The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-09-26
COWARDLT MURDER.
A. Grussey Fatally Shot by
Antoine Ludwig.



An Dnfaithful Wife the Alleged Cause
of the Shooting. Story Of the
Crime and the Reason for It.
A curious coincidence in the annals oil
crime was witnessed in Butte yesterday.
The young man McGee was on trial for his
life before the District Court for killing his
stepfather whom he claimed he shot in
mistake for a man whom he imagined was
having improper relations with his mother,
conduct OF which he unblushingly testified
he had known her to I've guilty on more thar
one occasion. While the able lawyers were
prosecuting and defending this accused
there was
ENACTED A TRAGEDY
which for the time being sent a thrill OF
horror through the community and made
men think that human life was getting to
OC UOOC uCdps IL VlCVIu O1 LnG mufO6r
was A. Grussey the well-known proprietor
OF the saloon at the corner OF Main and
Granite streets and the murderer was
Antoine Ludwig, a miner who is %well-known
in his section. From the general state
ments it appears that Grussey was in his
saloon just prior to the murder and
that he left the rear portion to get
drinks for a couple OF gentlemen who were
engaged in a game OF cards. As he reached
the bar he was met by a friend who told
him that he had just been at the Silver Bow
Restaurant where he had met Ludwig who
was drinking and who declared that he
would kill Grussey before the night was over.
MIR. Grussey did not seem to pay much at
tention to the threat and asked the man to
take a drink which he did. The attention
OF deceased was then called to some bust
ness which necessitated his going into the
wholesale part of the house and he left the
bar room and entered that apartment and
taking a seat engaged in conversation with
the clerk. He had not been there more
than a moment when Ludwig entered and
without saying a wore
OPENED FIRE
shooting five shots in rapid succession, but
all in the back. So quick was the firing
thai it is hard to tell just when the unfor- |
tunate MAJ fell from the chair, but it is |
certain that o OF the shots took effect,
either one of which would lave been fatal. |
Having accomplished his purpose, the
.4,,.i.irfer started on a run down Granite |
street, and thence into the alley. In the
meantime officer Dryer. who was on the /!
upper portion OF his beat and who had
heard the shots, hurried down, and pur-
suing the man., captured him in the alley in
the rear OF DR.. Johnson's office. He still
held the smoking pistol in his hands, and
maden nc resistance. The officer did not
question him, but in an excited manner he
volunteered the information that he had
committed the deed and
WAS GLAD OF IT;
that he would do it again, and was ready
to die. He said that Grussey had ruined
him and his family, and that he knew he
was right in what he had done, and that all
the people in Deer Lodge county would
justify him, for they knew OF his troubles.
About the time of the arrest a large crowd
had gathered at the corner, attracted by
the noise OF the shots, and as is usual, it
only took a second or two to ascertain
that a man had been killed. There was at
once raised an ominous cry OF !
HANG HIM. HANG HIM! =
At this j~uncture deputy Sheriff Tonkin 1
came up, and he and Dryer with drawn F.,
proceeded to take tho prisoner to /
the county Jail, the crowd following but s
making no further manifestations The &
prisoner was turned over to the sheriff and t
locked up. He was by this time very much 8
and could hardly speak. At the r
scene of the shooting all was excitement. q
AS soon as the affair occurred, and it was |
known that it had had afatal~ termination,
the saloon was closed, and officers placed
duty to guard the door until the arrival
The crowd increased, and in an !!
there must lave been five hundred .
persons surging about the doors seeking +
Ior admission. With that peculiar %fascina- Il
ton which ever .
THE MYSTERY OF DEATH, ,
especially when it takes the shape of a trag- h
they fingered and begged to be admit Il
ed that they might view the remains and e
east their eyes on the sight and their ears v
IN the story as told by the eye witnesses p
who were in the room awaiting the inquest. d
The body had been carried from the spot fl
where the shooting occurred to IL small
~ LA OlC lCdl tlAlSl lNlA OuU I'll " CdpIC,
It presented the appearance OF a man in d
slumber and looked natural and "
ife-like. =
THE INQUEST. =
AT s o'clock the following jury which had n
,een summoned by the coroner were sworn: n
George Robinson, Lou P. Smith, E. W. a
Nynne, P. H. Blain, w. s. May and Thorn b
Is Rogan. After viewing the remains they +
to take a look at the premises, v
then began the examination OF wit "
lesses. G.
Thomas Smith was sworn and testified b
hat he was about ten yards distant when I
le shooting occurred; it was lO'Rourke's s
Wholesale store. Heard three or four shots W
det Policeman Dryer and told him OF the a
occurrence. t
DR.. A. Labrie was next examined and d
tated that he heard the shots, five in num- 81
Went to the corner and some one tt
him that Grussey had been shot. Saw q
at once. He lived about five minutes o
.fter the shooting. There were n
FoUR WOUNDS, A
me on the left side OF the head above the u,
eft ear, going across to the opposite sid u
me through the spinal vertebra between II
he shoulders, one below the left shoulder =
that passed SO close to the heart u
that organ must have been wounded, u
he ball coming out about two inches to the
light Of the left nipple, one on the right side a
the body IRON the rear which passed o
the lower portion OF the right lung, ir
IL the balls lodging in the body. Any one tt
+ the wounds would have proven fatal. The W
mes in the head or at the heart would nave h
aused immediate death. He knew the v
eceased well. b
An EYE WITNESS. n
Jerry Sullivan testified that be was in the n
'holesale house III Mr.. O'Rourke, was sit. n
ing very close to deceased, saw a man 1
in and commence shooting, could not =,
him if he saw him, started for the al
ont door, there were four or five shots :"