Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-02-12
DEATHS ROUNDUP,
BY REVOLVER AND ROPE.
4 Law Abiding Citizen Shot by a
EiOrse-thief
The Sheriff and Deputies Over
powered, Their Prisoner
Taken, and
A Murderer and Judge Lynch Become
Acquainted.
"Fly Specked Billy Transformed
into a Pine Cone, With the
Blood Of Abe Barnes still
warm on his Hands.
Twenty Masked Men Send Him Over
Twenty Masked Men Send Him Over
The Range.


Last sunday night was thcoccasion Of
the most thrilling and exciting scene
that Custcr has witnessed since her resur-
rection. A cold bioodcd and unprovoked
murder was committed followed almost
Immediately 10y the lynching of the
murderer. The facts of the ease will be
made more intellighc to the reader by
commencing the account With the first
of Fowler. alias Fly Spcck-
ed Billy" in the company of Eis victim
Abe Barnes, a frcightcr residing at
kearnev Junction, Nebraska. and en-
gagrd in The business of hauling freight
was cGmming towards Custer. When
about - miieS below here he Was Joined
on the road. bN man known to
many Of our old residents, as
Fly -Spcrkcd Billy" desperate char
artcr, an outlaw. and formerly connected
with Lame Johnny. of Infamous notori-
ETY.. Billy informed the train that he
had lust left freight outfit, going from
DcaIwood 10 Sidney, and that he deoir-
ed TO visit Custer He WAS allowed To
n.e-1 with ne train, pursly thruagf4 iear
and partly for the sake Of old acqaint-
ancc~hp. They arrived III town sun
day forenoon, and Billy at once made
inquiries as to who we're the peace of
fcers, the sheriff, etc. Having fully
posted himself on this point, and keep
ing IN eve upon their motions as he
feared arrest for some of his former
crimes, he began going about from
one saloon to another. making himself
generally di,agrceable by his abusive
language and threatening movements,
4 came of spanish monte soonat traclcd
him and bluff for 4 fight was soon
made The bystandcrs prevented blows
being struck at this time although only
one or twu were acquainted With the
dangerous character of the man. Billy
then went To- barnes and asked him 10
lei him have his pistol, claiming that he
needed it to protect himself from some
threatened violence. Barnes rather re-
lIctantlv gave it to him. thus unwiting-
Is furnishing him the weapon to take
his. Barnes life After procuring the
revolver, large Colts forty-fvc. he
went on hunt for victim, and from
hi. actions seemed not to care who it
might he. lie had apparently got him-
self 10 a point of yindictiveness that
could only be allaved by taking some
ones life. 1t had probably been some
time since he had killed any one, and he
was afraid he might get his hand out
About every man who saw him during
the evening had the pisto! stuck into
his breast and was obliged Ia obey
his caprice. Finally about 10 o'clock in
going into Geo. Palmer's saloon he ell
countered some stranger whom he or
dered to come in and take Il drink, 1T
the same time laying ,he revolver over
the mans s.ia1.icr and firing three
shots into .e building opposite. Pal
mer it seems mad ordered him out Of
the place an hour or two previous, and
seeing him now enter with pistol III
hand, the other man also having "A
pistol out, thought it concerted plan
to come in and run his place To suit