The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1885-07-11
MURDER AT BEAR GULCH.
One of the Best Known Residents of the
Camp Shot Down.

Frank Kannis and Jack Stevenson were
both miners at Bear Gulch and both own
ers of good property there. Last year
they both used the arastra in the Gulch to
crush ore from their respective mines and
each assisted the other in his work. When
Kannls made clean up he gave Steven
son the gold pan containing the amalgam
to carry some distance to the cabin
When Kannis next looked at the pan he
detected, or thought he did, that some OF
the amalgam was gone and accused Ste
venson of taking it. The latter denied il
and hot dispute arose between the two
men causing feud which never seems to
have been healed. On Saturday Kannis
was enjoying the celebration in Gardiner
and was somewhat intoxicated. When he
went over to his cabin he took keg of
beer with him and seems to have had it
there on Sunday. Jack Stevenson visited
him on Sunday afternoon and at the time
there was present third party, German,
whose name we have not learned. Kannis
and Stevenson were probably both intlam-
ed with drinking and the old dispute was
revived with full vigor. Finally Stevenson
said they would settle the matter right off
and going out he went short distance to
his own cabin and brought out heavy
rifle. Advancing to within IS feet or less
of Kannis' cabin he called to Frank to
come out and come ''heeled." The Ger
man tried to dissuade both men from vio-
lent action but without effect. Kannis
came to the door with revolver in his
left hand and stood ON the threshold with
his right foot outside. Against the right
door post on the outside hung saddle at
about the height of Kannis' head. Steven
sons station was at the right SO that the
saddle obscured him from Kannis' view.
While the parties to the tragedy were in
this relative position Stevenson fired and
the ball entered Kannis' body in the left
breast below but in the immediate vicinity
of the heart and came out behind. Kan
mis- fell backward and his German COM
panion pulled him into the cabin, made
him hastily comfortable and then started
as fast as possible down to the quartz mill
for aid. AS he ran Stevenson overlook
him and asked him where he was going.
The German replied that he was going for
doctor as Frank was very badly hurt.
Stevenson said he was very sorry and
would go and give himself up. That
seems to have been the last he was seen in
Bear Gulch. Aid was summoned from
the mill but when they arrived at the
cabin Kannis was just drawing his last
gasps. He probably lived fifteen or twen-
ty minutes after receiving the fatal wound.
Coroner Alton of Livingston was notified
but not being able to attend delegated II.
P. McNaughton at Gardiner to hold the
inquest, not knowing that that gentleman
had resigned the office of justice Of the
peace several months since. There was
no judicial officer in the vicinity compe-
tent to hold the inqnisition. In this
emergency Col. Eaton, whose ability and
importance in the community are superior
to mere commissions of officers, empanel-
ed Jury, swore witnesses and obtained a
verdict in accordance with the facts i'm
perfectly detailed above.
Frank Kannis was stalwart German
about As years of age. He was part own
er with Spieth & Krug Of Bozeman in the
"Homestake' gold mine of Bear Gulch,
one of the most promising properties in
the district. He had always borne an ex-
cellent reputation except that he was a lit
tie inclined to be quarrelsome when
drinking.
Stevenson probably escaped in the
mountain country which stretches from
Bear Gulch without break through to
the Boulder on the east and away into
Wyoming to the southwark. Search is
being made for him but SO far without
success. Deputy Sheriff Templeton started
for the Boulder valley last evening and
with sufficient posse make thorough
search of that locality in the hope of in
tercepting the murderer. Stevenson is an
experienced mountaineer and there is
small probability of his early capture.
He started afoot and had no food with
him nor did he wear coat. But he had
his rifle and fifteen rounds of cartridges.
Since the above report was prepared
we learn the additional facts that during
the dispute in Kannis' cabin Kannis
threatened Stevenson with an axe helve
and Stevenson called the Germans atten-
ton to that fact, as if with view of fu-
ture evidence, before he went for his rifle.
It Is also said that cartridge was dis
charged from Kannis' revolver as he fell.
Big Bear Captured.
A dispatch from Winnipeg on the 5th
said: Big Bear was captured on Friday
morning near Carlton by Sergt. Smart Of
the mounted police. His son and one Of