The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-07-18
A FRONTIER TRAGEDY.
TWO GENUINE DEsPERADoEs KILLED
BY CITIZENS.
DIME NOVEL LITERATURE ECLIPsED.
Corr. Helena Herald.

Corr. Helena Herald.
Yesterday, the 4th, there was q shooting
scrape at Lewistown, Big Spring creek,
Meagher county, in which three men were
killed. There has been quite number Of
horses missing from the vicinity of Big
Spring creek, and o number Of them are
known to have been stolen. For three weeks
or more there has been two suspicious char.
acters lowering around, known as "Rattle.
snake Jake, the Terror of the West" and bis
partner, O'Fallen, and the general opinion
Of most everybody was that they were horse
thieves, or accomplices, and the ranchmen
and stockmen have been on the watch, with
their minds made up that If any horses were
stolen from this vicinity they would know
who took them. Yesterday the above sus.
picious characters were In Big Spring creek
and had misunderstanding with some half
breeds, more particularly with one by the
name Of Jackson. From words 1t came to
blows. Rattlesnaks Jake dealt Jackson a
blow with his pistol, in his mouth, and made
him lie down on the ground, face down.
ward, under penalty of death. After jack
son got up he ran to his cabin, short dis
lance away, and arming himself with q
Winchester he prepared to defend himself,
In the meantime the two desperadoes, seeing
some half breeds in front of 7. G. Power 81
Bros store, walked up in front of the store
and told the whites to get out Of the way,
that they were going to clean all the half
breeds out. Firing commenced almost i'm
mediately, Rattlesnake shooting at a half
breed, who returned the shot with good eff
feet, hitting him in the hand, and knocking
off couple of bis fingers. The desperadoes
then said they would clean out the town, and
commenced shooting at everybody in sight.
There were only three guns In town, and
they were placed in the hands of men of I'M
doubted courage, who used them with such
good effect that both of the supposed horse
thieves were run down in a short time,
OFallon being shot first through and through
with a Winchester rifle, and Rattlesnaks
served in like manner short time after
ward. Both men showed great pluck.
O'Fallon, after being shot through, rode back
to his partner and asked him If he was hurt.
Jake said that he was. "Well," said ORAL
Ion, 81 am shot, and am dead man, but
will stay with you" At that moment he
fell from his horse, then raised himself upon
his Lnaos. tnnk daIiharafa ain, with bis Win
chester rifle at young man named Smith
Gan outsider who was trying to get away from
the fracas) and shot him through the head,
killing him instantly. The citizens saw that
was not ended quickly, and shooting from
pistols of all sizes commenced in earnest.
O'Fallon took five shots in his body before
he fell the second time, and then he raised
himself on his side and continued shooting
until he had not strength left to support him
self, and after lying down he kept shooting
as long as there was life in him. Rattlesnake
Jake, after he was shot through the body,
kept shooting; then his right arm was broken
by ball, and he changed to his left hand
and kept shooting; another ball broke his
right leg, and supporting himself by the
other, kept shooting; another ball struck his
chin, carrying away half of his jaw, when he
fell to the ground, raised himself on his side
and kept shooting. From weakness he could
not support himself any longer, and he fred
lying fiat on the ground. There were nine
balls in him before be gave up. Just before
he drew his last breath he made an effort 10
raise his pistol again, but had not strength
enough, and it fell by bis side.
Everybody here thinks there was a good
days work done in Kidding the, country Of
these two desperate characters, and only re-
greet that AN innocent man has been killed.
Smith had only arrived in town the night
previous, and was from East Gallatin. They
were all buried to-day.
This is a poor place for desperadoes. The
people Of this section are unit in their de-
termination to rid this locality of all such
characters. Rumor has 1t that seven horse
thieves have been killed and hanged during
the past thirty days within sixty miles of
this place.