The Butler weekly times., 1895-02-28
SHOT FOUR TIMES.
Ben Fee Empties His Pistol Into
Al. Heath, and IS Shot at Four
Times in Return
Heath is Dead-Fee Indicted for
Murder in 2nd Degree-.jsal
OuSy the Cause.

We are called upon this week to
record another sad and lameuteble
tragedy by which soul has been
called before it's time to the great
Judgment Bar, and man stands to
answer before the bar of man for
the taking of life. On last Thurs
day afternoon about one O'Clock a
number of shots were fired in rapid
succession IN Heath & Hurt saloon,
on south side of the square. Ben
Fee walked out with a smoking re
volver in his hand and surrendered
to Sheriff Colyer. A doctor was
summoned to attend Albert Heath,
one of the saloon proprietors, who
bad been shot three or four times
Mr. Heath was taken TO his moth
er's home on East Dakotah street
On q stretcher. On investigation it
WAS discovered that four bullets had
taken effect, two in the face, one IN
the arm aud one in the abdomen.
All that medical knowledge could
suggest was done to alleviate the
suffering of the wounded man, but
be fingered in terrible agony until
the next morning at 8 o'clock when
he died. Owing to the nature of
Mr. Heath's wounds he was unable
to make statement, and Mr.. Fee,
on advice of his counsel, refused to
make one, consequently we had to
get information of the tragedy from
other sources. The evidence of eye
witnesses is substantially as follows:
Fee went into the saloon and up
tc the desk in front of the screen,
where Mr.. Heath was talking to
Fees brother in law, Mr. Taulfer
Fee invited them to stake some.
thing" and they both refused, when
Fee drew his listol and was i'm.
mediately seized by Taulfer, who
tried to prevent him frcm shooting.
Mr.. Heath told William Hurt, who
tending bar, to call the police, which
Mr. Hurt hastened to do but the
shooting began by the time he reach
ed the side walk. Mr.. Taulfer said
that when he released Fee he
thought he was going out the door;
he was uncertain which fired the
first shot, but both were shooting.
From the condition of their pistols
Fee must have shot five times and
Heath four times. Fees first shot
must have struck Heath in the face,
for the latter's shots were wild, go
ing through the glass front, high
over mans head.
The cause If the difficulty dates
back some time Fee formerly tend
ed bar for Heath & Hurt. His
domestic relations became strained
and he accused Mr. Heath of allenat
ing his wife's affections He claimed
to have proof of liaison between
his wife and Heath He and his
wife and two children left Butler
some time ago, but shortly after
wards Mrs. Fee returned with her
children Fee came back to Butler
the day before the tragedy and had
a talk with his wife in presence of
Mike Hedriek, and they had appar-
emily settled their trouble and were
to leave together the next day. The
next morning Mrs. Fee refused to 90
with him. Both Mr.. Heath and Mrs
Fee denied that any undue intimacy
existed between them, and their
friends condemn the killing in severe
measures.
The funeral of Mr.. Heath took
place from his mothers residence
Sunday morning at IL o'clock, at
tended by very large number OF
sympstLizers and friends. Mr.
Heath was a man of many good
qualities of heart and has large
number of strong friends He was
single man.
The special grand jury to inquire
into the killing of G. A. Heath
found a bill against Ben Fee 70,
murder in the second degree.
Special Grand Jury.
The following named gentlemen