Madison County (Mont.) Clerk Of District Court records
Scope and Contents
These records of the Clerk of District Court of Madison County, Montana, consist of exhibits submitted in the trials of Daniel and Donald Nichols. The exhibits consist of photographs, drawings, newspaper and magazine articles, and radio and television announcements. [OVERSIZE MATERIAL: BOX 1]
Dates
- Creation: 1984-1985
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Biographical / Historical
In July of 1984 near Big Sky, Montana, "mountain men" Donald and Daniel Nichols kidnapped student and biathlete Kari Swenson. A search for Swenson was organized the evening she disappeared, but she was not located until the next morning. Searchers Alan Goldstein and Jim Schwalbe located onto the Nichols and their captive the next morning. In their efforts to rescue Swenson, she was shot through the chest, but not killed; Goldstein was fatally shot. Schwalbe escaped the camp after Goldstein was shot and it was located again later that day. Swenson, who had been abandoned by her captors, was rescued. Following a five month long search, Donald and son Daniel were finally located and captured by sheriff John France in December of 1984. Daniel Nichols was tried in May of 1985 and convicted of kidnapping and misdemeanor assault. Donald Nichols was tried in July of 1985 and was convicted of kidnapping, deliberate homicide and aggravated assault. The men were tried in the Fifth Judicial District Court in Madison County, Montana.
Extent
.4 linear feet
Abstract
These records (1984-1985) of the Madison County Clerk of District Court consist of exhibits submitted in the trials of Donald Nichols and his son Dan Nichols, who were charged with kidnaping Kari Swanson and murdering Alan Goldstein near Big Sky in 1984. The exhibits consist of photographs, drawings, newspaper and magazine articles, and transcripts of radio and television announcements. [OVERSIZE: BOX 1]
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subgroup and series.
Physical Location
57:1-3
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information available upon request.
Separated Materials
Artifacts were transferred to Museum
- Title
- Guide to the Madison County (Mont.) Clerk of District Court Records, 1984-1985
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Molly Miller, 2000
- Date
- 2006
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)
mhslibrary@mt.gov