The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-01
SHOT DEAD.
Domestic D%ificufties Result in the Kill
ing of j. j.. Pym.

ing tuoHc NuO udppeHeu W Dc LloVlDp III
the neighborhood Of North Fifth and
Palmer streets were startled by the re
port Of a pistol shot, followed by the
screams Of a woman. coming from the
residence Of Daniel Cronin. James
Casey. who lives in the adjoining house.
ran o u the back door of his home. Just
in time to see a man run out of Cronin's
and turn down towards Main street.
while Mrs. Cronin had fallen in the snow
near the door. Mr.. Casey took her into
his house and then gong into the Gro
min place found James J. Pym lying on
the floor. apparently dying. He at once
gave an alarm. and Dr. Redd. the officers
and Acting Coroner Glib were soon on
hand. DIR. Redd pronounced Ppm dead.
and the coroner proceeded to swear in a
jury. and the officers began looking up
the case.
JotRNAL reporters soon found Mrs.
Cronin and obtained the following as her
version of the tragedy: On Tuesday
ALI Tilton. who had been working for
the : I X outfit. near Forsyth. returned
to the city. and came TO Mrs. Cronin's
Whose husband was out of town. being
employed at c. +. Kline's ranchj after
some washing which she had done for
him. They were in the middle room
Of the three IN the building. when Ppm
opened the front door and walked in. As
soon as he saw Tilton. Pym walked up
to him. and saying. you s Of a b-,I
have been looking for you all day." hit
him two or three times. Tilton stag
gered back against the wall. and in an
instant the shot was fred, but Mrs. Gro
min declared that she did not see any
weapon. Pym turned and walked out
Of the room. laughing as he went. but
fell where he died. while Tilton ran out
the back door and disappeared.
Mrs. Cronin further stated that so far
as she knew the men had never had any
previous difficulty. The story of events
leading up to the killing is a long one
aud will drag into the court a scandal
which has been freely talked on the
streets for a long time. Pym's wife and
Mrs. Cronin are sisters, and since the
separation Of Mr.. and Mrs. Pym their
affairs have continually been the subject
of common talk. and he was arrested
recently and fined for carrying concealed
weapons. Pym has been a frequent Wis
itor at Cronin's and so has Tilton. this
also occasioning some talk. The whole
affair is wrapped under this scandal and
if it is ever unravelled it will be only on
the trail of Tilton for murder.
FLIGHT AND CAPTURE.
As soon as Tilton left the house he
went Immediately to HI Astle's livery
stable, where he had a saddle horse, put
on his %overcoat, hat and spurs, and took
to the hills. The night was very stormy
and cold. and it was we'll known that he
could not get away, SO no effort was
made to follow him until daylight yes
terday morning, when Sheriff Hawkins.
Deputy Thurman and Chief of Police
jackson crossed Tongue river. and took
up the chase. About four miles above
town Sheriff Hawkins found Tilton's
camp fire, by which he had passed part
of the night. also where his horse had
been tied in the brush. aud a very fresh
trail leading up the river. Thurman
and jackson pushed on. while the sheriff
came back TO town. Tilton's trail was
as easily followed as a wagon road. and
he was soon found at Frank Herman's
ranch eating breakfast. Two Winches-
tiers close to his head removed any idea
Of making a fight. and shortly after
noon. Iilton was safe in Jail. He said.
and related circumstances to prove it,
that after crossing the river, he tied his
horse in the brush. and came back to
Cronin's house on foot. crossing on the
ice. He remain about an hour in the
neighborhood. learning that Pym was
dead and that the officers would not fol-
low him until morning.
James j. Pym. the deceased. was Al
years of age, a native of England. and
had been in the United States about
twenty years. having been married five
years. He was in the army several years.
and wore a medal for gallant conduct.
while under Major Reno at the Custer
massacre. He was a man who drank
considerably since his separation from
his wife, and brooded a great deal
over his family affairs. He was unarmed
at the time Of the killing.
Tilton, his slayer. is a much larger
man, y years Of age, has been in this
section several years. and was considered
as belonging to that class of cowboys
who want to be bad"
THE INQUEST.
After the coroner's jury had been
sworn in on Wednesday evening an ex-