Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-15
THE LATEST HOMICIDE.
IT WAS A MOSr 0OWARDLY AND
UNPROV0KED MURDER.

While Trying to Avoid Trouble Able,
j. Springer is Assassinated Withou
Cause or warning-Full Details Z
b Crime and How the Murderer W
Captured.
Tuesdays MINER contained a brief, an
somewhat disiointed account Of q murde
committed at Rocker. the night befor.
Owing to the lateness OF the hour at whic
the killing was done and the great excite
ment it caused, it was impossible to get
more accurate version Of the affair.
The following account of the murder
taken from the testimony OF witnesses es
auined before the coroner, immediatel
after the deed was committed, is much NOR
accurate and complete.
Albert j. Springer and Howell Thoma
were in w. B. F%erguson's saloon ant
had taken a few drinks together. Atabou
1O:4S O'Clock, Ferguson, who was playin,
| pool, had his attention drawn to the TIVE
men by their loud talking as they wer,
standing by the bar, and heard ThomaI
say to Springer, "I'm just as good a mar
as you are" which remark he repeated
several times. To this Springer replied, "a
know you are, that's all right, take a drinl
and say no more about it"
Instead, however, OF taking q drink,
Thomas pulled off his coat and laid it Oh
the counter and said, "1'm just as good al
you are, or any -,-rr IN this count
"What's the matter with you, Idon't want
any fuss with you" Thomas repeated
"Im just as good al you are" and imme
diately struck Springer in the breast with
his left fist.
After being struck Springer said: "If yor
are looking for a fght 1 will give you all the
fight you want, for I don't want anybody
to strike me, Howell" Themes, who after
having struck Springer stepped back a few
PAGES, now advanced upon Springer agair
and Springer struck him in the face ano
knocked him over q couple OF chairs stand
ing behind him. Springer continued to
stand where he stood when he knocked
Thomas down. Thomas picked himself uI
told him he didn't want any trouble with
anybody, but il Thomas was looking for a
fight he would give him all he wanted.
BY this time Furguson advanced to
where the two men were and stepped be-
tpeen them and pushed them apart,
Springer standing to the right OF him and
Thomas to the left. When standing in
that position Thomas drew his pistol, a
large A5-calibre Smith Il Wesson, and
pushing it under Ferguson's left arm fired.
Ferguson wrenched the revolver out oil
Thomas hand and as he did 80 the latter
said, Let loose o. that you---,'
and started to run out OF the back door.
Springer fell as soon as the shot was fired
and said, I'm done for" the last words he
spoke.
Thomas, who now had reached the back
door, started to run, and Ferguson called
after him two or three times to stop, but
he paid no heed to the command, and
Ferguson fred one shot after him from the
pistol which he had taken from him and
was was still holdingin his hand.
Ferguson now telephoned to this city Tor
DR.. Leavitt and DR.. Howard, the corouer
With others he then started out In search
of Thomas, and discovered him running in
the direction OF Main street, and Thomas
was called upon again to stop, but failed
to do so, and Ferguson shot at him once
more. Thomas still refused to halt
and continued to run on to.
wards a stable, where he had
a horse. Ferguson jumped over q fence,
headed him off, and told him once more to
stop or he would kill him. This time
Thomas concluded to obey the summons,
and he wal taken back to the saloon and
held there until the arrival OF Sheriff
Lloyd, who had been telephoned for. Later
he was brought to town by Under-Sherif
Themes and Special Ringley and lodged in
Jail.
Thomas is about 25 years old, and is q
sort of worthless fellow all around. The
afternoon before he did the shooting he
came to town and bought a box OF cart.
ridges, and also the pistol, it is thought,
with which the shooting was done, Tor the
evident purpose, SO some believe,
OF shooting his brother.in.law,
with whom he had some trouble
in the morning. He has four sisters,
Mrs. Carver, who resides at Silver Bow.
and Mrs. Daniels, Mrs. Jones and Mrs
McKinnon, all of whom reside at Rocker
He also has two brothers who reside neal
Rocker. He was struck by two OF the
shots fired at him, both grazing his skull
and cutting the scalp causing him TO bleeo
profusely.
Springer was q sober, industrious younl
man whose parents reside at Monravia
New YORK, ana ne was ulRuiy onouSho v
by the Blue Bird company, in whose EN-
ploy he was, and Others who knew him
He carried an accident policy for $1,000 II
one OF the companies represented by Man
tie & Warren.
THE INQUEST.
Witnesses examined before the coroner
jury were, s. F. DeBeis, Dr.. E. D. Leavitt
John Forney, John Cornell. John Sheridan
and A. s. Griffith. Theiury broughtin a yer
dict that Albert J. Springer had come t.
his death from a gun shot wound inflicted
by Howell Thomas and charged ThomaI
with murder.
Thomas. it seems, has been wanting tt
make q record as q "killer' for some tim
and once before shot a man, wounding hin
in the arm, and also cut another mai
with q knife.