The daily enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1884, 1884-04-29
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST
Over the Body of Thomas Doherty and
Pendletsn's Examination.

Yesterday afternoon an inquisition
into the death of Thomas Doherty was
held before Judge Seward. acting COR
| oner. The inquest was preceded by a
post mortem examination in the form
of an autopsy conducted by Doctors
Alton. Weirick and Perry in the pres
ence of the jury. The scalp of the
deceased was divided and removed
until sufficient of the skull was ex-
posed, when the practiced hands of
the surgeons sawed the skull asunder
and removed it. The entire body of
the brain tissue was then extracted
and beneath it the bullet which had
caused death was found, flattened and
battered.
The jury then assembled before
Judge Seward, and Dr.. S. T. Weirick
gave the testimony revealed by the
autopsey. Relieved of its technical
terms. it was to the effect that the
skull had been perforated by the bullet
at a point about two and one-half
inche above the left eye; that the
bullet had ranged diagonally down
ward until it rested beneath the brain
and upon the optic nerve which it had
nearly severed such injuries being
sufficient to cause death. Doctors
Alton and Perry concurred in DR..
Weirick's testimony and subscribed
to it.
John Snyder, John Ynill and Chris
topher E. keenan, were then sworn
and gave separate testimony, of which
the following is an amalgamation:
The killing ocurred at cabin about
eight miles west of here. owned by
the Northern Pacific Coal company
and now occupied by John Snyder,
one of the witnesses. Doherty had
been working for the N. 2. Coal COM
pany until Tuesday last, when he was
paid about is63, and came to Liyings-
ton. Dnherty was at Snyder's cabin
on Friday. and with him came to Llv-
ingston and returned the same day
with a quart of whisky. Theodore
Pendleton came to the cabin and be-
gan drinking with Doherty. On Sat
urday forenoon the two were very
drunk but in excellent humor with
each other. They wanted to come to
Livingston that night to "nigger
show and Snyder agreed to bring
them down. About IL o'clock that
day c. e. keenan,, one Of the witnesses,
rode into camp OH his way to the coal
mines near Tlpberline. (He knew
Doherty who had worked at those
mines.) Doherty and PendIeton were
both very drunk at that time but still
good-natured. In few minutes Kee-
nan $ pony got loose and run away
over the hills. Snyder and keenan,
then started away in pursuit OF
the pony leaving Doherty and Pen
dieton alone together in the cabin.
They were absent about half an hour
and went from one-quarter to one-
half a mile from the cabin. While
they were absent John Yuill came up
from his cabin mile away to borrow
some matches. When he came to
Snyder's. cabin he saw the man Do
herty sitting down and leaning against
the wall outside. Doherty was
groaning, aid seeing the blood run
ming down over his face Yuill knew
tile man was hurt. Yuill then went
inside the cabin and discovered the
half-breed, Pendleton, lying down on
the bunk, apparently asleep, with his
revolver in his hand. Yuill came |
away and started to go to neighbor-
iig cabin: when after going about 200
feet lie met Snyder and keenan, retnrne /
ing from their chase after the pony.
He told them there had been shooting
it the cabin. and all three went there
together. When they got to the cabin
Doherty was still sitting outside and
4 sound AS if singing. Kee
nan went up to examine his wound
when Doherty told him to let him
alone. Pendleton was still asleep OH
the bunk. revolver in hand. They de.
liberated as to the advisability of
seizing upon him, but concluded not