, 1867-10-25
~. Peartown Tragedy.

We have already given an account OF trag'
.dv Al Beartown, Montana, in which Jimmy Ry-
= a former resident of walla Walla, killed az
;,ossndipp miner. The Helena Herald furnishes
later and fuller details in relation to the TRACES
dy, which we subjOin
On the 22d ult, Lovejoy and four or i've other
vonng men of Beartown, were spending the
ssvsning together They had been drinking
so,ne and were all merry and pleasant, but
none of them intoxicated. About eleven o clock
n was agreed among them to have an oyster
snnner. and adjourn for the night LoveJoy had
procured can of oysters, which he held in his
hand. and a loaf Of bread which he carried
uuder his arm and while on tne way to the
place appointed for the oyster supper, he and
his companions, in passing saloon kept by
man BY the name of Smith, beard great merri>
ment on the inside, and it was proposed that
they should go in and "see what was up" On
entering they found James Ryan, George Hurst
and eight or ten others, all seemingly in fine hu-
NOR and having a good time. Lovejoy seated
himself on q stool at one side of the room, and
was asked By some one present, what be was
roing to do with his bread. He humorousy
remarked that he was 'around feeding the 'hun
gry brothers, F" that being title given by the
boys TO the gamblers of Beartown. No excep-
ton was taken to this remark, and shortly af-
terwards, Ryan was requested to sing. He COM
piled; but when be began singing, Hurst-who
il seems had been in the habit of making sport
of Ryan-remaFked, off be could sing no better
than that, be ought to quit" or words to that
effect. Hurst then Immediately left the house,
and Ryan went on with his song. Hurst returned,
however, in a few minutes, and finding that
Ryan was still singing, stood at the door and
began again to interrupt him, and make sport of
him. just here Lovejoy, still seated, interposed
the remark, that "Mr. Ryan had begun to sing
for the boys in good faith and at their own re-
quest, and ought not to be interrupted by any
outsiders" Ryan, who was sitting upon a table
in ono of the back corners of the room, had in
the meantime, become very much enraged. He
drew his pistol-a navy revolver-and hourished
it, remarking as be did so, "maybe you fellows
think l won't shoot" He then leveled Ris
weapon upon Lovejsy, took deliberate aim, AID
fired. He then cooked his pistol quickly and
fired second shot at Hurst, who was still sta nd
ing in the door. He shortly afterwards fred a
third shot, which entered the wall near where
Lovej0y was sitting, but whether aimed at him
or some one else in the same direction, is not
known as after the second shot, there was a
precipitate retreat from the house. Ryan next
went out in the street ravng furiously, but short
ly returned to the saloon and asked for a drink
Whilst the bar keeper was waiting on him, fired
fourth shot, which some claim was accidental
The ball took effect in the counter within an
inch of the top, and iG exact range with the bar
keeper, and very slight elevation of his weap-
on would have added another homicide TO his
terrible nights work.
The shot at Loyejoy took effect just above the
point OF the left hip, and ranging across the
body, was extracted an inch and hall to the right
of the back bone. The one at Hurst who was
standing with his lett side towards Ryan, cut
away his gold watch chain which fell to the
ground, but did him no other.injury
AT the time of the shooting, Ryan was twelve
or fifteen feet distant from Lovejoy, and tweuty>
five or thirty feet from Hurst Lovejoy and Hurst
were not within twenty degrees of the same range
from Ryan, and there is no possibility that the
hrst shot could have been intended for Hurst, as
many at first seemed to think.
LoveJoy on being shot made no exclamation
but walked first into a back room adjoining the
saloon, and in few seconds passed back through
tue saloon into the street, where he was taken
charge of by bis friends.
There had been no previous quarrel or enmity
between ny 'u Huu LurrJoy, ana 1t seems almost
impossible to find motive fof the bloody deed
Ihere was and are two factions in Deartowu. the
one composed exclusively OF Irish, who are LARGE,
~ In the majority there,,a the other chiefly of
Americans There has been much trouble and
.I'leeHhg between these, and general warfare
has at times seemed imminent. Loveioy. who
was fearless, resolute young man, has aIways
stood by his American friends, and NAV have
become obnoxious to many Of the Irish OF that
account, and perhaps to Ryan among others.
and that he embraced this opportunity t. destroy
one whom he conceived to be an enemy of his
clan The more reasonable supposition is, how
ever, that In drunken fit he imagined that the
whole crowd, Lovejoy as well as Hurst, were
nolGlng him up to rdicule and that the motive
for his terrible deed originated then and there
Ryan is desperate character and notorious for
MS broIs. One night last spring be went to the
mouse OF cypran in Beartown, pulled her from
ner bed, drew his pistol and ordered her to leave.
AS she was walking away he took deliberate
ann, a. and shivered a lamp she held in her hand
ne then amused himself by iring the remaining
sno;s OF bis revolver into her bed and furniture.