The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1896-12-18
4 SHOOTING AFFRAY
Takes Place at Princeton Last Saturday
Morning
KOONTZ AN INNOCENT VICTIM
George Bieber and Rube Leveridge
the Principals, the Latter Rcceiv-
ing Bullet in the Leg.

At about 10 o'clock last Saturday
morning the usually quiet population
of the little hamlet of Princeton was
startled at the report of pistol shots and
cries of murder, etc. There had been
dance there the night before al d
most of the town was up all night
Some men did not go to led at all, and
having frequented the only saloon in
the place, several of them became
somewhat intoxicated George Bieber
is proprietor of the saloon and the
building in which it is run belongs to
Rube Leveridge. Leveridgc had been
in the saloon most all night and had
pat small revolver in drawer behind
the bar which Bieber afterward con-
cealed where Leveridge could not find
it,
About 9 O'Clock that morning Lever
idge, according to report, asked for the
revolver and Biel,er refused to give it
to him, whereu ,,un Leverldge became
angry and remarked that he had an
other gun at lis cabin which he would
get, and l. on see if Bieber would not
produce his property. Leveridge
started to his cabin and Bieber was in
the act of closing up the saloon to 20
to his dinner when he saw Leveridge
returning, and as the latter approached
the saloon toward the rear door, report
says that Bieber began shooting at
him, and kept up the fire until every
chamber of his revolver was emptied.
Leveridge is reported to have returned
| two shots. and Bieber escaped to the
cabin of J. A. haywood and as Lever
idge entered the saloon through the
front door he fell to the floor, eXclaim-
ing that he was shot, and fearing that
he would die he asked that som cone &C
after Bieber, as he wanted to speak
with him. Henry Booth went to May
woods cabin and told Bieber what
Leveridge had said. but Mr. haywood
would not allow Bicber to return.
Booth Went back to the saloon, and as
he reached the back door he observed
Il man sitting there with his heaC
bowed and stream of blood issuing
from bullet hole in his right temple
Mr.. Booth at once notified those "ht
We're in the saloon with Leveridgt
what he had discovered. and investiga
tiOn revealed the wounded man to be
William Koontz. He was evidently
asleep on the back porch of the saloon
when the shooting between Leveridg'
and Bieber took place. aud he was hi
by stray bullet. Koontz was takel
into the saloon, but never regainet
consciousness, and in an hour after
ward he breathed his last.
Leveridge was not seriOusl.
wounded, the only bullet taking effec
on him entering the flesh of his lef
leg. Leveridge was removed to hi
cabin, and Bieber having returned t
the saloon, everyone present began t.
investigate the shooting of Koontz.'
When Bieber was shooting from tn
back door he did not see Koontz at all
and "Tex' Purtle, who went to tn
back door with Bieber Just before tn
shooting commenced. did not see any
one outside except Bieber and Lever
idge
A telephone message was sent to tn
sheriff S Office, and Under Sheriff ].
Argall, Acting Coroner G. W Suppige1
DR.. E. r. Conyngham and Stenoe
rapher G. E. Sackett departed for til
scene of the tragedy. Arriving {
ing there for the train coming to Phi
! ipsburg, his intention being to com
here and give himself up to the sheriff
, Bieber was arrested and taken back
Princeton, where coroner's jury WI
empanneled, consisting of the follow
+ ing: R. T. Rombauer, Dominic
Mellan, J. A. Mcdonald, Edgar Ho
ton, James MCGOWAN and Dave Hel
messy.
Several witnesses were examined, an
{ after due deliberation the jury returnt
, | a verdict in effect that William KOOn