The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-16
She's A WARM MEMBER
Mrs. Ray and Her Rife Draws a
Crowd in Walkerville.
1T WAS NOT A SUICIDE
n Had Made Threats of Ending Her
Earthly Career and a Shot Was
Heard From Her House-It Was
Thought She Had Done 1t.

Wednesday was a day of hustle and
excitement in Walkerville, and which,
but for the smoke pouring from the
huge smokestacks. had all the aspect
of a county seat in Illinois on circus
day. Groups of men were seen in front
of the stores swapping stories and teams
were tied here and there, as if driven
in from the country. The principal
cause of the unusual gathering was the
democratic primaries. but there were
incidentals which caused more amuse-
ment and excitement.
Mrs. Andy Ray, who resides on Belle
of Butte avenue, assisted by a 4S-caliber
Winchester rifle, furnished the principal
event Of the day and drew by far the
largest crowd. Mrs. Ray has long been
notorious in VAUDEVILLE for getting her
system replete with cat hair and de-
claring herself publicly that she was the
"warmest member in the town" Sew
eral weeks ago her husband decided
that she was too warm for him to ham
die and left without leaving his ad-
dress. This had the effect of quoting
the spirit of Mrs. Ray and she became
sad and talked of stepping away from
his earth.
Little was thought of this, however,
until one day she appeared in her door
with two glasses in her hand and, call
ing to Sam Eckersly, she remarked that
it was all off and drained the contents
of the glasses, one of which contained
morphine m the other water for a
chaser. Eckersly notified IN officer and
he called DR.. Freund, who pumped her
out, and thus prevented her from traV-
cling on the morphine route. Since
then Mrs. Ray has seemed to take a
renewed interest in life and she has
been making merry as Of old.
Wednesday evening at about Q o'clock
a shot was heard in her house by the
neighbors and smoke came pouring out
Of the cracks. As Mr.. Ray did not
come out they at once concluded that
she had made a go of ii this time and
succeeded in stepping away" as h
had threatened. The news quickly
spread, and in five minutes the house
was surrounded by fully 300 men, wo-
men and children. Everyone left the
city hall, which had been packed like a
Sunday school prior to Christmas, X
cept the judges and clerks of election,
and a motion was made to take a re-
cess and lock up, which was nearly
carried.
The city marshal finally made his way
through the crowd and rushed into the
house, expecting to find the body of Mrs.
Ray upon the floor. He found her calm
ly sitting in a chair with a 4S-caliber
Winchester on her knee extracting
shells from the gum. with the carpet
burned all round her and a hole in
the floor you could throw a dog
through. When the officer sufficiently
recovered to inquire what she had been
trying to do, she replied that she was
thinking of going hunting and taking
a little outing and was cleaning the gun
when it was discharged. He left imme-
diately in disgust and when he ex-
planned the situation to the breathless
crowd they guilty skunk away and
now refuse to talk about it.
Caleb Barnett of VAUDEVILLE, a hos
tier, until recently employed by Theo-
dore Hennessy, who has had the repu-
tation about town as being about the
best all-around "scrapper" that ever
came over, is now in hard luck, as he
has lost both his job and reputation,
and the boys about town are kicking
themselves for allowing him to buffalo"
them so long. Several days 6 he and
Hennessy fell out and Hennessy tied a
can to him." Barnett had boosted that
If he were discharged he would trim"
Hennessy, and when he was let out
said he would chop Hennessy down at
the first opportunity. Hennessy was
told of his intentions and advised to arm
himself, but he only smiled and remark
ed that he could go some himself if
crowded. Yesterday Barnett walked
into the livery stable and a large crowd
soon gathered to see the killing. No
one doubted Barnett's intentions and all
felt sorry for Hennessy, but were anxi-
Gus to see Barnett's famous hook
blow" but all were doomed to disap-
pointment, as h hook" was never
landed. Hennessy met Barnett at the
door and without any preliminary spar
ring landed a right-hand swing on his
Jaw. Barnett fastened to a constable
and had Hennessy arrested for assault.
Hennessy will have a hearing before
Justice Marsland Saturday.