The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-12-29
A DISTRESSING TRAGEDY.


About noon last Friday, as Jacob Kenck
was standing in the door OF Horskey 4
kenck's Helena Brewery saloon, talking
| across the street with Mr.. Rohr baugh, Henry
Forman the father-inlaw Of Kenck, came
| from behind, placed pistol at Kenck's head
| and fired. Kenck fell mortally wounded aud
| died before seven o'clock the same evening.
Jacob kenck had been twice married. His
| first wife had been the daughter of Henry
Foncan, the assassin. Two children were
born to tins wediock Mrs. kenck finally
became, a. we are informed afflicted with a
tumor that was pronounced incurabe by the
| Helena physicians. Mr.. Kenck took her to
DR.. Atlee of Philadelphia, for Treatment.
An operation WAS performed upon her and
she died. II is said that this result aft cted
Forman's mind. She was his only daughter,
his only child, his son having died seven
years before. IL appears to be the judgment
| of those well.informed on such matters that
Forman was really insane. The interviews
had with him subsequent to the deed coufirm
| this view, ~ he expressed regret when told
| the shot was probably not fatal and said If he
was freed he would attempt 1t again. He had
intended to kill him on Christmas 1881, but
fell the evening before and broke his leg.
He had intended to kill him this Christmas,
but having good chance on the ed, he had
| effected his purpose. When told that
Kenck's friends were liable to hang him, he
| said he didn't want to be hung, but If that
| was to be his fate, he wanted three Germans
| to hang him at his own cabin. That night .
large number Of men congregsted around the
Jail and there was apparently a disposition
to take Forman out and hang him, but wiser
counse! prevailed and the Jail guard which
had been strongly REINFORCED was not SUBJ
jected to test Of its nerve.
Mr.. Kenck had married again after the
| death of his first wife. This does not seem
to have been the occasion of Forman's act
| His grievance was the death of his daughter
which apparently unsettled his mind. We
were not aware Of the circumstances at the
| time. bnt no larger-hearted, honester, kinder
man never lived in Helena than cake"
/ Ksnck. He was honest, moral, industrious,
generous, temperate and manly. He was
successful in business as he deserved to be
He had done all he could, under the best
| medical advice, to save the life of his wife,
! but her father thought II she had not married
him her life would have been spared, and
| the thought drove the poor old man insane.
There is no censure for this condition. The
victim cannot be held responsible for de-
throned reason. 1t is a misfortune, not q
crime. Who sways the world to-day with
the mightIest thought Of God-given intellect,
may tomorrow be less responsible than an
idiot. 1t is bat % tip of the scales, and there
are few themes the mind could turn upon
entitled to so much respect ~ the love of .
man for his child. We say this rs friend Of
the murdered man. But the sane should not
be imperilled by the insane. The fault Is
largely in the laws and their enforcement
This man Fornan, was, 1t seems, known to
be demented. He was, although less talka-
tive as much of crank as Guiteau The
place for both should have been an insane
asylum, under strict duress until their men,
tai malay was pronounced by competent
board Of medical men, entirely cured. 1t
should at least be the penalty of such deed
by an insane person to place him during his
life or lunacy in strict confinement