The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-09-17

The Well known Dakota Politician and NeWspa-
per Man Of Mandan, Shoots his Fellow Towns
man, Prank FarRSWOrth, In ~. Paul.

per Man Of Mandan, Shoots his Fellow Towns
man, Frank F~arRSwOrth, In st. Paul.
The following are the newspaper reports
of the mysterious affair. Farnsworth has
been in St. Paul for several days,
stopping at the Merchants, while Mead
had been recently employed in the office OF
the managers Of the State Fair. Tues
day evening, the 18th inst, Mead entered the
hotel. He wentup TO Farnsworth and the
two shook hands. They talked a lew
minutes hen their conversation became
loud enough TO attract the attention oil
some men near at hand. One OF these say
Mead was very abusive and called Farms
worth some bad names. The two men
separated. Some time later they met
again. Mead says Farnsworth went out
OF the hotel and returned, while the latter
says Mead went outand returned. However
this may have been, the two met again.
The men disagree as to what then occurred.
Eve witnesses state that after they had
talked a short time Mead pulled a
revolver. He held it up with the muzzle
pointed TO the ceiling and waved II
in the air. All at once the muZZle was low
cred and the revolver discharged. Farms
worth Immediately placed both hands on
his stomach and said. "Oh, my God. I'm
shot in the stomach, Ny poor little ones,
what will they do As soon as the shot
was fired A. H. Warren, who was sitting
near, rushed NJ, caught Mead around the
neck from behind and tried TO get the re-
volver. This was taken from Mead's
hand. Meanwhile Farnsworth had stag
gered around, making n circuit OF the
rOtunda. As he came up TO where
Mead stood he struck the latter a
terrific blow in the face. Mead dropped
like a log, while the blood began to flow
from his pnSa a M lnaD ont IN his face
Farnsworth was taken hold OF by some OF
the men at hand and taken to a room
in the hotel where an examina-
ton showed that Mead's bullet had en-
tered F~arnswOrth's abdomen near the
naval. The surgeons were in ioubt as to
the result. One OF them said: I'VE are in
hopes that the bullet has simply
passed down between the abdOmin-
al muscles. If that theory is cor
rect the chances for recovery is good. If
the bullet has passed straight through the
abdomen and injured any of the intestines
his chances are doubtful. Farnsworth has
a wife and three children at Mandan, and
seems to be most solicitOus as to them.
When he was conveyed to his room
after the shooting he said: Save
me, doctor, for Gods sake! | can't die.
What will become Of my little ones?"
Farnswerth and Mead had been friends,
and both disclaim any enmity to each other,
though they differ as to the circumstances
OF the quarrel Farnswerth says: II sup |
posed that Mead and myself had al
ways been friends, and am at Pm utter loss
to know why he should have shot me. We
have lived in the same town for a number
OF years. He must either nave been drunk
or else a crank"
Mead says: II have known Frank
Farnsworth since 1871. We have always
been the best OF friends. Farnsworth was
about hall drunk, and | had been drinking
myself considerable"
A. II. Warren OF st. Paul was standing
near the entrance to the hotel, and heard
Mead call Fransworlb a id thief" his |
attention being first called to the diff.
hculty by that remark. F~arnsworth
appeared to pass it off and, in order
to avoid any alteration, left the
corridor OF the hotel and went upon the
street. Returning soon afterward he enter
ed the office, the first man he met happened
to be Mead himself. Mead walked up to
him IN an apparently cool, collected man
mers and called Farnsworth a ''son of a
b-h, at the samet time placing his hand be-
hind him as iItodraw a weapon. Advancing
near TO Farnsworth he repeated the oppro.
bious epithet. Fransworth then spit in
Mead's face and turned about to leave.
but Mead had by this time drawn his re-
volyer and fired. Mr.. Warren rushs d for.
ward, grabbed Mead aboutthe neck. at the
same tim reachingfor the revolver. 1t was
hred Just as Warren reached for it. the ex-
pios1on blackening his hand. Mead at
tempted to fire the revolver a second time,
but Warren managed to secure the weapon
and thwart Mead's design.
Frank j. Mead is one Of the best known
men in the Northwest. He has been promi-
nent as q newspaper man and politician.
he came to Minnesota twenty-eight years
ago and settled iii Mortified, where he
worked on a newspaper. He afterwards
ran a paper at Hastings. Mead then came
TO st. Paul and worked as a compositor
on the old st. Paul Pioneer. During
the war he served in the First
minnesota and in Hatch's battal-
lon. Alter the war he returned to
81. Paul, and was city editor OF the old
Pioneer Tor several years. He then went To |
Omaha and Salt Lake City, where be work |
ed on newspapers. He afterward returned
to ST. Paul and worked on the Pioneer
again. de next removed to Minneapolis,
and Tor four years-from 1874 to 1875
ne occupied the position OF city clerk. In
1879 he removed to Mandan, where he has
since resided.
Frank Farnsworth formerly resided in
st. Paul. He removed to Mandan and
engaged In the dry goods business. He is
recognized as a young man OF usual bust.
ness ability and stands high in the estima-
ton OF both st. Paul and Mandan people
who know him. He is about thirty five
years OF age and has a wife and two chill
dren. He came to st. Paul to purchase
goods.