The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-05-25
Brown Gang at Bear Creek Try
to. Run Amuck.
AN OPERATOR SHOOTS
And Makes a Killing Sheriff and Posse
Speed to His Assistance.-Seven
Arrests.

At about 1O:3O last night an ur-
gent message for the sheriff and
posse was received at the Kalispell
Office from Bear creek, indicating that
a big row was in progress on that
section and a man had been killed.
Sheriff Tom Hand, Deputy Terriault
and Deputy O'Neil, armed and oc-
coutred for the fray and ready for
any emergency, started at about mid
night for the scene of carnage.
The officers were accompanied from
Kalispell by T. Yosuda, an interpre-
ter, it having been stated in the tele-
gram that Jap had been killed and
that all the Japs on that section were
mixed up in the affray.
Coroner Willoughby exercised his
prerogative and accompanied the
sheriff, taking possession of the body
of the dead Jap.
The officers met with no resistance
and besides the dead Jap, A. Napai,
and his slayer, Frank Myers, the agent
and operator at Bear Greek, they ar
rested and brought back with them J.
Wada, 7. Shemoto, K. Youlkma, s.
Arend, T. o. Kayama, L. Mosuki, and
H. Fukudas, besides bringing in some
witnesses from Richards section
house, where the row began.
The inquest was to have taken place
at II o'clock this morning, but after
viewing the body. the jury adjourned
until p. m.
The narrative of the affair which
finally led up to the tragedy, cleaned
from several eye witnesses and dis
interested parties is about as follows:
| The operators office at Bear Creek
is in the section house which is run
by man named Richards, who lives
there with his wife and quite large
family. On the night of the trouble
two youngsters from Kalispell, boys
named Johnson and Erich. were at
the section house on visit to the
Richards family. There are bunch
of Japs there, the section being
worked by them and they grow more
or less familiar with the people of the
neighborhood. One of the Jap gang,
probably Arend, was at the house and
INDUCED in some of the by play and
amusement which was going on. 1t
is probable that the town kids made
some horse play and the Jap got mad
and at about this time Myers inter
posed, knowing the Jap, and told him
he had better pull his freight and go
where he belonged. The Jap was an
cry and returned with some of the
gang, himself having a knife with
which they rushed the operator.
Myers retreated to the back door
and stood the gang off with an axe
for awhile, but as the gang increased
he made run for it and got to the
bush unmolested, though the gang
was trying to intercept him.
Myers cut across the swamps to a
choppers cabin, where a man named
Len Tonk lived and where he knew
he could find weapon. Armed with
Marlin rife he felt safer and when
the Japs located him he made a stand
They had clubs and knives and rocks
and in the gathering dusk did not
look at all amiable. Myers threaten
ed them with the gun, but they did not
stop and he fired three hots with
the intention of soaring them. The
gun carried high however, over that
distance and A. Napai, who was in the
front rank, received his death wound
the bullets reaching his heart, passing
entirely through his body and one
arm.
In the interval afforded by this un
expected occurrence, Myers retreatet
again and went to the cabin of Phi
Geifer, at Old McCarthysville. Tt
him he related his trouble and alst
expressed fear for the section house
people. Geifer armed himself and il
this cause attempted to impersonatt
an officer and quell the Japs. Myers
succeeded in getting back to the tele
graph Office, and there touched tn
wires and obtained assistance from
Kalispell.
The inquest this afternoon did no
, last long, no postmortem had beel
held to establish the death of tn
Jap, all the parties to the action, in
GLIDING six other Japs, were unde
arrest, and Frank Myers the defend
> ant had been arraigned on a charg
, of murder. These preliminaries vii
be held before Judge Macarthur o.
: Tuesday next. In the meantime al
parties will remain in jail.
The jury, consisting of Fred Ru.
+ sell, Harry Williams, Ed B. Phoeni,