Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-17
TERRIBLE REAL LIFE STORY,
Romance of the Big Horn Basin Which
Cost Two Lives.
AWFUL ENDING OF A PISTOL DUEL.
Fiendish Act OF Jealous Mana
Little Child Used by Its Father
as a Shield i'm Death
Struggle.

BONANZA, Wyo., May l6.-[Special to THE
BEE. In remote section of the Big Horn
Basin in northern Wyoming, l75 miles from
a railroad, there has just been enacted trag-
edy which possesses many elements stronger
than any yet evolved in The pages of fiction.
In 1879 a young man, James McDermott left
his home in Franklin county, New York,
to seek his fortune in the wild and
undeveloped west. He made his
way to some recently disco vered gold and
silver mines near Glendenning, Mont, and
without any previous experience went to
work as a miner. McDerrnott was an ex-
eeptionally handsome young fellow, with a
clear cut, clerical face, lit up by pair of
bright blue eyes, which fairly radiated with
intelligence and good nature. He was in
dustrious and as 6 ,nial as the day was long,
and soon became favorite with all in the
Glendenning camp
A short time previous to his arrival there a
farmer named Martin, accompanied by his
two dau ghters, Mary and Helen, had located
in Glendenning, and become deliver after
the precious metals along with the rest of
the inhabitants of the little settlement.
Martin and McDermott both worked in the
same mine, and warm feeling of friendship
sprang up between the two. The latter was
invited to share his friends hospitality in his
cabin with his two daughters, and many a
pleasant social hour was whiled away Mary
Martin, the eldest daughter, vas
one of the most charming buds of
womanhood ever brought into the wild,
unsettled west, Her grace, vivacity
and beauty caused many lonely
bachelors heart in the camp yearn to call her
his own. She was graceful dancer, a cap
tivating companion and general favorite
with all Her meeting with McDermott was
case of love at first sight The young
couple became ardently attached to each
other and were almost ihseparable companions
when both were disengaged
After short courtship they were affianced.
The father, notwithstanding his personal
liking tor McDermott, viewed the pros
pective alliance with feelings OF great dis
trust He strove to induce his daughter to
look elsewhere for husband, but she was
obdurate and vowed her eternal
love for her choice. McDermott was
much displeased at the opposition shown 10
his marriage with Mary, and in spite OF it
became more and more assduous in his at
tentions and more determined to possess mis-
fiancee. Mary Martin. despite her evident at
tachment to McDermott, possessed a strain
OF coquetry and although it plqued her
lover greatly, she took delight occasionally
in indulging in fllrtations which were
purely innocent on her part. The result
was TO cause McDermott many jealous feel
ings, which for time transformed him into
sour, norose moods, in which he cvinced the
temper OF mailman Working in the same
mine with him was a young Iowan
named Morine Mary Martin and Nor
inc had come from point in the
latter state not far distant from each other,
and on this account were warm friends. She
had observed her lovers jealous disposition,
and from spirit of fun used TO occasionally
take great pleasure in tantalizing him by her
attentions TO Morine, Mcdonald noted her
actions with Il growing feeling of jealousy
until all the devil in his nature was aroused.
He brooded over the matter until he reached
the conclusion that murder was his only hope
of relief
One evening about years ago he invited
the young lowan TO Join with him and his
atfianced IN the pleasures Of social party in
the neighborhood, at which dancing was
to be feature, He confded
TO his sweetheart his intentions on
that evening 10 settle satisfactorily the exact
relations which the man and himself held in
her affections. She was emphatic in her as
sertions Of love for him and him alone. The
evening of the social party came and Morine,
jolly and entertaining as usual, was present,