The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-01-15
PIT LARGEY ASSASSINAIED
SHOT DOWN IN HIS BANK.
Thomas j. Riley, the Murderer.
Claimed That Largely Had Prom
Used Him work. but Deceived
Hfm-Denied by Lnrgey's Friends.

Htnf-Den1eu by i4nrBey'S FrlehoN-
Butte, Mont, Jan. l2.-Patrck A. Lar
gey, president of the State Savings bank.
one of the best known citizens of Butte,
was shot and killed in the bank building
about ! o'clock yesterday afternoon by
Thomas J. Riley.
Riley entered the bank five or ten min
utes before committing the bloody act.
He called Largely to the cashiers win
dow and the two talked for five minutes
or more. They were conversing in ordi-
nary tones, and there was nothing to in
dcate that their talk was otherwise than
friendly Suddenly Riley drew gun and
shot through the window at Largely. The
bullet struck the latter in the left arm
and shattered the bone. Largely stopped
down. and had he continued in that posi-
ton he might have escaped with his life,
as he was protected by the counter. How
ever, he rose partly. and as he did so Riley
fired a second shot The bullet struck Mr..
Largey squarely in the forehead and he
fell over on the floor dead.
The murderer started for the front door
ON Park street. As he passed the teller's
window he took a shot at those Behind
the railing. The bullet narrowly missed
Frank Holmes. one of the clerks, dug
hole in his desk and went through glass
in one of the windows on the Main street
side of the building. Riley then rushed
out of the Park street door, thrusting his
pistol into his pocket as he did so.
Assassin Was Captured.
William Huselton a customer of the
bank. was outside the railing when the
shooting occurred He made a rush for
the man. but deferred by the sight of the
weapon, did not grab him. He followed
Riley out. however The murderer hur-
ried west on Park street, followed by Hus-
elton. who kept calling out to arrest the
man.
Officers attracted by the shooting did
so, and he was taken to Jail.
"He fooled me too long" exclaimed
Riley, when he arrived at the county Jail,
''and killed him. He kept promising me
work. but he did not give me any, and
could not stand it any longer. Now, if
you want to hang me for it, all right.
Give me Il quick trial and end it,"
The murderer has but one leg. He lost
the other in the explosion of the powder
warehouses at the Montana Central yards
on January Is, 1895, and has since worn
cork leg.
Grew Out of an Explosion.
Largely was the manager of one of the
companies whose warehouses exploded and
caused the loss of 50 lives. In contradic-
ton to his statement that Largely refus-
ed to help him, it is well known fact
that the banker frequently helped him. He
secured employment for him number of
times, but Riley was unable to hold
position any length of time Besides,
Largely occasionally supplied him with
money.
1t is asserted that the killing was the
result Of conspiracy or understanding to
murder more than one man who had man
agerial or proprietary interests in the two
warehouses that were the scene of the ex-
plosiOns. These warehouses belonged to
the Butte Hardware Company of which
Largely was manager, and the Kenyon
Cornell Company, of which w. r. Ken
yon was the head
Suits for damages aggregating $25O,0O0
were brought. and several verdicts secur-
ed but the explosions and subsequent at
tachments had exhausted the resources of
the Kenyon Cornell Company, while the
Butte Hardware Company had gone into
liquidation and the judgments are unsat-
isfied.
There is strong talk of lynching Riley
and four other murderers, confined in the
Jail
Riley was taken to Deer Lodge peniten-
tiary this afternoon in company with Bob
Shadwell, the other murderer, to prevent
lynching. which looked possible. They
were struggled out of town in the poor
farm ambulance.