The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-31
HIT WITH AN IRON BAR.
Tom Graham Assaulted While Trying -
Stop Fight.


Stop u Fight.
Tom Graham, proprietor Of the White
House saloon, on Upper Main street. had .
close call yesterday afternoon. Had an
iron bar In tho hands Of q cowboy gone less
than an inch to one side Of Crahan's head,
IL would have caught him In the temple and
the chances are he would have "cashed IN"
right there. As IL was he received = cash
about three inches long near the left tenn
pie, the cut exposing the bone and chipping
Cd a small piece Of it. The wound. how
ever, caused him no serious Inconvenience,
as after having six stitches put in 1t by
doctor, Graham went about his business
during the afternoon, though he was not
about the place ut night. lhe man who
struck Graham refused to give his name and
appears ON the police records as John Doe.
Another man, his companion, who started
the row resulting in Crahnn's injury, told
the police he was Pat Barrett. Both
are locked up, Barrett on the charge OF
fighting and his companion for assaultlnR
Graham. The story of the affair Ia as fol-
| lows:
Barrett and his companion went into tho
White House about three o'clock. They
had both evidently been drinking, though
neither appeared to be drunk. " was owl
dent, however, that thsy were spoiilng Tor
Il row. Barrett almost immediately began
quarreling with A. Christie, the bootblaok,
who Mas attending John Hart's stand in
front of the White House. The boy WAS
| inside tho saloon ut the time. Words led
to some pretty strong language and soon
| Barrett and Christie were hammerinR away
ut each other. Barrett being the larger
had the advantage, and pushing Christie
back was nanling the boy severely. Tom
Graham WAS on tho lookout chair when the
row started and immediately jumped down
to separate the fighters. In order 70 90 30
l,.. hpl f0 1aQr nua
to pull Barrett away. Barretts companion.
who up to this time had taken no active
part in the affair, picked up heavy piece
of iron used a. stove poker, ana making
n swing with il struck Graham on the mead.
Graham let 90 his hold on Barrett and
leaped back again with the intention Of
using it on his assailant. Meantime,
Charley Adams, who was dealing at the
same table where Graham had been on the
lookout undertook to seize the man with
the iron bar. The fellow aimed blow at
Adams. which he partially lodged, escaping
with slight blow on the head which tore
his hat but did no further injury. Others
rushed in and the police being attracted to
the scene by the excitement, tne man was
disarmed and he and Barrett placed under
arrest Graham did not carry out ms In.
tention to shoot his assailant Tor feaf OF
doing injury to some innocent oystander.
Crahan's assailant went along to the
lookup with Policeman Baker quietly
enough, but Barrett resisted. 1t resuired
the combined services OF Policeman
Sweeney. Jailor Rice and some cltZens to
get him TO the station house. As II was
they had to carry him. Even when in the
lookup he Kept up his violent actions and
language, and it was found necessary to put
him in the dark cell. If the man who as
saulted Graham does not decide pretty soon
to tell who he is he will be treated to dose
of the same undesirable quarters. Mean
willis he ia known only rs John zoe.
Though neither of the men WILL tell any
thing about himself, they are believed to be
cuwboys lately returned from Chicago. The
top of Barrstt's head shows
partially healed cut. when ne
says ha got from Chicago policeman,s
club. They talked about the race track
here in manner which leads to the belief
that they are employed about the stables at
the fair grounds.
The lion bar with which the clubbing
was done is about three feet long, an men
and half wide, and half an inch thlck.
The wonder is that the blow did not break
Crahans skull. 1t was glanclng blow.
Had it been struck solidly the conseQuences
would doubtless have been fatal. as would
most certainly have been the case had it
been half an inch to the side and struck
Graham in the temple.