The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-14
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Theo. Burnett Wounds Doug. Ferguson and
Kills Himself

The peace and quiet Of warm after.
noon last SUNDAY was disturbed by one
of the most appalling tragedies ever en-.
acted in this city. Without provocation
a hitherto inoffensive citizen shoots at a
respected neighbor, inficting a slight
wound, and then, leveling the revolver at
lis own head, kill himself. The facts, as
reported &c the coroner's jury, are as fol-
lows:
OnSunday afternoon Theophilus( Theo.
phile) Brunett, well-to-do farmer, liy-
ing near Bozeman, lay down in his
wagon in the rear If Lamme's store,
when sir. E. d. Ferguson, owner of a
ranch in the same locality as that of
'Theophile"came along and spoke to him
Brunett, at once arising, began CONVEX.
sation with Mr.. Ferguson regarding in
imical irrigation matters, a subject which
they had before discussed and were to
settle by agreement the next dag. While
thus quietly engaged, Burnett, without
warning by act or voic-, drew his reyol-
yer, and, pointing it at Mr.. Ferguson's
body in the region of the heart, pulled
the trigger The ball entered the flesh,
struck against rib, coursed to the breast
bone. and, leaving a mark across Mr..
Ferguson's right breast, stopped. Mr.
Ferguson, who is a one. armad man. with
nothing upon his person with which to
protect himself, ran to his stables near
by, whereupon Burnett, who evidently
concluded that he had committed MUIR
der, advanced toward Henry Armstrong.
who was near by, and in a wild, dis
tracted manner, made an assertion de-
rogatory to Mr.. Ferguson. and with a
good bve, boys, Sam Hamilton being
at the window abOve-placed the revol.
yer to his temple and fired. With the
first shot he fell, and while on the ground
shot again at nearly the same place. The
dying man was at once conveyed to the /
Northern Pacific hotel, where he expired !
soon after, unconsciously, surrounded by !
his wife and five young children. A cor
oner's Jury was at once summoned, and |
after hearing the testimony of the two !
witnesses who saw the latter part of the
tragedy, they adjourned until the next
morning, there being two marks upon
the dead mans forehead, which the
friends of Mr.. Ferguson desired to have .
thoroughly investigated in order that
that gentleman might hereafter be ex-
onerated from all blame in the affair.
The marks were found to have been
made by the hammer Of Brunett's revolt
yer while in his own hands. On Mon.
day evening the body was taken from
the Frazier House to the grave, followed
by number of old citizens who had
known the deceased for 20 years, he hav-
ing come to Rozeman from Canada when
only IA years old. He was married
years ago and has children, a good
ranch, and leaves his family in comfort
able circumstances.
'Thcophile" has always enjoyed the
of a Woodworking, good-na-
tured citizen. Not given to fighting nor
brawling, although for the past two
weeks he has been drinking quite heavi-
~. On Saturday night lie discharged
his men, requesting them to remain
around, as he would need them ain.
In many other transactions of late he
has acted in a strange and Incompetent
sible manner, according to the testimony
Of his wife and others. A great many
theories are advanced, to solve this prob
lematical and unnatural act of violence,
some claiming that "Tofeld" was tempo
rarily insane, the result Of broodlng over
the matter of water supply; others that
he had been drinking excessively, but
in all instances everyone agrees that he
had no rause to harm Mr. Ferguson, who
is one of our most respected and high
minded citizens. No angry nor even ex-
lite language had been INDUCED in, and
he cause that led to this affair will
always remain deep, impenetrable mys-
cry.