Fergus County argus., 1902-10-08
THE BULLETS
FLEW FAST
Slippery Bill Escapes From the Sher.
ifs Force and the City Police on
Saturday Night.
A REGULAR PITCHED BATTLE
Several Shots Were Fired at the Flee
ing cowpuncher, Who Returned
the Fire-Nobody Hurt.

About quarter past nine on Sat.
urday evening the citizens who hap
pened to be in the vicinity of Main
street were stirred into unusual actiy-
ity by hearing fusilade Of pistol shots
which sounded as If someone was
shooting up the town with an auto
matte pistol. or that the city was in
possession of a gang of desperadoes
on hunt for The Jeffersonian simple.
ity and integrity of purpose which was
advertised in last weeks Democrat.
The cause Of all the excitement was
an attempt TO arrest slippery Bill.
alias Jack Keeting, by Marshal Kane,
who wanted to put him through on a
charge Of carrying concealed weapons.
kcctIng has been making himself
reputation for lawlessness during the
past two weeks and came in conflict
with Deputy Marshal Bebb at the Tiv.
oil few nights ago which ended in
his being handled rather roughly. and
he was known To have made threats
against the officers. On Saturday ey-
ening Marshal Kane Nightwatchman
Harvey and Deputy Marshal Bebb
were standing in front of the Lewis
town livery barn. when Kecting and
a partner by the name of Tug Drilling
ton walked down the street. Harvey
pointed out Kecting as the man with
the gun and Kane started TO make
the arrest. Keeting backed off and
pulled & heavy calibre gun and told
Kane to stand back: Harvey made
run at him and kcetlng turned and ran
toward the Puritan Cafe. Bebb and
Kane both fired at him but failed to
land and Keeting turned at the side
walk and took snap shot which did
no damage. Harvey was close at his
heels and followed him through Skin
ncr q Vans saloon to the back door
of the Cafe. where Kceting turned
and shot another hClc in the atmos.
phcrc: Harvey returned the fire but
seemingly without effect. as slippery"
dashed across the landing in the rear
OF the building with Harvey in close
pursuit and Kane following,
In the street the scene was one OF
great excitement and men with guns
and clubs were busy avoiding the
dark corners and trying to find the
two-bit desperate in the glare of the
electric light. Another shot was heard
and those OF the crowd who did not
climb the telephone poies and were
in a condition to run. raced up the
street expecting to see the william ly-
ing under the glare of the electric
light with several holes shot in him.
The crowd was disappointed, as the
shot was fired by Marshal Kane, who
had gone to the Montana Hardware
Co.'S store to get long range gun
and accidentally discharged il into
the floor and spoiled the looks of
ten gallon can of paint in the cellar
anyway. that's what the boys at the
Montana Hardware say. and they are
celebrated for their close observance
of the truthfulness which is so notice
able in the early life OF George Wash
ington. Kane and Bebb started to-
ward the fair grounds in the hope of
heading the fellow OFF. but when Har-
yey returned a few minutes later he
said from what he could learn that
Mr. Man had gone toward the noun
tains.
Tug Dirlington's heart evidently fail
ed him when the shooting commenced.
as he ran into Fosters store. dropped
his gun and fled back up the alley and
was arrested later by Sheriff Shaw
and Deputy Marshal Bebb. lie was
taken to the calaboose.
keeting and Dirlington are members
of a gang of Cherokee cowpunchers
who struck the town about two weeks
ago and an examination of Dirington's
trunk disclosed the fact that he is
given to posing as bad man and re-
ceived and signed letters under the
euphonious title of wild Bill" II is
kind of cool in the calaboose and il
Is hardly possible that he will get bad
enough up there TO spoil.
One OF the shots fred during the
excitement went through the bottom
stair one door east from the Puritan
Cafe. broke demijohn waltzed around
| the stove, creased two tabecloths and
/ finally stuck in the wood work of the
rear door. Ii is thought that II Keet.
| ing had happened to be where the
! demijohn was that he would OF got
what was coming to him. Another
shot knocked two bricks out of place
in the northwest corner OF the cell
ing. while the rest of the holes were
all in the atmosphere.
Kane started at daylight on Sunday
on a hunt for Keeting. but returned
without him. Sheriff Shaw was told
by some small boys in the morning
that there was tragedy being enacted
at the slaughter house. but on his ar.
rival there he found that Ed. Folms.
bee and Williams from Jenkins bar
Der shop were practicing shooting at
a target and indulging in a little horse
play on the side. On Sunday morning
IL was asCertained that Keeting had
paid a visit to j. l.. Beebe's barn IN
animals in the barn was cut loose and
other signs of the fellows presence
were discovered. II seems that Beebe
locked his barn few minutes after
the shooting. and it is thought by some
thar perhaps Keeting was in the barn
at the time. while others believe that
he crawlcd in at the window. cut the
horse loose and finding the door lock
ed had to leave 1t.
brought to town from the stone quarry
| Tb0s hA aYk