The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-09
AN ACCIDENT
Coroner Investigates the Killing
of M. G. Beach.
MASE is INCONSOLABLE
He and Beach Had Been Fast Friends
for Many Years-They Were Run
ming Down a Cougar When
the Accident Occurred

Missoula, Feb. s.-Coroner Hayes re-
turned tonight from Gougnnor's mill,
where he went to hold an inquest upon
the remains of NJ. c. Beach. who was
shot Saturday by his friend Charles
Mase, while the two were out hunting
near st, Regis. Mr.. Hayes brought in
the body of Beach and it will be buried
There is no doubt in the minds of
church. The funeral will be held at 2
o'clock in the afternoon.
The coroner and the jury went over
the facts in connection with the killing
of Beach very thoroughly, and the YER
dict was unanimously returned to the
effect that the shooting was entirely
accidental. Mase feels very bad over
the sad affair and cannot be consoled
The dead man was his chum and the
two had been fast friends for years.
There Is no doubt in the minds of
those who know the man that the
shooting was purely an accident. and
Mase has the sympathy of all his
friends. He packed up his trunk at
the conclusion of the inquest and
could not be induced to remain at the
camp any longer. He will leave this
part of the country, he says.
The story of the shooting, as told by
Mase before the coroner's jury, was as
follows: I'VE (Beach and MYSELF left
the mill al ii o'clock Saturday morn
ing on hunting trip. We were to-
gether until we were on the first bench
land, near Mr.. Rabbits place. Then
we came upon a ridge, where we saw
tracks of an animal. We separated.
Mac said that he would go To the top
of the ridge and i should take the
tracks. / followed the tracks back of
the saddle and then on back of the
hill. i went on up the ridge. Mac and
followed the tracks. | followed them
up the ridge and came over the top of
1t, expecting to see the cougar on the
other side of the ridge. | came up to
the top of the ridge ready to shoot and
as | looked over / saw a movement in
some thick brush that | thought was a
cougar. | fired at sight, and as there
was second movement l fired again.
Then | started toward the thick trees
and brush. When / was about 40
yards from the thicket Macs dogs
came running toward me and then
went back. ! hurried forward and, as
soon as | got close enough to see, | saw
that / had done a terrible thing | saw
Beach lying on the ground. Then |
ran to him quickly and raised his head
asked him If he could speak but he
could not answer. | repeated the
question and then went to Mr.. Rabbits
house and told him about the accident
anu NHdl nau uOne. Bearh ana |
were particular friends"
+. ii. Rabbit told of Masses coming to
his house and arousing him by shout
ing. Mase told him what had hap
pened and then Mr.. Rabbit summoned
men from the mill and from neighbor-
ing places. $. r. Hyatt. j. r. Brush
and Mr.. Rabbit testified To going out
after the body. Mr.. Brush measured
the distance in the snow from where
the body lay to where Mase had stood
when he fired. and found that il was
LOG steps. All of the witnesses testi-
fled that the brush was thick and that
all of the conditions seemed to show
that the shooting was accidental
The jury brought In verdict of ac-
cidental shooting. signed by Ben
Brush. foreman. A. J. Fowler, Thomas
Padden. O. T. Cain, #. A. Moore and
j. j. Bowling. The place where the
shooting occurred is almost opposite
st. Regis station and about mile
back from the track. The body of
Beach is at Hayes undertaking rooms
to- night