Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-06-17
Local g. Territorial.

SHOOTING ATFRAY.-A serious shoot
ing ARRAY, occurred on Monday, 18th inst.
in the western part of this County, which
resulted in the death of Thos. Noonan,
a resident, we believe, of Omaha. The
particulars are as follows:-
The ARRAY grew out of a claim difficult
ty, between Noonan and c. l.. Mathews,
a resident of Douglas County. Mathews
owned a timber claim, on the Elkhorn
River, in the S. f. Ia of Section %,
Township Ia, Range 10, which he pur-
chased three years ago, this June, for
SIS or $50, and has lived in the neigh
borhood since that time. Last August,
Noonan pre-empted the land above de-
scribed, without living on 1t a single day.
As soon as Mathews learned that Noonan
had made the entry, he went to see him;
but Noonan denied having made the en-
try. In the course of two or three weeks.
Noonan acknowledged to Mathews that
he was the one that had pre-empted
Mathews claim, and forbid him from
cutting timber from the land. In Febru-
airy last, Mathew and others cut timber
from the said land, and Noonan sued
Mathews for tresspass, claiming $4,000
damages.
Mathews and others having filed a
caveat, against Noonan's pre- emption, the
trial occurred at the Land Office in Omaha,
last week Tuesday, and the proceedings
were forwarded to the General Land Of
flee in Washington.
We believe Noonan and Mathews had
a quarrel in Omaha, at that time, in which
weapons were drawn.
Mathews returned to his home and in
formed the Union Club, what had happen
ed at the Land Office, and said that he
thought Noonan would be Out in a day or
two to attach the logs belonging to Math-
ews, which he did, and remained there
over night, and then returned to Omaha.
The Club assembled to investigate the
matter, but nothing was done. Noonan
came out again on Sunday evening, in
company with several Irish, to
work on the land, or rafting the logs.
Mathews again called the Club together,
and they went, unarmed, to the land to
see Noonan. He fled to the house of
VIM. Knight, and there drew and cooked
an U. S. pistol, and acted on the defens-
i've. The Club afterwards sent a Com
mittee Of one, 10 confer with Noonan, re-
questing him TO give a bond or surety,
that he would not NEEDLE with the logs or
land, until a decision had been obtained
from the General Land Office, which he
refused TO do, and cooked his pistol and
bade him leave. After considerable med
%iIaliOn, on the part of the Club, they sent
another Committee, to make a similar re-
quest. lie again drew his pistol, and said
he would see them in hell before he
would give a bond or sarety. In the mean
time, the President of the Club arrived
in company with several others, and al
the request of Mathews, the President re.
quested Noonan 10 come out like a man,
and give himself up; whereupon Noonan
drew his pistol and cooked it. Mathew:
then drew up his rifle and fired at Noonar
which took effect in his abdomen. He fell,
aud expired in little over an hour. The
members Of the Club then retired 10 theil
respective homes. Neonan was an Irish
man, aged about 81 years. A large
number of Noonan's friends come out from
Omaha, on Tuesday morning, to procure
his body. No arrests, so far as we car
learn, have yet been made.