The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-09-20
GU R BOULDER LETTER.
The Hay Crops Tho Shooting At
fray at'o5Wickes - Incendiary It
j Work-Trouble at Wickes f.tq
About the Sc ling of .s,h sid
... f.7s Liquors.

Editor Butte Miner - '@ " an", "- @ragt
In the past six weeks the ranchmen of this
valley have been busy securing the hay crop.
II VIZ except horses and cattle it is the most
important product of the valley--selling
readily from SIP 80 to $15 per ton in the
stack; and, owing to the gradual develop
ment of the mines surrounding the valley
the demand is constantly increasing. The
crop Of upland hay was quite light this yearl
but the marsh lands produced the usual guam
tity. by skinning the marshes and cutting
close in aud around the bushes, the usual
quantity has been secured, but it is Of an in
ferior quality. The ranchmen will not sell
of as much as they have done in past sea-
SONS, the severity of the last winter warning
them Of the necessity of keeping a sufficient
amount on hand 10 feed over with.
The telegraph has informed you of the
shooting of John Mehan, alias "Happy
jack" by George E. Ticknor, alias "Csyuse
George" at a saloon kept by the latter, near
the town Of Wickes. George gave himself up
to the constable at Jefferson City, and a legal
examination of the circumstances attending
the difficulty wa had before &. A. Darling
ton, J. P, on Thursday of last week. At
the trial it TRANSFERRED that George and ii party
of three or four we've seated at Il table in the
saloon playing poker at tie time the diff
Guilty occurred. Happy Jack came up to him
and demanded something to drink; and IN
George refusing TO give it, he struck bin a
blow with his fist that tclled hin to the floor.
George got up from the floor and they cfinched
Immediately, George at the same time pulling
out a Derrincer from his pocker. While in
this position a party present attempted to sep
arate them, but failing to do so, he let go of
them, and Immediately thereafter the shot
was fired. George was held for trial at the
next term of he District Court, in the sum
of $500, which, l learn, lie succeeded in
giving.
The building and saloon in which the
shooting occurred belonged to kleinscnmid
Brothers & Co., OF Helena, and George was
employed by them to manage the business.
The building aud its contents were burned to
the ground the night after,he alfrav. 1t was
no doubt, the work of all incendiary.
There is an excited state of feeling at
Wickes i'll references 10 selling liquor III
the town and vicinity. Cooper's establish
ment was raided By masked men in tn night,
and himself threatened with severe punish
meut if he continued TIL business since
then lie has beer bought off, and now The
incendiary's torch has be n applied to another
building. We understand there is one So
loon still remaining. We have little syupa-
thy with people who insist in carrying on a
business in the midst of i community that is
opposed to it, even though it be under the
coun,enance of the law. Such people Sc;
public opinion at defiance. We deeply re-
greet this state OF affairs, and tremble TO think
of the deplorable consequences to the entire
community, if The demon Of retaliation should
take possession Of some poor fool.
Boulder is still improving. The Good
Templars' Hall, 22x4O, is up and ready for
the roof. The walls are Of granite and look
we'll.
The Town Hall, 3OAGl, also Of granite, is
we'll under way.
HAPPY jack was shot in the bowels. At
last accounts he was still living, but he will,
in all probability, soon die from the effects
of his wound. <