The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-12-01
lanes Blunt Shot and Instantly Killed by
George Cook, His Brother.
in-Law.
The Crime a PremedItated 0ns--The
Story Of the Only Eyewitness,
Master Henry BrodIs.
Search for and Capture Of the Murderer
An Interview With Him at
the IaiI. e

About $3.50 Thursday evening the
quiet Of Thanksgiving was broken by
the sound of a pistol shot which rang
out sharp and clear and startled all
who were in the vicinity Of South A
and Front streets. A moment later a
crowd began to gather in front of the
saloon of L. Abrams, on Front street,
and in the midst Of the gathering lay
the body of u mantle heart still and
pulseless though the body was still
warm-with a pool of blood forming
about his head. The dead man was
he who was known In life as James, or
"Jim," Blunt-one of the ''old timers''
of Laramie, and at the time of his
death occupying the position of ~janitor
of the east side public school building.
The proper officers were notified at
once, and the body removed to the
dead rooms of Stryker & Jackson.
Yesterday morning a man named
George Cook arrived in the city from
Medicine Bow, where he has been
working as a coal HEAVIER the last few
weeks. He has been a resident of Lar
annie off and on for several years,
and has always been regarded as a
good-for-nothing, drunken loafer.
who would only work when compelled
to. He is a brother Of the wife of the
dead man, James Blunt, and bad blood
has existed between them for over a
year, growing out of the brother-in-law
relationship. Cook had some money
when he reached Laramie, and he at
once set about spending it. He drank
considerable during the day, and fire.
quently displayed a large A 5-calibre self
cooking revolver, which he carried
strapped about him. About6:3 80 O'Clock.
or perhaps a little earlier, he visited
Cleveland's saloon, and while there
drew and hourished his gun, saying
that he was looking for Jim Blunt and
was going to kill him. He next ap-
peared at the saloon of Fred Hesse, on
Front street, and was accompanied by
two friends, both of whom were strang-
ers to the occupants of the room, but
who, we are informed, have been acting
as walters in q Rawlins hotel until very
recently.
Messrs. a. 7. Brodie, master me-
chanic of the rolling mills, and Hugh
Lavery, accompanied by Master Henry
n. Brodie, a 12-year-old, bright, little
lad, we're out hunting yesterday after
noon, and returning late, dropped into
Hesse's place, leaving the boy outside,
on a horse. A few moments after they
entered George Cook and his two COM
p~anions came out of the saloon and
started down the street toward the
rolling mills. Abrams saloon Is the
third door from that of Hesse's, and
just as the trio-came opposite it Blunt
emerged from the building. Master
Henry Brodie was not more than forty
feet from them, and heard every word
that was said, and as the saloon was
lighted up of course could see every
move made. He says that as soon as
Blunt came out of the building, Cook
halted him and commenced to abuse
him. Blunt said:
"That's all right, George. I don't
want any quarrel. Let's go in and
take a drink"
Cook kept calling him names, how
ever, until Blunt finally said, as though
angry:
I've a id big notion to mash your
nose all v your facet"
"Do you mean thstp" inquired Cook,
and before Blunt had time to reply,
stepped back a pace, pulled his revolver
from its scabbard, and fred. Blunt
fell like a log. Cook stood, with the
smoking pistol in his hand, looking lat
his victim for several seconds. Then
he walked around him, said, "You
s. of a b-h, I've killed you, have II"
and turned and walked away, still to-
ward the mills or to the north. Mr.,
Brodie's boy, meanwhile, had jumped
from the horse, and ran around the
corner, fearing Cook might shoot at
him. He did not go, however, until he
had seen and heard what has been re-
lated in the foregoing. He returned a
hslf-mlnute later, and met his father,
Lavery and Hesse coming out of the
saloon. They at once went to where
Blunt was lying, but found that life
had fled.
Mr.. Abrams, who keeps the saloon In
front of which the tragedy occurred =,
says Blunt left his place only a few
minutes before the shot was fired. He
heard him and some other man quar-
reling outside, and locked the door SO
that they could not gain admission.
He heard the pistol shot, but did not
dare to go outside until he heard
the voices of Lavery, Brodie and
Hesse.
Meanwhile, the two companions OF
Cook had fed. They left him as soon
as the shot was fired, or a little be.
fore, and up to this writing have not
been found.
What of the murderer?
) After satisfying himself that Blunt