Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-12-03
MAN FOUND dead
in SHACK, WES7BY;
Inquest is HELD
Coroners Jury Attribute Death
Resulted From Natural
Causes

Joe Burgess Of Westby was found
dead in his box a shack at Westby
Monday evening, by Section foreman
Gunderson who went there to get Bur-
CESS to take his place on the railroad
while he was absent for a couple OF
days.
Burgess worked on the section at
Westby for many years and had lived
in q box car frame that had been set
to one side on the railroad right OF
way. The little room he occupied
was only about 8 x IL feet. When Mr..
Gunderson had knocked on the door
several times he tried the door which
was not locked, but he could not open
it more than a few inches owing to a
lot Of debris that was piled against
it on the inside, but he saw Burgess
Lying on the floor in his undercloth-
ing and that the interior Of the little
room appeared to have been wrecked.
Found Burgess Dead
He Immediately called for someone
to come there and they found that
Burgess WAS dead and frozen solid.
His feet and legs to above his knees
as we'll as his hands, wrists and FORE
arms were frightfully bruised and
covered with blood. The interior of the
room was a shamble and it was be-
lieved Burgess had been killed in a
fight with someone.
Officials Called
County Coroner Nelson, Deputy
Sheriff Smith, County Attorney Bake
we'll and his st~enographer were mott
fled by phone and went to Westby
immediately. A Coroner's jury was
drawn, but was continued until on
Tuesday for further investigation as
well as to have the body examind by
DR.. Storkan. 1t was apparent to the
jury and officials that no n could
have left the shack in the condition it
a The windows were nailed shut
from the inside, the straw dumped
against the door. The bed spring was
torn apart and shelves torn from the
walls, likewise the chair and table
had been smashed and scattered over
the room. In fact, nothing except the
stove was left in the room that had
not been demolished. The mans shirt
and trousers lay where the bed had
stood and contained $185 in currency
and SITS in silver.
The body was removed to Plenty
wood and placed in the F%ulkerson-
Nelson mortuary where DR.. Storkan
exmained it thoroughly Tuesday, and
found that the bruises and scratches
were superficial and could not have
caused death, and so reported to the
roner
Jury's Findings
On Tuesday when the coroner's
jury met again it was learned that
Mr.. Burgess had been subject TO ep-
ileptic fits, and after reviewing the
death from every possible angle they
found that he had come to his death
Dy DTulSlHRy UEhLIII8 0IAu
himself while suffering from n Of
these epileptic fits, and that he froze
to death.
He was last seen alive on Novem-
Der %. He had been laid off from
work ON the section a short time pre-
vious and had applied for a pass for
Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This pass, to-
gether with a check for $50 was at
the Westby depot when his body wa
found.
He had no relatives here, but has a
brother and sister at Eau Claire and
another brother at Seattle, and these
have been notified, and word is await
ed from them as to where the body
shol be buried.
Mr.. Burgess was very well liked by
all who knew him, and was said to be
of a very cheerful and ~peaceable dis
position.