The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-01-04
Little Daughter Badly Wound
ed in Hospital
A FIEND'S BRUTAL ACT
Sullivan Shot Wife and Child and Attempt
ed the Lives of Two Other Chill
dren, Bot They Escaped.

learned added horror is given the af
fair. For cold-blooded brutality the
crime ranks Win any similar tragedy
in Montana's criminal annals. From
the circumstances surrounding the
case, it seems plain that it was Sui
livan's intention to not only kill his
wife and youngest daughter, but to
make way with his son and oldest
daughter as well.
There had been bad blood between
Sullivan and his wife for some time
past and quarrels between the two
were frequent. Sullivan, from all &C
counts, was a worthless character
lazy and shiftless, and Mrs. Sullivan
had been the chief support of the fam
lily for the past year. On Thanksgiv
ing day Sullivan quarreled with his
wife and capped the climax of her
wrongs by beating her. For this he
was arrested and ordered to leave
town. Sullivan obeyed the order and
went to Spokane, from where he
seriously i'll and was confined to his
bed, and asking her to send him some
money. Mrs. Sullivan was deceived
by his statements and for a short
time she complied with his request
and sent money to him. She learned,
however, of the deception and ceased
sending him money and about week
before the tragedy occurred Sullivan
again returned to Jennings, stating
that he was going to work at one of
the railroad construction camps on
the Crows Nest Pass railroad. He
did make his way to one of the camps,
but did not go to work and returned
to Jennings on Monday of this week.
He put in an appearance at Mrs.
SulIivan's house, but beyond grant
ing him permission to occupy room
on the second floor his wife would
have nothing to do with him. Tues
day evening Mr.. and Mrs. Sullivan,
their eldest daughter, Kate, their son
and the little girl were all at home
playing cards with a few friends in
the fore part of the night. Sullivan
was much excited, so much so that
his actions aroused the suspicious of
his sen, who kept close watch on
him; but as the evening passed away
and his father committed no overt
act, his suspicious partially fadeo
away. He noticed that Sullivan was
armed with a heavy revolver, but
thought nothing of that, as several
in the party had their guns with them,
to be used in sooting the old year out
and the new one in.
Shortly after IL o'clock Mrs. Sulli-
their room on the first floor, and VIA
their departure the party broke up.
The rooms occupied by Kate and the
boy were on the first floor and in a
short time they also went to bed. In
a short time afterward Sullivan went
up stairs and apparently retired.
About o'clock in the morning, when
the other occupants of the house were
sound asleep, he secured a Ratchet
and, softly descending the stairs, he
made his way to the room occupied
by his wife and child. The door was
locked, but by means of the Ratchet
he pried open the lock and entered
the room unheard. Unfortunately,
Mrs. Sullivan was quite hard of hear
ing and remained unconscious of her
danger until he stood by the side OF
the bed.
Grasping the Ratchet, Sullivan
struck his wife violent blow across
the face, cutting a deep cash in her
cheek just below the left eye. Ha
then placed the revolver, heavy Al
caliber, close to her head and fired.
The bullet entered just behind the
right temple and emerged at almost
the same spot on the left side, making
a hole completely throught her head.
Turning his attention to the little girl,
Sullivan grasped her by the throat
and attempted to choke her, but he
evidently thought that method of kill
ing was too long, as he desisted and,
placing the revolver near her body,
fired. 1t was his intention to shoot
her through the heart, but his aim
was poor, and the bullet crashed
through her left arm, shattering the
from the result of which amputation
will probably be necessary.
The murderer then attempted to
commit suicide by shooting himself
through the head, but failed to do SO.
The bullet entered near the temple,
penetrating beneath the scalp and
ranging backward, came out near
the base of the skull. Evidently en-
ragged at his failure, he again went
toward his wife and shot
her through the breast. Then leaV-
ing the room he made his way to the
room occupied by his daughter, Kate,
but she had taken alarm at the shots
and had escaped from the house. From
there he went to his sons room, but
here, too, he was foiled, as the boy
had also run away. The blood was
streaming from his head and wher.