The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1889-02-14
THE KILLING AT GRANITE
BEECHER'S (ALIAS FRETWELL
STORY OF THE TROUBLE,

STORY OF THE TROUBLE.
The Particulars as Far as Can b,
Learned at Pre- seut-The Vera5c
of the COrOner's Jury Fretweu i,
Jail and Opp Under $4,000 Bonds
The killing Of Kim Poo, the Ch1nama,
at Granite, last Wednesday night, has
been the topic of conversation ever since
and sentiment in Granite appears te
favor the Chinese side. The row will
the Cinnamon and final killing of Kin
Poo is detailed as follows:
For long time past it has been knowr
to the authorities of Granite that al
opium den in the cabin of Gin Lee wal
beng frequented not only by the China
men. but also by others who have ACQUIRED
the habit of "hitting the pipe," as they
term it. On Wednesday night, according
to the story ofthose who did the killing
Deputy Sheriff Opp decided to raid the
demand deputizcd man named Fretwell
but better known in this section as
Beecher, to go with him and assist in
arresting all in the house, providing
they were caught in the act of smoking
opium. When they arrived at the cabin
Opp told Beecher to go in first as the
Cinnamon would not suspect him Of being
an officer, and he might secure a pipe
before they could hide them. Beecher
on being interviewed in tho Jail last
Saturday night, related the following
story: AS l entered the cabin I had no
intention OF killing the Chinaman and
did not do SO uutil I was obliged to, in
order to save my own life. I made nv
way through the front room to the opium
den, my revolver remained in my belt.
When I got into the den I found several
Cinnamon smoking pipes, and some more
were lying down and did not seem to
realize anything that transpired. I made
an effort to seizo a pipe from one OF the
men, when they all rushed tor me. Then
| drew my revolver and fred into the
bunch of them, and heard one scream
after the shot. They
crowded III on me then, and tried to get
the weapon from mo. l then called to
Opp to como in, and as soon as he came
to my rescue, they also tried to get his
gun, and he also fired once, but which of
The two shots killed Kim FOO I could not
Jell.
Cpp's stcry isquite similar to that of
6eecher's, but it is thought unreasonable
oy some to think the shot which Opp
ired killed Kim Poo, as the bullet went
nto Gin Lees' hip and shattered tho
zone, taking a downward course, and
Kim Poo was shot directly in the fore
lead, the ball lodging in the base of the
,rain.
Hom Poo, q cousin to Kim Poo, was
l)so shot through the thigh, and he was
the one who screamed when
'eecher fired; and If only two shots were
lred, this must have been the one that
illed Kim Poo, as he was laying on a
ed in direct line from where Beecher
TODD when he fred, and was killed in
tantly. After the shooting they put
hackles on several of the Cinnamon and
'eecher stood guard while Opp went ont
or more help. He soon returned with
everal men and they proceeded with
be Cinnamon to the jail, where they
ere locked up. Opp and Beecher then
ave themselves up to the constable and
ere also locked up until after the coro-
ers inquest, held before Justice Allason
1e next day. They were re-arrested and
laced in the Philipsburg jail the follow
,g day. A preliminary examination
as held before Justice Shull and Opp
as held under bonds of $1,000 to await
1e action of the grand jury, and Beecher
as committed without bail.
The strongest point against the Of
GERS is the fact that they raided the
lace without first obtaining a warrant,
i'd it is the general belief that Beecher
red before he had occasion to; and from
leir own stories it is evident to see that
10 Cinnamon did not use any violence
I'd did not resist arrest but, were natu-
lily frightened and tried to protect
from all being murdered, and :
.e action they took was no more than ,
1ybody would do under like circum-
ances. Therefore it appears likely
lat the perpetrators of the crime will be
ade answer for their indiscreet and un-
lled-for action
The coroner's jury, held at Granite by !,
lstice Allason, was unable to exonerate
condemn the officers. When Coroner
acer arrived the next day he called the
rmer jurors together and they agreed
acquit the officers. ::
The Chinaman killed, Kim Poo, is said :,
have been a very intelligent celestial, ::
ite prominent as leader and adviser -
long his countrymen. He was a past -
lster of Chinese Masonic lodge and
s much smarter than the average of
race. It is claimed that large -
Iount of money has been subscribed
ong the Chinese to prosecute ard
nish the offenders. The money is not Al