The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-06-29
SHOOTING AT BUTTE -
Major Kennicott Kills a Man at
Butte City.

A. KennicOtt, well known here,
killed a man at Butte City,
Mont. The Butte City Ipte1-Moltaa-
tain, in an extra gives the following
account of the affair:
This morning as the faro games
! in Kings saloon were surrounded
by a dense thrOug of men, the sud-
den report of pistol caused wide
spread alarm. CONSERVATION ensued
when it was learned that a human
being had in all probability been
killed. The time was 1.25 am, and
from the statement of witnesses Of
the dreadful affair the circum-
stances are about as follows: Geo.
Odeil was the first man to take in
the danger Of the situation and is
probably the only man who saw the
shooting. That gentleman states
that at 1.25 o'clock Prof. S. A. Ken
nicott backed into the saloon from
the sidewalk closely followed by
Jesse Sanders, a Well-knoWn
member OF the sporting fraternity,
better known in this city as "TeX."
The latter was making threatening
demonstrations and KennicOtt was
warning him not to approach unless
i he desired to get hurt. The two
men were about eight feet apart.
When KennicOtt reached the east
end of the bar. Tex was near the
centre of it and was in the act of
Springing forward with the inten-
ton of dlSarming or attacking Ken
nicott, when the latter raised his
pistol and fired. Tex fell immedi-
ately to the floor, without the power
to utter Il word or make a motion.
KennicOtt, lowering his pistol and
showing no unusual excitement, de-
liberately walked out of the house
and delivered himself into the Gus
tOdy of an officer. AS soon as Tex
fell to the floor, Dave Allen and
a number Of others rushed for
ward and lifting up the wounded
man placed him on a faro table
near the door, where he expired in
a little less than two minutes. Be
fore drawing his last breath, it is
stated that bystander asked the
wounded man who shot him, to
which question Tex replied almost
inaudibly, "KennicOtt." 1t is also
reported that when Tex was re-
moved from the place where he fell
d loaded SiX-ShOOter was found by
his side, which report, if true. ex-
plains KennicOtt'S motive for shoot
ing. An examination of Tex'S in
juries showed that the bullet entered
the right side of the neck, passed
through the trachea OF windpipe to
the left side of the neck, and rang
ing downward, cut the carotid art
cry and lodged in the joint Of the
left shoulder. DR.. Johnston states
that death must have been almost
instantaneous, as the lungs immedi-
ately filled with blood, preventing
respiration.
The news Of the shooting created
intense excitement on the street,
which was thrOnged until morning
with crowds of men eagerly discuss
ing the different versions Of the
tragedy. AS soon as possible after
the shooting, the saloon in which
the affray.Occurred was closed, and
preparations were at once made to
remove the body of Tex to the pO-
lice court room, where Drs. Johns
ton and Strom held a post norton
examination, the revelations Of
which are recorded above. Concern
ing KennicOtt's prOvocatiOn to take
the life of Tex, public opinion is
somewhat divided. One rumOr is
to the effect that the deceased had
on two occasions made proposition
to KennicOtt to assist in the eXecu-
ton of plot to rob Donnell, Clark
& Larabie's bank, and that owing to
IKennicOtt's refusal to lend his CO.
operation to the scheme, fued was
engendered between the two men,
which eliminated in the killing Of
Tex.
Another widely circulated report
is to the effect that KennicOtt was
actuated solely by desire to defend
himself from a man whom he feared
would do him some injury and who,
armed with a drawn pistol was
angrily advancing upon him with
that intention when the shooting
occurred. On the other hand it is
stated by the friends of the dead
man that Kennicott's action was en-
tirely unproyOked, that he picked
the quarrel and should be held &C
countable for the crime which re-
suited.
Which one if any of these reports
lis true cannot at present be deter
mined, but will probably be ascer-
tanned at KennicOtt's preliminary
examination, which most likely will
be held tomorrow. 1t is well for
the public to suspend a verdict as to
the justifableness of the shooting
until all the facts for and against
the prisoner shall be brought out in
a court of justice.
! TT may be best to give here the
substance of a private letter re-
ceived on tuesday,
Much as the affair is to be re-
GREETED public opinion seems very
strong in favor of KennicOtt. From
an eyewitness to the affair, | was
told Kennicott backed into the sa-
loon defending himself with a
drawn revolver, cautioning Tex not
to follow him, and when further re-
| ,rNoc11I1o