Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-05-31

Thrilling Winter Days Tragedy in Gus
ter Park.

in the most prominent store, the largest
md best in Custer The mud floor was
rendered muddier by the thawing of
the ice and snow which dripped in
small streams from the rough wrap
pings of the cosmopolitan assemblage
The store is deserted military bar
racks, a Urge, low, barn-liffe affair,
containing beds, blacksmith's forge,
carpenters bench, barroom, grocery
and notion store, and reporters desk.
The center of attraction was the bar,
which was being literally patrouized by
the shivering crowd.
A party of young men Just from Salt
Lake and the mines of Nevada, came
rushing into the store, and, with loud,
boisterous bragadocia, took possession
of the bar. Ranging themselves in a
row in it's front, they called for "some
@ that ar Ticker" Round after round
of whisky was poured down, and still
they stood and talked, and swore and
laughed. They had just arrived from
Cheyenne after twenty days voyage,
and were about to separate and each 20
his own way, some to the north, others
south, and one or two to remain: and
this was the farewell drunk. For fully
two hours they stood before the bar,
pouring down whisky, and about one
o'clock started for the door, where their
teams stood shivering in the storm.
Alexander Shaw and Tom Milligan
were partners, both from st. Lake, both
young, rough, but affectionate friends,
just on the point of shaking hands be-
fore parting. They reached the door
and rushed forth, shouting and yelling,
like drunken men often do. Milligan
drew his revolver and fired in the air.
Fire low, Tom, or you'll hit some of
u.s." said com panion.
Too late the pistol was raised again
by the Keeling man. There was
flash, a report, and Aleck Shaw reeled
and fell across the threshold of the
door.
"Good God Tom, what have you
done? Did you shoot Aleck, Tom ?"
said one of the party.
swered Shaw. "Aleck, come and take
drink"
The reckless shooter staggered to the
PROSTATE form which lay upon it's face,
and Selling him by the coat collar,
turned it over. A CHASTITY, sickening
sight was presented to view. The pale
face was striped with blood, which
oozed ont of small hole in the fore
head, The bullet had pierced through
the brain. and had lodged beneath the
skull upon the back of the head. For
a moment the drunken man stared
down into his friends bloody face, then
his cOuntenance assumed a deadly
pssllor, his eyes became fixed with hor-
ror. He was sobered. Turning round
to his Mortified companions, he said, as
he threw his pistol down:
Boys, [ didn't go to do it, I'll
swear I didn't mean to kill him." Then
bursting into tears he clasped his hands
child.
"He was the best friend had in the
world, boys, and loved him like a
brother. Oh, God, what have I done :?
What have l done?"
Let's hang him." suggested some
excitable Individual behind the half
sobered group of Salt Lake men.
No, no None O. that ERE business
just yet in Custer The man must have
trial." said citizen, coolly, as he
drew revolver.
81 arrest you, sir, in the name of the
citizens of Custer" said Pete Mckay,
the merchant, and Milligan stood
meekly awaiting the grasp Of the law.
"Whol dare to arrest him?" said
one of the drunken Salt Lakers. "You
let go of him, you Pete Mckay. You
have got no legal authority to arrest
him, so jest take your claws off him or
I'll"
"That is my authority" said Pete
Mckay, drawing his pistol. 81 am a
citizen of Custer, and intend to turn
this man over to the city marshal.
Who dares to interfere with me?"
No one - answered one or two of
the bystanders, and half dozen pistols
flashed Out flor, their scabbards, and
for several minutes there was an omi-
nous silence in the group. It was a
fine tableau. There lay the victim of
a drunken ruffian's recklessness, ). the
brains slowly oozing from the hole in the
forehead. Over him stood the sobered
ruffian pale and parlyzed with horror,
while pistol in hand stood the mer-
chant, grasping the shoulder of the
submissive Milligan, behind him
dozen or more miners, hunters and i'm
migrants, supporting the stern, deter
mined merchant, while opposite them
were ranged the Salt Lake party, irreso-
lutte and surprised. It was a critical
period in the history of Custer. A shot
from either side would have resulted
in terrible slaughter. The least at
tempt to rescue Milligan would have
brought forth a volley from the citizens,
and then Judge Lynch would have been
called in to finish up the business.
Marshal Burrows soon arrived and
took charge of the prisoner. A jury
was at once impaneled and frontier
trial commenced in little log cabin,
the home, office, bedroom and court
room Of the provisional Judge. This
trial was brief; the principal witness
was the reporter; nearly all the
other spectators at the tragedy were too
drunk to remember what transpired.
The six jurymen brought in verdict
of "not guilty" Then the acoitted
man was rearrested for shooting within