The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-11-15
From Wednesdays Daily.
A e
Collins Struck From Behind
Flight of His Assailant.


Last Sunday night one of the most coward
ly deeds ever known in a mining camp was
done in this city in a Main street saloon.
Already its results have proved seri a
threatening to the life of one man and have
caused the sudden flight of another. No
man can tell now what the end will be, but
there is aud can be but one opinion as to the
facts Of the matter. A game of billiards was
in progress in a Main street saloon. A young
man, we'll esteemed among his friends and
acquaintances in this community, named
Collins, was a spectator of the game. A
young boy, known as "Kid,'' who has unfor-
tunately for all concerned frequented the
Main street saloons, sat down in Collins seat
when the latter stepped down for a moment
to maze a bet. On being requested to give
up the seat the Kid became very abusive, and
slapped at Collins, who told him if he was a
man he would not stand such language from
him. At this point McGregor, the principal
in the tragedy which ensued, stepped up and
applied a most offensive epithet to Collins,
asking him if he had a mortgage on that seat
Collins, as any man would have done, knock
ed McGregor down and then the police came
IN, arrested both Collins and McGregor, and
put them under bonds to appear Monday
morning before Judge Wilcox. Every one
seemed to think this the end of the matter,
except McGregor, and one or two of his
friends who subsequently, it is believed aided
him In his cowardly revenge. Collins strolled
out of the billiard hall, and some three quar-
tiers of an hour afterwards saw McGregor in
another saloon lower dow n the street. As he
looked at McGregor the latter seemed to
avoid him, but a few minutes afterwards, as
Collins was standing near the end of the bar.
suspecting nothing, McGregor anne stealthi-
ly up behind him, dealt him a terrible blow
in he back ofthe head with what is supposed
to have been a half brick wrapped in a hand
kerchief, struck him again with The same dew
ilish weapon as he turned to face
his foe, and then grappled with him, and
chewed his thumb in a most fiendish and
brutal way. OF course they we're separated,
but it is the inevitable inference that murder
was intended. 1t is known that one of Nc
Gregor's friends lent him the handkei chief,
anu LnaC duOLner nclu Lne uOOr Willie Tue
murderous work was being done. McGregor
was then again arrested, and released on the
verbal recognizance oftwo Main street saloon
keepers in the sum of 500. Collins was
taken to bis home, where lie now lies in u
critical condition, though somewhat better
last night. When it became known that Nc
Gregor intended flight he was arrested by two
o flour vigilant policemen about l O'Clock yes
terday morning and taken before Ju dge Will.
cox. The Judge ordered his discharge, and
some two hours afterward he left Butte and
is now a fugitive from justice. 1t does seen
that in such cases as this greater and ditieren
bonds should be required before a man &C
cused OF so grave a crime, committed Will
he was under arrest, should be allowed hi
freedom. If the one hundred dollar bond i
l. paid that would be but a poor recompense II
outraged justice and the injured man. Is
man s life to be valued at such a paltry sun
= as this?
f 1t may be stated that the sympathies of al
who know the facts, inc luding the policemen
> Whose conduct in this matter can not b.
too highly praised--are with Collins, and tina
r every effort will be made now-though so lat
in the day-to bring his cswardly a~ssailant t
justice.