The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-27
The Killing Of News Agent Shannon
On the Northern Pacific
Train.
Shot Down from Behind While
Engaged in Selling HIS
Wares.
The Slayer Escaped Lynching Because His
Victims Death Was Not known
at the Time.

VIC paeseASoI6 OA yesterday WtSt OOunu
Northern Pacific train was devoted to the
killing of News Agent d. c. Shannon by
Louis G. Buss the day before. As told in
HE INDEPENDENT the shooting occurred
near Little Missouri, about three miles east
of the Montana line. Mr.. Leon King tells
the following story of the killing: II was
just in the act of paying Shannon" said
Mr.. King. "for some apples, when Buss
came mp. noticed revolver in his hand
and about at the same instant he raised it
partly. and pulled the trigger. When Buss
fred he was almost touching Shannon.
The latter uttered an inarticulate cry,
staggered and fell between the seats. The
affair occurred in the smoker, and just as
soon as Buss fired he ran out of the car and
jumped off. Some one pulled the bell cord,
and before the train had fairly stopped eight
or ten of us, including some of the train
hands, jumped off and started after the
murderer. He had slight start, but the
ground was broken and he could not make
much progress. After a chase OF about
half mile we caught up to him. He must
have thrown his revolver away, as instead
of drawing a gun on US, he commenced to
were too many for him, though be was
pretty roughly handled before we had him
subdued. Finally we took him to the train
and both Buss and Shannon were taken to
Dickinson. Buss. when asked why he had
shot Shannon, said he did it because he
! shannon was dead till we arrived at Helena
and read The INDEPENDENT"
| Asked what he thought was the cause OF
the shooting. Mr.. King said: II believe
the man was out of his mind. He was a
Swede, who got aboard the train at Jim
\ L. oSnl ,r,sA !, = 49,
morning and was continually opening anc
shutting his valise and taking things out.
| When not doing this he was turning hit
pockets inside out. / finally asked him il
he had lost anything and he said yes he
was looking for q check. During the morn
Buss ate one and returned the other two to
the agent, tor which he paid ten cents.
am quite sure this was the only transaction
Shannon had with Buss, and l know wher
the latter fired the fatal shot no quarrel o.
harsh words of any kind had immediatel,
preceded it. Buss is a young fellow moi
more than %, and has the appearance of {
farm hand or railroad laborer. Sane o.
not, had Shannon's death occurred imme
diately after the shooting, the Dakota Off
Gals would have been spared court ex-
penses. The crime was so unprovoked tina
immediate lynching only would have paci
fed the infuriated passengers and train
men,
The car in which Shannon was shot
while it had been partially cleaned, still
showed where the unfortunate mans lif'
blood had flowed. he was standing abou
in the center of the smoker, with his has
ket resting on the arm of the seat. Whel
the shot was fired he staggered in between
the seats and dropped to the floor, and here
was where the great loss of blood occurred
The ball entered his right side, ploughini
its way almost through him.
Shannon was one of the best known new
agents in the country, the loss of one arm
making him conspicuous. Last spring h.
left the run on the Northern Pacific, Roinl
on the Albert Lea between Chicago and st
Paul, afterward working on lines in Ne
braska. He was very successful, and few
months ago succeeded in paying off a 81, go
debt owed by his parents on their home
To these parents, who live in Iowa, he is re
ported to have been very good, sendinl
them the larger part of his earnings. H
was about 81 years old.
Mr.. Bedford, for whom Shannon worked
left tor Dickinson last night to thoroughly
investigate the matter. General Manage
Miller, of the Northern Pacific, has directed
that everything be done in the premise
which is necessary by the railroad people.