The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-10
ROCKFORD TRAGEDY
Mrs. DanisOn Fatally Wounded by Her
Jealous and Enragel Husband.
SHOT HER IN THE BACK
FusIIlade With Pursuers While He
Was Driving His wife Before
Him From Church-A Talk
With the Prisoner.

was the scene of a tragedy last even
ing which created intense excitement
for a time and which will be a topic
of conversation for days to come.
Frank Denson shot his wife and made
an unsuccessful attempt to kill others.
The shooting grew out of trouble of
domestic nature. Mrs. Denison has
for some time refused to live with her
husband, on account of his drinking
habits.
Last spring she left him and went to
live with Pat Hickey and his step
daughter, Nettie Hall. Denison has
several times tried to persuade his wife
to return to him, but has been refused.
He has at several times threatened her
life and that of Hickey, whom he ac-
cuses of being the cause of the trouble.
Last week he told Mrs. Denison that
he would kill her IL she did not leave
the house of Hickey. He was under
the influence of liquor at the time. and
Mrs. Denison had him arrested for
threatening TO kill her. but owing to
failure to appear against him he was
released.
Last evening, while slightly intoxi
Gated, he went to the house and asked
for his wife. She was not there, but
Hickey was. At the muZzle of a re-
volver he compelled Hickey to go into
the woodshed. and told him to stay
there until Mrs. Denison returned. but
Hickey. watching his chance. broke
and ran.
Denison then went to the church and
compelled his wife to leave with him.
Justice Gilbert was also at the church.
and fearing trouble. deputized Ben Ra-
venscroff and Stanford Connell to fol-
low Denison, and If he offered any vio-
lence to arrest him. While they were
on their way home Denison turned and
told them to turn back. Ravenscroff
did not comply with the demand, and
Denison began firing at him.
Ravenscroff returned the fire. and
called upon DeniSon to stop. but Deni-
son then started after the woman, who
had started to run. When within Is or
20 feet of his wife he fired, but she did
not stop. He then fired a second time.
and she fell. She had received two
shots in her back, just below the right
the lungs and probably lodged in the
breast and the other ranging down.
ward to the stomach.
Denison, who had emptied his revolt
yer. was seized by the two men sent
to follow him, after having flung his
gun into the snow. He was locked up.
and said he was only sorry he did not
kill his wife and Hickey also. He had
a hearing before Justice Gilbert to-day
and was held pending the result of the
injuries to Mrs. Denison.
Mrs. Denison is resting easily but
the chances for her recovery are slight.
Denison received two slight flesh
wounds, one in the shoulder and the
other in the calf of the leg.
Denison was brought to Spokane by
Constable w. b. Botham on last even
ings o'clock train and lodged in the
county Jail He is. in the opinion OF
the officials at the Jail, one of the cool
est men ever landed in that prison.
When he was brought to the jail at
O'Clock, I'm speaking of the shooting to
Jailer Tompkins he said: "All l want
to hear is that my wife is dead: then
don't care a - how quick they hang
me-"
A Spokesman Review reporter who
called to see Denison at the Jail found
him to be a smooth-shaven young man
of light com plexion. with a square Jaw
and bullet shaped head. who gave his
height as five feet two and one-half
inches and weight 1877 pounds. He
seemed perfectly willing to talk in re-
gard to most points connected with the
case, and especially those connected
with the preliminary hearing before
Justice ]. b. Gilbert at Rockford yes
terday. He said:
IT am 20 years of age and my wife
is o. We have been married four
years and have never had any chill
dren. In December, 1894. my wife came
out from our home in Racine, Wis, to
live with her cousin, Nettie Hall, in
Rockford. / came out a few days later
IN the same month end we lived to-
gether for awhile; but we haven't been
living together since the End of May
For a time was in California and ar
rived from that country in Walla Wal
la on the Fourth OF July. going from
there TO the st. Joe river. where
worked for awhile, returning to Rock
ford. where I worked in the harvest
fields until in the fall After the har-
vesting was done I was beaten out OF
my money and was compelled TO go TO
work on a farm near Rockford for
man named Sam Belts for my board,
and where / had been working up TO
the time of the shooting.
ION Sunday night | was drinking
around town and drank II or IS drinks
of whiskey. j went up TO the Metho-
dist church. whore my wife and cousin.
Nettie Hall. were. and sat down on the
opposite side of the church from where
my wife sat. Next I went over and
told her l would like 20 have a talk
with her and asked them to 20 outside,
which they started TO do. Ben Raven
scroff. who was near by. told Nettie
not TO go out: that she had better sit
N0Mn d}sdlIl. Il I4a started Out IntJ
didn't come and I turned around and
started hack and asked her II she was
coming. She asked IL would wait IN
oil church was out. / told her No
Ravenscroff and Donald Mcconnell sat
near by. and / was 50 full / didn't
know whether they We're in the same
seat or not. Judge Gilbert had depu-
tized these men 70 watch me When
the ladies went out | went out ahead
OF them. We started down street. the
three fellows following. and l didn't
know at the time that the Judge had
deputiZed them TO watch me. Nettie
again asked me II / would do any
thing and / told her No But I had a
gun in my pocket and turned around
and told the fellows they had followed
me far enough.
When / pointed my gun at them
Ravenscron fired at me. The women
ran screaming down the road. Ny gun