Died in jail or a lockup
Ortoff
Ortoff, a man, was found hanging in his jail cell in August 1903, according to the account printed in The Butte Inter Mountain. The jailer said he heard noises from the cell, found Ortoff hanging, cut him down and notified the coroner. The coroner ordered the body taken to an undertaking room for an inquest. The newspaper noted that the rope was fastened to a low ventilator and that the body showed no chafing or signs of a struggle, questioning how the death happened, though the article reached no conclusion.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide. The jailer found Ortoff hanging in his cell and cut him down, and the coroner ordered an inquest, which is still pending.
Reported by: jailer; coroner.