The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-16
SHOT BY JEW JAKE.
The Notorious Jake Harris Shoots
Into Crowd With Probably
Fatal Results
Two Neihart Excursionists and
Marshal Treat, Of Great Falls,
the Victims.
Arthur Marks, of Helena, Wounded
and Joseph Lessard Danger
ously Hurt
Harris Shot in the Leg and Now
in Jail - Some Talk of
Lynching.
The Man Whose Neck Is In Danger Has
Had Trouble In Helena and Also
In Great Falls

5f i l6 hCb OF II NOTORIOUS character, VINO. II
he had received his just deserts years
ago, would to day be in the penitsntiary,
yesterday spoiled all the pleasure of the
Neihart excursion. He did more than that
He shot, possibly fatally. the marshal of
Great Falls, seriously wounded Joseph Les
sard, n wel-to-do ranchman. and did the
same for little Arthur Marks, son of A.
Marks. The shooting was unjusti6able,
was done in crowd, and the only wonder
is that more people were not injured.
On the trip from Great Falls to Neihart
there was little if any drinking, and the
crowd was good natured one. But the five
hours spent in Neihart was long enough
for few men to become filed with
liquor, and the results were apparent
shortly after the train left that town. The
drinking, however, was confined to Jake
Harris, the notorious jew Jake" and two
or three of his particular cronies. At first
they confined thoir behavior to a species of
horse play which consisted in pulling and
hauling each other about and loud talking.
BY the aid of sundry drinks that stage was
passed before half the distance between
Neihart and Great Falls had been passed,
and the crowd began to be ugly. City
Marshall Treat of Great Falls was aboard
and when Jew Jake and one of his friends
finally began to pummell each other, ne
separated them in no very gentle manner.
Jake then went into the next car, muttering
threats against Treat. Just before Great
Falls was reached he went back to the car in
madesk insida the yard, SO when
Al 4 -
stop there were fifty or sixty peo-
pie Oh the steps Of the cars who jumped off
on to the platform. Almost at the instant
the train stopped there was the report of
revolver, followed an instant after by six
more in rapid succession. The majority of
the excursionsts Thought at first it was
reception, but were soon disabused of that
idea when they saw q man running in pur-
suit of another, each firing as rapidly as he
could pull trigger. I. Marks who took his
two little boys on the excursion with him,
was one of the first to get off the train. He
helped one of the boys down, and f. j.
Shatfer the other. Almost Immediately
after the boys had alighted the firing COM
and suddenly the oldest boy dropped
to the ground. shot in the leg. Not ten feet
from him lay jew Jake, shot in the
leg. A few feet away was City Marshal
Treat. with bullet in his back, while the
other victim, Joseph Dessard, had been
shot in the eye. Arthur Marks, Marshal
Treat and Mr.. Lessard were taken to the
Park hotel. Jew Jake lay upon the plat
form for a few minutes, and when hack
man came to take him away Agent Kelly
ordered him not to do SO. Despite this
some of his cronies put him in cab and
took him to a house of ill-fame from which
he was afterward taken to Jail.
Now as to cause of the shooting, When |
Jew Jake went back into the car where
Marshal Treat was, the latter told him that
when the train arrived at Great Falls he
must 60 home. When the depot was
cached Treat jumped off, and started to-
ward the Park hotel. jew Jake followed
and began firing at the mar
shal. The latter had his overcoat buttoned
mp closely, and could not get at his gun.
He began running, unbottoning his coat,
Jake keeping up his fusilade. Jake fol-
owed Treat half way across the platform /
before the marshal could return his fire,
out when he did, the first shot Treat fired |
lake dropped. But the marshal. Arthur
Marks and Lessard had each been wounded
,efore this. The wonder is that more peo-
Die were not injured. Jake fired point
blank into the crowd, and some of the es-
,spes were almost miraculous.
When the affair became known at Great
Falls the Indignation was at fever heat. and
When the train left at 9:d5 there were se-
lous threats Of lynching Harris.
Agent Langley provided special car for
he wounded Helena boy. whose injuries
vera not deemed very serious by the Great
Falls physician, The ball entered the
leshy part of the left leg, above tho knee.
nd went clear through. It was of 44-cali~
ne and cut his garter almost in half. A
ot was provided and on this he was brought
0 the train and to Helena. Heslept nearly
II the time on the trip and did not COM
lain OF any pain.
just before the train left Great Falls
hero was u report that's woman also had
een shot. but it could not be verified.