Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-13
RESULT OF A QUARREL

Meaderville was the scene of an eXcit-
ing, and in all proba bility fatal, shooting
ARRAY early this morning. The principals
are all Italians and the trouble the re-
suit of an old feud. The victim is Domin-
lex Nercella, a young man not more than
% years of age, and we'll known in Butte's
Italian colony. He is at Wells hospital
with a serious wound in his left side, from
which, the attending physicians opine, he
will probably die. His assailants, James
and Peter Coello, brothers, are in the
county Jail.
The Italians in Meaderville are much
wrought up over the affray. The wound
ed man is very popular and has many
friends there, while the Coello brothers
are known to be of the trouble seeking
kind and have overstepped The bounds of
propriety many times in the past. Groups
Of excited Italians stood about the street
near the scene of the shooting and dis
cussed the matter in angry tones. 1t
would probably ave resulted disastrous
ly for the aggressors had they been cap
tured by some of the more hot-headed of
their countrymen.
The shooting occurred about 1:4O this
morning, and the trouble leading to it be-
gan last Christmas day when the Coello
brothers quarrelled and fought with Yer
celia, the wounded man, and his friend
John Troglia. In this mix-up one of the
Coello brothers received an inconsequen-
tai knife wound in the neck. This affray
occurred in the saloon of Antoine Crosse
and DOminick Bertoglio, on Main street,
which was also the scene of last nights
blood-letting. In the Christmas fight
Bertoglio interfered in time to prevent
any serious consequences This interfer-
ence or Bertogiio's part the Coello
brothers resented. They also attributed
the discharge of Troglia from the courts
to BertOgllO'S influence, and accused him
of having furnished Troglia with money
to employ a, lawyer for his defense. They
nursed their wrath and bided their time
to get even.
Their opportunity came last night when
a dance was given at the saloon of Ber-
tolina & Monta, which is only a few doors
from Crosse & B~ertOgliO's place. The
dance was attended by a large number
of the Italians of Meaderville. Vercella
was there and the Coello brothers made it
a point to be there also. They were APP
parently looking for trouble and both
drank neaNlly. lney would occasionally
go into Bertoglio & Crosses saloon. where
Bertoglio was tending bar, but did not
attempt to attack him in his own house.
At the dance, the liquor having some
what loosened their tongues, they de-
clared their intention of having it out
with BertOglio for his interference in
their affairs before the night was over.
They also made threats against Nercella,
whose friends came to him and told him
of the condition they We're in and of the
tenor of their talk. Nercella also over
heard them talking threateningly o
corning his friend Bertoglio, and about
l O'Clock he went to Bertoglio & Crosses
place and told BertOglio of the danger
the We're both threatened with. Prob
ably thirty minutes later Vercella was
standing in front of the saloon, CONVEX
sing with some acquaintance when the
Coello brothers came up to him, and with
oaths and insulting epithetS told him they
were there to settle their trouble with
him and Bertoglio and ordered him to go
in and get his friend, and they would
await the two outside. Nercella went into
the saloon and asked Bertoglio to go out