The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-12-20
The Grand Central Suicide One Of
THE Principals in a Dear
a born Tragedy.
The Burning of Hotel and a Res
idence the Work Of j. O.
Mcdonnell
The Trouble In the Moore Family which
Lead to the Death Of Two People
Traced to Him.

The suicide of j, c. Mcdonnell at the
Grand Central hotel Tuesday was the final
act in one of the most deplorable tragedies
which ever happened in this country.
In 1872 there were married at the Cosmo-
poiian hotel. this city, Mr.. WIN. Moore 10
10 Miss Hattie Dell Robbins. A few days
later the happy pair went TO Mr.. Moore's
ranch, ON the Benton road and began
housekeeping and occupying themselves
with such pursuits as usually pertain TO
ranching; in addition TO which they kept
station, or stopping place, for the accommo-
dation of travellers going to and from
Helena and Benton. They had many
friends, were well liked. and grew prosper
ous. and in the course Of twelve years
had accumulated property 10 the value Of
of $1,000. During these years three chill
dron were born TO them, and their domestic
happiness seemed all that could he desired.
The children had now arrived at an age
when il was necessary 10 send them 10
school. and it was decided 10 do 80. There
was none nearer than Dearborn, distance
that Mrs. Moore should remove with the
children 10 Dearborn and send them TO
| school, while Mr.. Moore remained To take
| care of the ranch. This arrangement was
carried out in the fall Of 1885. Mr.. Moore
visiting his family once or twice week.
! II WIS usual, as IL is in all country dis
] tricts, for the teacher 10 board among the
parents of tile scholars, and soon after Mrs.
Moore had established herself in her TEN.
| porary home the teacher of the school ap-
| piled for board and lodging which was
| granted. Not long after this. Mrs Moore
and the teacher became the subject OF scan
dal and gossip for the neighborhood. The
husband and wife did not get along very
well; still. there WIS no open rupture. This
state of affairs continued till early one
morning IL WINS discovered that Mrs. Moore's
dwelling was on fire, and the flames spread
81 rapidly that II WAS impossible to save
anything except a sewing machine and
few books belonging 10 the teacher She
secured another house and remained
there, sending the children to school till
nbout the first of February, when, at the
request of her husband, she returned with
| iho children Ia tho ranch. In the meantime
however, the hotel belonging to A. n. Milot,
unoccupied, had been fired and burned TO
the ground, and j. \. Bedlcr WIS summoned
| tO liud out. If possible, the perpetrator of
the deed, for thni II wns Of incendiary origin
there was no manner of doubt. lie went 10
Dearborn ostensiby On ishng excursion,
and soon discovered that the teacher was
the incendinry, but for some reason he was
not prosecuted
Before leaving the Dearborn there had
evidently been several quarrels between the
| husband and wife on account of the school.
teacher, and he, siding with the wife, gave
her, whether ~ her request or not il not
known, n revolver, which she carried with
her on returning Ia the ranch.
The next heard of Mr.. and Mrs Moore
they came to Helena for the purpose of Sc
curing divorce, and placed their children at
Nincent's Academy. Mr.. Moore, who WIS
deyotedly attached 10 his wife, agreed ~ the
| proposition. through his attorneys, and
they rturned home to await the action of
the court on the ease, which was docketed
for the March term, lSN.
On the 18th day of February, 1886, a
| couple OF travellers stopped nj the house,
and On entering discovered the dead bodies
Of Billy Moore and his wife stretched upon
the floor. Mrs. Moore WAS lying in the
doorway connecting the dining-room and
Office her face resting on her right hand in an
attitude of repose. The body of Mr.. Moore
lay on its face in the dining-room, a Win
chester rifle underneath, a discharged shell
on the floor, and u ilattened bullet lying at
his feet.
On the following day the coroner visited
the scene of the tragedy. Nothing had been
disturbed The bodies lay exactly as when
first discovered. There was no witness to
give testimony ms Ia the actual facts of the
tragedy, but II WAS plain TO the jury that a
violent quarrel had taken place, and the
theory evolved from the circumstances was
that Mrs. Moore drew the revolver
which the teacher had presented her, on her
husband, who snatched the weapon from
her hand and threw IL out of the door;
where IL WAS found, fully loaded:
that while lac WIS doing this
the wife, evidently distracted with passion,
rushed into the bedroom adjoining, where
Winchester rifle was kept, seized IL and as
| her husband turned, fired nt him, the bullet
presumably entering the parlor floor, but
another shot WAS fired, which took effect in
his breast. struggle for the weapon then
cnsucd, ms WIS evidenced from the disor.
dered state of the room the center table
aud chairs being knocked over Obtaining
possession of the gun the husband shot his
wife IN the side. She staggered toward the
Office and fell in the doorway. Moore went
20 her, himself almost diving from the
wound In his breast, and endeavored
| 10 raise her in a last embrace, the
| dying wOman's bloody finger marks being
| plainly visible ncross his shoulders. He
then stood up, held the muzzle of the gun
10 his temple and fired, the ball passing
through his temple and out at the top of his
head, when he fell dead ON the floor.
The wound in Moores bfeast was a fatal
one, the bullet having passed entirely
through the body and lodged under the skin
| in the small Of the back.
The jury rendered a verdict that deceased
came 10 their deaths by gunshot wounds
whether by their own hands, or the hands of
Others, the jury WIS unable to state.
The school teacher who is said TO have
/ fired Mrs. Monra'g lWallinU Milntfa h.t.I
and been the direct cause of this direful
tragedy, WIS j. G. Mcdonnell who died the
! death Of a suicide at the Grand Central
hotel on the evening of December II. lssg.
AZ the inquest held ON the body of Me-
Dohncll Yesterday morning at Fnlortys
undertaking rooms, no new facts were
elected beyond those published in Tm IN-
reach $1,000