The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-12

Butte. Mont, Jan. 11.-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 about L o'clock this
afternoon by Thomas ]. Riley.
Riley entered the bank five or ten
minutes before the bloody act. He
and the two talked for five minutes or
more. They were conversing in ordi-
nary tones, and there was nothing to
indicate that their talk was otherwise
than friendly. Suddenly Riley drew a
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 con-
tinued in that position he might have
escaped with his life, as he was pro-
tected by the counter. However, he rose
partly, and as he did so Riley fired a
second shot. The bullet struck Mr.
Largely squarely in the forehead and
he fell over on the floor dead.
FIRED AT THE CLERKS.
The murderer started for the front
uOOI Oh 9dIk street anu DIS ne DdSSSU 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 a glass in one of the windows
on the Main street side of the build
ing. Riley then rushed out of the
Park street door, thrusting his pistol
into his pocket as he did so.
William Huselton, a customer of the
10,
shooting occurred He made rush for
the man, but, deferred by the sight of
the weapon, did not grab him. He fol-
lowed Riley out, however. The muir
derer hurried west on Park street, fol-
lowed by Huselton, who kept calling
out to arrest the man. Officers attract
ed by the shooting did so, and he was
taken to Jail.
MURDERER'S PLEA.
He fooled me too long," exclaimed
Riley. when he arrived at the county
Jail, "and l killed him. He kept prom
Using me work, but he did not give me
any, and l could not stand it any long
er. Now, if you want to hang me for
it, all right. Give me quick trial and
end it,
The murderer has but one leg. He
lost the other in the explosion of the
Central railroad yards, and has since
worn a cork leg.
Largely was manager of one of the
companies whose warehouses exploded
and caused the loss of So lives.
In contradiction to his statement that
Largey refused to help him, it is well
known that the banker frequently
helped him. He secured employment
for him a number of times, but Riley
1rTo hi 70 INI6
length of time. Besides, Largely occa-
sionally supplied him with money.
A CONSPIRACY.
1t is asserted that the killing was the
result of conspiracy or an understand
ing to kill more than one man who had
managerial or proprietary interests in
the two warehouses that were the
scenes of the explosions.
These warehouses belonged to the
Butte Hardware company, of which
Largey was manager, and the Kenyon
Connell company, of which w. B. Ken
yon was the head. Suits for damages
aggregating a quarter of a million dol
lars were brought, and several verdicts
were secured, but the explosions and
subsequent attachments had exhausted
the resources of the Kenyon-Connell
company, while the Butte Hardware
company had gone into liquidation and
the judgments are unsatisfed.
TALK OF LYNCHING.
There is strong talk of lynching Riley
and four other murderers confined in
the jail. Later, Riley was taken to
Deer Lodge penitentiary this afternoon
in company with Bob Shadwell, the
other murderer, to prevent lynching,
which looked very possible. They were
struggled out of town in the poor farm
ambulance.