The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1891-01-05
IN TRUE WESTERN STYLE
The Sabbath In MlSSoula Furnishes q
Sensational Tragedy.
TWO MEN SHOT DOWN
Sheriff Houston Kills Gambler
Simons Who Was Terrifying
the Town After Shooting
officer Hutchens.
Special TO the Standard.

Special to the Standard.
MIssoULA, Jan. A tragedy occurred
here this morning as result Of which Of
flcer W. A. Houtchens lies between life
and death and LOUIS Simons, gambler,
Is dead. II is impossible to learn just how
the trouble started. Houtchens told Of
ficer Lynch afterwards that he heard two
shots fred in front of the Exchange gam.
bling house shortly before Z o'clock and
he went there and attempted TO arrest
Louis Simons, who after firing had gone
to his room up stairs.
Ii is also reported that he was sent for
to arrest Simons who was making
trouble. He went up TO ST.
shut. Simons told him not to open il or
he would shoot him. Houtchens tried to
open il and Simons shot, the bullet strik-
ing the officer about the pit of the stomach
and coming out under the right arm.
Medical aid was summoned, but when
Drs. Mccullough and Crane arrived
Simons had cleared the gambling house
and would not let them in.
Later he came out on the street and
walked up and down. ordering men to
get out OF his way at the point Of A
caliber six-shooter.
Some Of the policemen gathered, but he
covered them and made one or two who
were of shift and not armed get out.
Officer Scott went after Acting City
Marshal Kern who came down town and
seeing the gun Simons carried decided to
get Winchester. He went down TO the
Tivoli saloon but they had none there.
Then he sent 10 the sheriff's Office for
one.
But meantime. about 7:sO, Officer
Lynch had walked Sheriff Houston and
told him Of the trouble. The sheriff took
Winchester and came down Stephens
street. As he neared the Rogers house
Simons, who had started down Front
street towards the row, was
pointed out TO him as the
man who was wanted. The sheriff
told him to throw up his hands, but
Simons told him 10 shoot and be damned I;
he would not surrender TO any officer.
Sheriff Houston then shot over him 10
scare him. Simons returned the shot.
Houston tried TO get him to surrender and
fired two more shots over him. He shot
back. Then Houston shot and Simons
fell.
Meanwhile Officer Murray shot at him
with revolver and broke one bone Of
| his left arm. After he fell he shot at
Houston again and Houston shot him
again.
While this was going on Drs. McCul-
| lo.h nl a,
wound and found the ball had gone
through one lobe OF his liver and prob
ably the lower lobe OF his right lung, max
ing very dangerous and probably fatal
wound.
Houtchens was removed to his home
where his young wife, whom he married
in Kentucky only few weeks ago is al
most theart-broken with grief and anxi-
ETY..
Simons was taken TO the city hall where
Drs. Mills, Knittle and Mccullough exam
ined him and found one bone Of his left
arm broken and the bullet still In the
arm. He had wound through his abdo.
men entering about his left hip joint
and coming out at the right side, and one
shot from the point of the junction OF the
neck and right shoulder going down into
his lungs, from which the air and blood
gushed with every breath. He lived lit.
tie while, talked little, grew weaker and
died.
Coroner Myers summoned jury con-
sisting of S. II. Garrick, j. W. Lester, Ag-
new Moore, Miles Mix. John Bonner and
H. S. Hoblitzell, who held an inquest at
the city hall.
Assistant County Attorney Wood ex-
amined several witnesses before them,
after which the jury consulted
| for two or three minutes and
then brought in verdict "that
the deceased, Lou Simons, came 10 his
death on the ith of January, A. ID. 1891, in
the city of Missoula, while resisting an
officer in the discharge of his duty. from
bullet wounds fred from a gun in the
hands Of said officer, who was Sheriff
Houston, and who was attempting TO ar
rest the deceased; and we further and
that Sheriff Houston was entirely with
out fault.m
Simons' remains were turned over 10
Bradley a Lucy, undertakers, and will
be buried at 10 o'clock. The f 4
change was Immediately closed. as
Billy Simons, brother Of the deceased,
is one OF the proprietors. Some Of Simon's
friends say he was crazy and the doctors
say he seemed terribly excited last night
He was drunk and it is said that drink
made him temporarily insane. His
brother has tried hard 10 make him
straighten up but did not succeed.
This afternoon Officer Hutchens il
resting more comfortably and slowly re
covering from the shock caused by III,
wound. He is very popular officer and
known as being lenient rather than Of
flcious. Not the slightest blame attache,
to him in the matter. The utmost sympa
thy is expressed for him and his wife anC
every body hopes he will soon recover.