The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-18
MONTANA BAD MEN.
Billy Fay's Crippled Fingers too Quick
for All Corners so Far.

From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Butte, Mont, Oct. 5.--The death of
Frank Dougherty, the gambler, who was
willed at Helena last Sunday by Tom
Ryan, a prize fighter, leaves undlsputed
Billy Fays claim to being the toughest
man in Montana, and the nerviest and
quickest gun fighter in the west. For sew
eral years Fay and Dougherty have
been dangerous rivals for that distinc-
ton, and frequently one got the drop on
the other and gave him the choice of
leaving the town or quitting the earth
The fact that both survived as long as
they did proves that both had large bumps
of discretion.
Both men were gamblers of the old
school, of whose deeds the old-timers tell
many stories. Fay has always been the
quicker of the two, and in consequence
has a larger list of dead men to his credit
than Dougherty, and has not been known
to take water" as often. The last time
the two men collided was in Butte about
six months ago. They struck town about
the same time. When Dougherty heard
tat Fay was In town, he remarked:
We'll, this place is not large enough
for both of us, and intend to stay here
for some time"
Fay was deeply engrossed in a faro
game when a friend came to him with
in and started ont to find his rival He
located him at the Haymarket theater,
but before he could draw a bead on him
the audience in the place stampeded and
Fay fell into the hands of the police
like a common offender and was thrown
into the root house" While in Jail he
sent several propositions to Dougherty
to go out of town and fight out their DIFF
ferences, but Dougherty refused them all
III tell you how it is, Judge" said Fay,
when brought up in the police court sew
eral days later. 'TThis town is too small
for me and Frank Dougherty. When he
first came to town l offered to gamble
with him to see which one should leave
town, but he would not do it. Then
agreed to divide up the town with him,
and ! agreed to stay on my side of the
line If he would stay on his He would
not do that, either"
Fay paid $500 fine and then started once
more for Dougherty, but the latter had
left town on the advice of the police,
and Fay has been having everything his
own way in Butte since, though he has
always been on the lookout for Dough-
erty's return.
Fay a few years ego was in Tomb
stone Ari, and saved the lives of two
women, whom he dragged from burn
ing building. In the performance of that
heroic act he was so frightfully burned
back against his wrists and the right
side of his face is one horrible scar, over
which he constantly wears a white cloth,
covering one side of his face and head.
He is compelled to use both hands in
handling his gun, but has become very
expert at it. His crippled condition has
made his life miserable to him, and he
has frequently said that he would kill
himself but has not the courage to do so.
Il have given Dougherty all the chance
he wanted to kill me-" he said, when he
heard that his rival was dead, land yet
hated to be killed by a coward"
About a year ago Fay was in Spokane
and got into trouble with Sack Delmore,
another gambler. Both armed them
selves and went cunning for each other.
They met on a prominent thoroughfare.
Fay with his stumped and crippled hands
was the quicker and pelmore dropped
dead Frank Dougherty was Delmores
partner, and that fact intensified his en-
nifty for Fay.