a
mass of testimony had been offered
during the course of which suspi-
cion rested upon M and then up
on another person.
Authorities will conduct a thor
ough investigation into the strange
case and the person or persons un-
known accused in the jury's YER
dict, will be discovered if it is with
in the power of county and city au-
thorities to do so.
Heard Dragging Sound
John Turk, proprietor of the
woodshed in which the body of the
woman was found, was the princi-
pal witness and his testimony fell
like a bomb into what promised to
be an ordinary probe.
He said he had heard someone
dragging something into his wood
shed late Friday night. He was in
his cabin at the time, he testified,
and did not leave his bed to inves-
tigate the noise.
Found Body
Late Sunday afternoon he went
into the woodshed and found the
body of the Mayfield woman. Scan
tily clad, it lay with the head pill
lowed on a mackinaw stolen the
night before from a neighbours
wash line.
The case of Ruth Mayfield is
one of the saddest in the annals of
dope addiction in Butte. Twenty
five years of age at the time of her
demise, she had during the five
years prior to her death fallen as
low as it was possible for one to
fall.
Tries to Reform
A year ago, in a last effort at
self-redemption, the woman joined
the Salvation army and for several
months she fought against her
craving for dope. She waged a
battle and returned to her
former haunts.
During the months that Ruth
Mayfield had fought against drugs,
part of her natural appearance re-
turned. At one time she was a
woman who might be called beauti-
full. A blonde with an enviable
complexion, she, even during her
darkest days, attracted attention
She drew to her a cadet in the
army. They were married by Judge
w. E. Carroll one day and that
Ruth Mayfield again fell into
the company of her old associates.
Her husband had planned a din
ner at the home of his parents. His.
father and mother had prepared
the feast and the daughter of the
was sent to summon the
Spurns Husband
She found her in a ramshackle
room of a rooming house on South
Main street. She renowned her
new husband and disdained the box
of apples which he had installed in
her room as a wedding present.
The husbands sister returned to
her home and told her brother of
his brides condition. He appealed
to the police and officers sought to
influence the bride. All to no avail.
For several days the husband
with his wife against her
habit and finally in despair return
to a section gang with which he
lad labored before affiliating with
army and before meeting Ruth
Mayfield.
His wife now lies in the Cassidy
md Gosselin funeral chapel. Few Z
lave come to view her body. None
lave offered to pay for her inter
nent. Her relatives, if she had any,
ire unknown to the authorities and
Ruth Mayfield will fill a pauper's
grave.
Largest Irrigation District
The petition asking for the fOrma-