The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-06-24
Residents Engage IN Gun Fight Over Dis
puted Ownership.
ONE MAN >4As SHOT TO DEATH
The Survivor, with Bu> io1e in His Face is Arrested
Together with An Alleged Accessory---Both Are in
Kalispel Jail Charged with Murder

al day for the coming of an officer
| from Kalispell.
| Gheller's story is practically the
same, except that both men had their
guns in their hands before the shoot
| ing commenced. He substantiates
Zewadke's story about Theirsch fir
| ing the first shot, and that he made
no attempt to get away.
The story as told by Friedensburg
| is entirely different from the others,
and if it is true it is a case of murder
and not self defense, as claimed He
| says that on the fatal morning
Theirsch and himself had gone to
work in the field to build fence be-
| longing to the former. AS the fence
built by Zewadke encircled the place
where they were working, it was nee
essary to cut through one panel of
the fence to use as a gate. This they
had done the day before, but had al
ways been careful to replace the
bars to keep out the cattle.
On the morning in question the two
men went to their work, Theirsch in
the wagon while he followed on
/ horseback. He had but entered the
field when he was halted by Gheller
with his Winchester, who demanded
to know why in hi he couldn't
leave the mans fence alone and keep
his hands Off" Friendesburg told
Theirsch and knew nothing about the
| trouble.
When Theirsch entered the field,
/ Zewadke was in the bushes beside
the gap and followed him in with his
gun in his hand, and pointing it at
I him cursed him and told him to
throw up his hands. Shortly after
ward he shot at Theirsch, but missed
him, and the latter stopped and with
one hand took his revolver from the
bottom of his dinner pail and re-
turned the fire. Zewadke was on the
ground and ran up close to the
wagon and shot Theirsch in Tie side.
The wound caused him to stagger
and bend forward, when Zewadke
fired another shot, the bullet strik-
ing him in the forehead and coming
out at the back of his head. While
shooting, Theirsch was standing in
the wagon, holding the lines in one
hand and his revolver in the other
The team was wild and every time
a shot was fired they would jump.
This placed him at great disadvan-
tage and made accurate shooting an
impossibility. When he fell out of
the wagon the team ran away.
Friedensburg says that when he
saw Theirsch fall he ran to where he
was and attempted to aid him, but
Gheller and Zewadke would not allow
him to do so. The laUler came up to
him and, thrusting his revolver in
his face made him say that Theirsch
fired the first snot They then at the
point of their guns made him start
after the team and attempt to catch
it. He went, but after going a short
distance he struck through the woods
and notified Mrs. Tnelrsch of what
had happened. He then rode to the
ranch of W. H. Orr and told him.
and was there told to go Pleasant
Valley station and telegraph to Kalis-
pell for doctor and an officer. He
also swears that Gheller, after stop
ping him when he entered the field,
went up to the wagon and threw
shell in his rife and stood with it in
readiness to fire.
Theirsch lived for about two hours
after being shot, but died while being
taken to his home.
The news of the tragedy was re-
ceived in Kalispell early Saturday
morning, but it was 1 o'clock before
any train left for the west. At that
time DR.. Macdonald and Under Sher-
iff Charles Therriault left on
freight and on arrival at Pleasant
Valley found Zewadke there. Jack
Dolan was deputized to bring the pris-
1 oner to Kanspell and arrived here
on No. Saturday night AS the
scene of the shooting was 10 miles
from Pleasant Valley station, and no
other news had been received, the
officials left for that place before
telegraphing to Kalispell for the cor
oner. On arrival they found the man
dead and at once sent a messenger