The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-08-01
THU NORRIS SHOOTING
MINER MOORE AND RAIN
EXCHANGE COURTESlES

Rain sustains Flesh Wound in His
Hip-Rain Arrested.
They missed having man for break
fast at Norris, Monday morning, by
short, broken eyelash. The men ca
gagged in this Montana pleasantly were
Miner Moore, who will be remembered
in Virginia as one of the Revenue men,
who contested in the drilling match,
and Garry Rain. Pony miner. Both
are large men, and both can thank
their lucky stars that their marksman-
ship is not of the infallable, DR.. Carver
kind. AS it is Miner Moore got the
worst Of the melee, one bullet striking
him in the left side. skirting around his
abdomen and lodged in his right side,
and another bullet punctured his left
arm. Moore's injuries will confine him
to his bed for week or so Rain es-
capped with a slight flesh wound in his
left hip. which will make him lame for
q week or two Inasmuch as the men
emptied their revolvers at each other,
the results are not of disastrous char
acter.
There are numerous stories OF the en-
counter: 50 many in fact that it is
easier to pick the winner in a field Of
fllies than to tell which Of these yarns
has the solid foundation OF truth. The
most generally accepted story is that
Rain had been drinking, Monday, and
got into an alteration with ''Frenchy"
q porter at the hotel. In the melee.
which always follows a difference of
opinion in Norris Frenchy was decid-
edly worsted, receiving a black eye,
which he is still wearing. Then ac-
cording to some who claim to have been
eye-witnesses of the affair. Rain laid
his pistol across the back of F'renchy's
neck and fired-Of course no worse re-
suit than frightening Frenchy, giving
his vertebrae shock which he will re-
member for some time to come.
The next day Rain and some friends
Miner Moore entered, Moore is al
legged TO have said: "Rain, are you as
good q man to-day as you were yester-
day." To which Rain. in the Norris re-
tort courteouSly replied THAI he con-
sidered himself Just as good a man as
he ever was. or that he was in good
form, or something to that effect.
Moore responded in the Norris code
duello lingo, finally concluding the
whole with an invitation to step out
side, and djust matters with a demon
stration pugilistic. Rain excepted the
invitation and went out first. followed
by Moore, and as Moore stepped out he
asked Rain if he had gun, Rain re-
plying that he had none. Rain walked
on across the street towards the barn,
and Moore requested him to stop, re-
marking that they could settle the
matter where they were, about this
time the shooting commenced and it
did not stop until both revolvers were
empty.
As to the above narrative the COM
batants practically agree. But here is
the parting of the way OF their state
ments. Rain and his friends contend
that Moore fired the first shot: that
when Moore entered the store, the butt
of big revolver in the inside pocket
of his vest was plainly discernible
Moore seems to have the most friends,
however. and they are unanimous in
declaring that Rain fired the first shot,
and fired several times before Moore
drew his gun.
Rain made statement for the MAD
1soNIAN yesterday. He said first that
he was very sorry that the shooting
had occurred and that he hoped Moore's
injuries would not prove serious. His
statement was similar to that narrated
above, but he claims that Moore fired
first, and while his, (Rain's) back was
turned. "Immediately after the first
shot," said he, II turned and COM
menced shooting. fired 80 quickly
that there was scarcely any interval
between his first shot aud mine.
think his last shot struck me. saw
him stagger twice and thought had
him both times."