The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-11-13
PUT A BALL into HIM
NO PROvOCATlON AT ALL
Beager May Die OF His Wound-He
Had Caught Stephens Boy
for Throwing stones
at the Car.

at the Car.
Butte, Nov. 12.-siartin Stephens. .
Meadervills soloon keeper, made q de!ib-
crate and cowardly attempt to murder W.
j. Beager. q street car conductor on the
Meaderville line this evening, and that he
was not successful Is no fault OF his. Tho
fact that his aim was no. rs good Ms hc in
tended It to be, is the only reason that
Bsager Is alive tonight. As II is, his
wound Is Of most serious nature and tho
outcome is problcm atical, to say the least;
although Dr.. Campbell, who is attending
him, says no has an even chance for rc-
covery.
The attempt was the direct result of tho
reprehcnsible practice OF tho small boys
of Meadsrville In throwing stones and
other missiles at the street cars, which
General Manager Wharton has vainly at
| tempted to stop from the day no took
charge Of the system. In the causes that
led up to tho affair to-day, Conductor
Bsagsr was simply discharging his duty
and looking after the conpany's interests.
The car on which tho shooting was done
was No. and was I'm charge OF Conductor
Beager. with Motorman Charles ]. Stew.
art on tho front cnd.
TN the O I'D trip to Meaderville this aft
| crnoon q crowd Of small boys, including
| Mr.. Stephens son, threw q lot OF stones
and rotten lemons at the car, but without
doing any damage. They repeated the
| fusilatle as the car started back to tho
city, but ono of the lemons struck the
motorman on tho breast. another struck
Mr.. Boager in the face, while several more
of them struck the car windows. The con-
ductor stopped tho car and, running after
the boys. succeeded in catching Stephens
| and took him back TO the car, with the in
tention OF bringing him up to the city and
turning him over to the police. Mr.. Ste
phens came out of his saloon and asked
the conductor to let him take the boy, say
ing that ho would see that he was properly
chastised. After some words Supcrin-
tentlent Wathey, who happened to be on
the car, told the conductor To turn the boy
over 10 his father, at the samo time stat
| ing that the next time the boy throw At tho
cars he would have him arrested. The car
then proceeded towards the city.
On its return TO Mcadervile about 40
minutes iator, Stephens was noticed
4 standing out In front of his saloon
apparently waiting for the car. Tho car
stopped almost directly in front of his
soloon to lot some ladies or aud Stephens
asked Beager to step or as he wantod to
see him minute.
II can't do IT," replied Bsagsr, "step on
the car and ride down to the ond OF tho
line and I'll talk to you."
Stephens refused to get on tho car, but
followed IL down to tho line, where il
stopped. Beager reversed tho trolley and
lac aud the motormln were standing on
tho rear platform, when Stephens came up
and stopped at tho stop. Al Gunder-
son was sitting in tho car
near the door aud was the only occupant.
Stephens asked Besger what was tho
trouble he had with his boy on the pre-
vious trip. Beagcr replied that he simply
wanted to teach some OF the boys not to
throw stones at tho cara. Stephens
offered to bet SO dollars that he had got
the wrong boy. Tho conductor replied
that he did not know whether he had got
the right boy or not, but that they were all
throwing and that he wanted to toach
them lesson. "I'li tell you what think
of YOU" said Stephens. "You are . -
----. You're low down cur and q
dirty dog"
~ am no more of cur than you are" re-
piled Beager, without any manifestation
of anger.
lust fix you," retorted Stephens as lac
drew his gun and fired point blank al
Beager Mt distance of not more than
four feet. His act was so quick that
Beaeer had no chance to dodge or protec,
himself. The bullet struck him In tho
neck aud he fell forward with the blood
gushing out in stream. As he fell Mo
torman Stewart caught and pulled him
into the car and laid him down on the
floor. The blood gushed out OF the wound
with Rreat force and spattered all over the
interior of tho car. Stephens put tht
smoking revolver back i'm his
pocket and stood outside o
the car until crowd gathered
when be went back to his saloon, where
no was arrested few minutes afterwards
by Constable Pelagi and taken to the Jail
Boager was carried into Doblo's hote
where tho flow Of blood was PARTIAL,
checked, after which he was taken back
into the car and brought to the city. III
: was taken to his room in the Owslcy blocl
! where DIR. Campbell was called and gave
the wound tho attention II demanded
Later in tho evening hc probed for thu
bullet and found that after entering tin
, left side of the neck II had taxed an up
Y ward and backward course. and lodged il
the vcrtcbrac Of the spinal column. Th
bullet just grazed an artery and had tha
been severed, instant death woul,
/, havo resulted. In fact the bulle, tool
about the only course which would not re
suit in certain death. The patient was 5
weak from the great loss of blood that
, was decided not 10 operate on him unit
= tomorrow morning, when the bullet wi
!. be extracted. The operation will requir
!, great surgical skill aud it is possible tha
the patient may not live through II. III
survives, however, DIR. Campbell state
that the chances will be somewhat In hi
favor. although hs will not be out Q
danger by any means.
$ Manager Wharton states that Conduct,
J. Bcager is one of tho best men in the con
pany's employ. He is tho oldest man o
tho line and is the quietest and most poi
ular man on the road. lie is renarAabl
: inoifensivc fellow and his fellow employs
+ all say that he would rather run ava
q than have trouble with any one. h
4 IN having