River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-03-19
MINNESOTA TRAGEDIES.

From the Duluth Minnesotian.l


Our city was thrown into an intense
excitement on Thursday night, about Q
o'clock, by the report that John Pugsley
had been shot, and on going to his place
Of business we ascertained the report to
be too true. Mr.. Pugsley, who is a
liquor dealer, had his place Of business
divided into two apartments. the
front room being devoted to his
wholesale business, and in
the back room is his bar room. Mr..
Pugsley was standing behind the bar with
his left side toward window near by,
conyersing with several persons, when a
shot was fired from the outside, and Pugs-
ley threw up his arms with the exclana.
ton, 81 am shot, and know who did it, :"
and Immediately ran around in front of
the bar and took off his coat and vest,
when he was taken up stairs (Mr. p. re-
sides over his store) and medical assist
ance sent for. On getting to his chamber
he fell on the floor, but by the aid Of sew
eral persons who had arrived by this time
he was placed on his bed, when it was as.
certained that the ball had entered his
back through the left shoulder blade, and
had imbedded itself in his body.
DR.. Wallbank arriving at this juno.
ture commenced to probe the
wound and search for the ball, and ir a
short time extracted it from point four
inches below the left nipple, but as Mr..
Pugley showed no signs of hemorrhage,
and no blood came from the wound, il
was impossible at that time to tell wheth-
er the ball had passed through the body
and the left lung, passing just under the
heart.
While the friends Of Mr.. Pugsley were
ministering to his wants, Immediately
after the shooting, another scene twas go.
ing on near the corner Of Superior street
and First avenue east. Chief Of Police
Thompson was going along the street
when all at once what Mr.. Thompson
supposed to be boy fell into hi,
arms with the exclamation, "0h! Mr.
Thompson, have been looking for you,
to which Mr.. T. replied, "Who are your
and received the answer, don't yot
know mel am Hattie" and she i'm
mediately swooned. When Mr.. T. caugh
her he discovered by her sof
hand that it was girl
and the thought struck him tina
perhaps it was some young girl who haC
in romantic freak put on her brother
clothes and gone out in the street, anC
being detected, had sought him for pro
lection, but when the girl came to hei
senses. said. II am Hattie, and have JUS
shot John Pugsley. To which Mr.. 4
replied, "What is this Hattie Russell
and she said it was. Mr.. Thompson ther
took her to his house---(Duluth has M
Jail fit even for hogl-and provided hei
with safe quarters in vacant room. ii,
then went down and found that what sh,
had told him agreed with our particulars
Of the shooting.
THE CAUSE OF THE SHOOTING.
1t will be remembered that at the tern
Of the District Court held in February
last, an action was brought against Mr.
Pugsley by Geo. Russell for the seduc
tion Of his daughter, Hattie. The jury
disagreed and the case went over until
the summer term, when it was, for some
cause, postponed, and is to come up again
this spring. Mr.. Pugsley was married
some time since, and this fact seems tC
have irritated both Hattie and her pa
rents still more, and we understand Geo
Russell has, on two occasions, threatened
to shoot Pngsley, and when he exclaimed,
81 know who did it," Just after he was
shot. he supposed that George had fired
the shot.
HATTIE RUSSELL
will be fifteen years Of age on the first of
next April, and the child which she
claims Pugsley to be the father Of will be
one year Of age on the 25th of this month.
She is small in stature, and has a pleas
ant face to look upon; but it is claimed
that she has very bad example set by
her mother, and that consequently her
life has been hayward one from infancy
up. When taken into custody she was
was dressed in a suit Of her brother S
clothes, and had with her large navy
revolver, which also belonged to her
brother. The revolver had three loaded
and two empty chambers.
CHIEF OF POLICE THOMPSON,
after talking with those who we're with
Mr.. Pugsley when the shooting occurred,
concluded that perhaps the girl had been
instigated by her mother or father to do
the deed, and went to their home near
Rice Point, and on the pretext that he
wanted TO warm himself, entered into
conversation with the mother, who was
the only one up at the time. lie in
quired where the family was, and was
told that they were al in bed ex-
cept Hattie, who was visiting at
a neighbours. After further conversation
during which he watched for signs which
would indicate uneasiness or anxiety on
her part in regard to Hattie, Mr.. 1homp.
son concluded that she was innocent of
completely, and told her what had hap
pened, when the mother screamed, and
the father jumped out of bed exelaiming,
my God, more trouble, what will be.
come Of us p Mr.. T then got some of
Hattie's clothing aud took il to her.
We might add that when Mr.. Pugsley
was first laid on his bed after receiving
the wound, and when he supposed he was
dying, he called all the persons present
around his bed and said "Gentlemen, I
may not live but a few minutes, but |
want you all to remember that | here call
| Oh 10 Il. n