The Topeka state journal., 1898-01-12
SHOT IN REVENGE
President of the Butte State
Savings Bank
Is Killed at His Desk in the
Bank.
TROUBLE DATES BACK
To the Memorial Powder Ware
house Explosion,
Which Caused the Loss of Fifty
Eight Lives.
DATES BACK

Butte, Mont, Jan. 12.-Patrick A.
Largey, president of the State Savings
bank and one of the best known citi-
zens of Butte, was shot and killed in
the bank building yesterday afternoon
by Thomas J. Riley. Riley entered
the bank five or ten minutes before
committing the act. He called Lar
gey to the cashiers window and the
two talked for five minutes or more
They were cOnversing in ordinary
tones and there was nothing to indi-
cate that their talk was otherwise than
friendly. Suddenly Riley drew a gun
and shot through the window at Lar
gey. The bullet struck the latter in
the left arm and shattered the bone.
Largey stopped down and had he con-
tinued in Il position he might have
escaped with his life, as he was pro-
tected by the counter. However. he
rose partly and as he did 50 Riley fired
a second shot. The bullet struck Mr..
Largey squarely in the forehead and he
fell on the floor dead.
The murderer started for the front
door on Park street and 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 a hole in his desk and
went through glass in one of the win
dOwS 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. William
Hazleton, a customer of the bank was
outside when the shooting occurred.
He made a rush for the man but was
deferred by the sight of the weapon
and did not grab him. He followed
Riley out, however, the murderer hur-
ried west on Park street followed by
HazeltOn 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 prom
ising me work but did not give me anv
and could not stand it any longer.
Now If you want to hang me for it all
right. Give me a quick trial and end
it."
The murderer has but one leg. He
lost the other in the explosion Of the
powder warehouse at the Montana
Central railroad yards and has since
worn a cork leg.
1-argey was manager of one of the
companies whose warehouse exploded
and caused the loss of fifty eight lives
In contradiction to his statement that
Largey refused to help him, it is well
known that the banker has frequently
Eelped him. He secured employment
for him a number of times but Riley
was unable to hold it any length of
time, besides Largey occasionally sup
piled him with money.
1t is asserted that the killing was the
result of conspiracy or an under
standing to kill more than one man
who had managerial or proprietary in
terests in the two warehouses that
we're the scenes of the explosions
The warehouses belonged to the
suite Hardware company of which
LarEey was manager and the KENYON
COnnell company of which R. KENYON
was the head. Suits for damages ag-
gregatlng a quarter of a million dollars
were brought and several verdicts were
secured but the explosions and subse-
quent attachments had exhausted the
resources of the KenyOn-COnneH COM
pany while the Butte Hardware com
pany had gone into liquidation and the
judgments are unsatisfied. There is
strong talk of lynching Riley and four
other murderers confined in the Jail.