The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-01
SHOT 4 HOLE N HER EAR
For Which the Top Of His Head
Was ,Plowed By
Bullet.
Three Shots Fired and Some Blood
Shed on Sixth Az
enue.

Charles Thomas, an Unwelcome Boaricr
Breaks Into His Landlady's House
ON Sunday Afternoon.
little pool Of blood in the dust on Sixth
avenue near Davis street at one o'clock yes
terday afternoon was the spot where might
have happened a tragedy. As it is the re-
suits of the affair are a woman with bull
let hole in her left ear, a man in the Sis
ters hospital with a scalp wound on the
top of his head where another bullet from
the same pistol plowed its way through
the skin and sandy-colored hair, and boy
of 10 occupying q cell in the county Jail.
The story begins with Charles Thomas, a
Swede or German, of about IS years, a
bricklayer, of medium build. Saturday
night he was put in cell in the CITY Jail
on charge of disturbing the peace in the
neighborhood of No. 507 Sixth avenue, a
two story, half frame and half brick build
ing two doors from Davis street. Adeline
Burma, a Frenchwoman with two children,
boy of IS and a girl of about 10, who
gives her name as Sophie st. Germai ne.
moved into the house at 507 last Sat urday
with Thomas. Sunday morning Thoma g
left $1,000 with the police sergeant as bail,
and went to the house on Sixth
avenue to change his clothes. He
returned to the police Office and
asked for an officer. Tailor Frey asked
him what he wanted. Thomas said the
people would not let him in unless he was
accompanied by policeman. The officer
they got to the front door the yellow our
tains in the windows we're drawn down.
The door was not opened until Frey told
the inmates that an officer was present
with Thomas. They both entered. the man
telling the woman that he wantsd some
clean clothes. These she readily furnished
until Thomas finished dressing. The woman
seemed glad to do all she could for
Thomas while he was in the house.
The men left together the officer cautioning
Thomas not to 90 back to the place and
raise any disturbance. This he promised
why be should return is. not very clear, but
from al that could be learned il seems to
have been q family quarrel Thomas has
been working at his trade steadily, and was
employed on the building on Broadway op-
posite the Merchants hotel. 3
hAuc1 ACAS1Ak OACoI 1IcyS 1uOIuHb To.
turned to the house and tried to enter by
the front door. Sophie answered his call
and saw that he had an English 41-calibre
bulldog pistol in one hand. The girl
rushed to the kitchen in the rear part of the
house telling her mother what she had
seen. Finding that he could not get in
kicked the glass out of the small bay win
dow on the left of the porch and started
for the kitchen; the woman ran out in the
street with Thomas after her. He caught
her about thirty feet away from the gate in
front of the house, near some boxes. As he
closed with her he clutched her by the back
of the neck and fred at her head. Her
son reached Thorn just. in time to
feh Fhonns to the ground with brick bat. |
He picked his mother up and grabbed the
pistol, carrying the woman to the side |
walk, where she reeled and fell out of his |
arms. Willie Pope, son of Francis Pope,
who stood near telegraph pole about l5O |
feet away on Davis street tells what fol-
lowed. He saw Thomas with his hand
around the woman's neck and saw him fire
a shot at her head. Willie says that the
boy after leaving his mother on the walk
in stunned condition. He thinks about
five shots were fired, but only three cham
bers were emptied when Deputy Sheriff
Dyer took the pistol from the boy. Several
persons who stood around the place about
an hour after the shooting said that Thomas
shot himself after firing at Mrs. BURMA.
Willie Pope's story about the boy firing at
the man is corroborated by William Wood
cock and Judge Sterling, who were wit
nesses.
At first it was thought that Thomas would
die. The blood from the scalp wound COW
bred his head and face as he was picked up
and taken in a wagon to the hospital. Dr.. |
Reed examined and dressed the wound,
which is not serious
Mrs. Brunia was resting easy last even
ing. Visitors were kept away from her in
order to allay the nervous shock which she
received. She seemed to be more concern
message was taken from her to her son in
The Jail telling him that she was but slight
" hurt.
Thomas told Officer Frey that he married
Mrs. Brunia four years ago. The neigh
bors did not know anything about this, but
understood that he was living with the
family. Thomas and Mrs. Brunia had also
been quarreling about the boy and girl, he
that they were old enough to 60 to
work and earn money. Mrs, Brunia did
not agree with him. That the trouble grew
out of family quarrel was the opinion of
hose who were seen shortly after the af-
lair occurred.
A fattened bullet with a few hairs at
;ached to it was picked up by a man near
he pool of blood about an hour after the
He wrapped it mp in piece of
PAPER and afterwards exhibited it to every
me who asked anything about the matter.
No sympathy was expressed for Thomas
~ the people who gathered in the neigh
,Orhood when it was learned that he had
,een shot. The boy was warmly praised
or his action, and one man advocated the
of Q diamond ring. Young
st. Germaine was arrested in his mothers
louse by Deputy Sheriff Dyer. The boy
,ave up the pistol and went to the Jail
With Dwyer. He was very much excited
when arrested and did not say much.
When the deputy sheriff asked who did the
Ihooting Mrs. Burma pointed to her son. st.
3ermaine says that Thomas was boarder
n the family. From other things that he
aid it was gathered that Thomas must
rave taken advantage of his relations as
,oarder to make himself disagreeable to
drs. Burma.
The sheriff did not feel safe in leaving
Thomas at the hospital solely in the care
It nurse. A guard WAS placed over him
arly in the evening. When called upon by
deputy sheriff at that time Thomas was
sleep. The men who helped to put him in
he wagon after he was shot say that he
melled strongly of whisky. Officer FREY
aid that Thomas was apparently sober
vhen he went to the house with him in the
morning. From the mans actions and
ak the officer judged him to be crank.
short time before he shot Mrs. Burma.
Thomas was in saloon on lower Main
treet where he displayed the pistol and
threatened to put an end to the woman and
He came here from Chicago
bout four months ago.