Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1902-02-21
.HE Shot TWICE At HER
Domestic Trouble Leads Samuel H, Owens
Of Joliet to Make Attempt Upon
His Wife's Life.
TURNS GUN ON HIMSELF
Tragedy Averted by Prompt Arrival Of
an Officer Who Finds Owens
With Gun at His Head.

N~AS S-N--
The martial disturbances which have
existed OIL and OH for two years between
Samuel I'll. Owens, a ranehman residing
a mile and a half south Of Joliet and I
his wife Sarah, came very close to end I
ING ia a double tragedy last Monday \
about noon, when Owens shot two bull Z
let's at his wife and then turned the
weapon upon himself. But for Deputy
Roger Burr it is likely Carbon county [
would have furnished the state with des
tails Of tragedy not unlike the one en-
acted at Helena last Sunday night.
Mrs. Owens recently got out a writ OF
attachment for the personal effects and
household property for which Owens
several months ago had given her VIII
Of sale. When Mrs. Owens went with
her two brothers to get the goods last
Monday morning Owens refused her pos
session, whereupon tho services OF Roger
Burr who had served the writ tbefore upon
Owens. being depntlzcd for that purpose
BY Sheriff Potter, were secured at
4 Joliet, and accompanied Ny the officer,
4 Mrs. Owens and the two Bryan boys, her
\ brothers returned to the Owens ranch.
While the deputy and the other men
were busy in the yard and Mr.. and Mrs.
Owens were in the house the deputy
! heard Mrs. Owens scream. lie rushed
Y into the house and a pistol shot rang out
as he entered, and second report came
as he waslhalf way up the stairway that
led to the upstairs chamber where the
man and his wife were. As Burrdashed
into the room he saw Mrs. Owens lying
upon the floor and Owens with the re-
volver at his head, evidently about to
: pull the trigger and end his own
= existence, in the belief that the shots he
y had fired at his wife had taken effect.
Burr acted quickly. Hc struck at the
mans uplifted arm and the revolver fell
to the floor from the force of the blow.
Burr Immediately took care of Owens
and later took him to Joliet where
he was kept in custody until after his
y hearing before Justice G.. y. Oliver on
Wednesday.
. Mrs. Owens was found to be unhurt.
; She told the officer that she was in the
a act Of taking some bedding off bed
! when Owens came up the stairs lie
. called her name as he entered the room
4 and when she turned he had the revol-
! yer in his hand. He did not speak fur
\ ther but, she says, shot twice at her.
y She screamed when she saw the revolver
- and Owens did not fire for an instant
after that. which accounted for the Of
). ficer's hearing the scream while out
side the house, while the shots were not
fired until he had reached the inside OF
n the house and was on his way to Mrs
Owens, rescue.
Il The powder from one OF the bullets
- singed the womans hair. Owens poor
=, craftsmanship seemed to be the only
:, reason for his failure to end his domestic
Il, troubles with q tragedy.
!. About two years ago Mrs. Owens be
gan suit for divorce. The bill dragged
~, along in court until the two made NJ
their differences and later went to living
a. together again. Owens claims that a
:, that time his wife inveiglcd him mt
ii turning all the personal and householt
az property over to her. After She had got
i, ten it into her possession there wa
"a another row and about four weeks ag
- Mrs, Owens got out writ of attachment
-, for the goods and it was while takln
"a possession Of them under the writ tina
+e, the shooting occurred.
~ Owens has some friends in his trouble
1t is stated that his wife got otf on
hypnotsm tangent and that she ha
stacks of literature pertaining to I'll
art. Owens did not like the interes
lry manifested in the foolish craze by h
wife, it is stated, and the first troub
Of had its origin over this. On the 9TH
XIV hand it is claimed that the last separ
vs. alton from his wife had been occasione
- by Ovens drinking which he had pror
ised to leave off when Mrs. Owens al