The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-27
AN OLD SHOOTING ARRAY
Joseph LaChance Received Slight
Wound in the Back-Was Fight
ing Willard's Brother Sol on
Saloon Floor.

a year ago this month.
Willard was tried on a charge OF COM
hitting an assault in the first degree
upon LaChance.
Shot Too Far to Right.
In his opening statement County At
torney Yancey, who conducted the
prosecution, stated that at the time OF
the shooting, Sol Willard, brother OF
the defendant, was fighting with La
Chance in the saloon called The Main In
the Boulevard addition. The saloon is
on the road midway between Silver Bow
Creek and the cementeries.
"After repeated blows" Mr.. Yancey
went on. La Chance defended himself.
r,he fight was begun by Sol Willard.
While they were fighting, this man Dave
Willard came out of a house near by.
He saw the men fighting on the floor
and he took out pistol and shot La
Chance in the back a little too far to
the right to shoot him through the
heart.
Slight Flesh Wound.
DR.. Lohb was the first witness who
testified for the state. He dressed La
Chances wound.
estate your diagnosis of the wound,
please" Mr.. Yancey requested.
"WeT, the diagnosis was, found the
bullet" the doctor replied.
"Where did you find it?"
II don't know whether it was in the
right or the left side Of La Chances
back. It was in the muscles.
"From the direction the bullet took
what was La Chances position when he
was shot.
IT should say he was leaning over"
What place did it enter?"
Midway between the point of the
shoulder and the neck"
What was the wound?"
"a flesh wound"
On cross-examination the physician
testified that the bullet was about Is Of
ar inch below the surface and had cut
through the flesh about three inches.
Man Who Was Shot.
The man who was shot. La Chance,
took the stand next. He had to have an
interpreter, as his English was INSULT
cient for the examination.
where We're you the 18th of Sept,
1900, when you were shOt?" Mr.. Yancey
asked.
I'm The Main saloon in the Boulevard
addition La Chance said.
"Who was there?"
"A number OF Franchmen and French
women
WAS there any fighting there?''
"One."
"who was fighting? How did it come
about?"
II was talking to Sol Willard. He said
that after election ia have to go odt
looking for a job. I said did never
have to do that. We had Few words
and the fight began
What happened?"
Landed on Both Eyes.
''Ie hit me once in the right eye and
once in the left eye and then he struck
me in the back of the head and knocked
me down."
"Well, what else?"
when he got me down he gave me
two blows and then man shot me and
I heard man tell me to run away and
I did"
who shot your
II don't know. But I saw the man
who had the pistol in his hand"
who was he?"
David Willard
did you see any smoke coming from
the pistol?"
mo; I ran away"
why u1O you run away.
Feared Be Shot Again.
Il was afraid I'd be shot again." the
defendant replied.
What position were You in when the
bullet was shot into you?" the prosecutor
went on.
II was on the floor holding Sol Will
lard" La Chance rejoined.
The cross-eXamination of La Chance
was taken up by Attorney Wines who
defended Willard, aided by Attorney
Kirk.
when you had the quarrel with Sol
Willard. do you know where Dave Will
lard was?" Mr.. Wines asked.
II saw him at his home in the early
part of the evening. don't know where
he was then. La Chance answered
'Was your back to the front door of
the saloon, when you were shot?'
'Yes."
"How many shots did you hear?"
"One."
do you know where Dave Willard was
when you heard the shots?'
"No.'
did you feel the shot when you were
shot?"
Felt the Shot.
II did"
what did you do?"
II ran away"
where was the man with the gum"
"In the front door,"
where did you RUM"
81 got up and saw man in the front
door and turned and ran out the back
door,
What kind of hat did the man have
on?"
II did not take time to examine"
what kind of a coat did the man
wear?"
1T was little dark and ran; don't
know"
did the man have shirt on?'
II think he had clothes on. That's all
I know
"was the gun black or white?"