The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-03-11
MRS. CIRCUIT TELLS STORY OF
THE SHOOTING.
WAS GOING TOWARD HER
Husband Advancing In Menacing Man
ner When She Fired Fatal
Shots-Jury's Verdict.
From Saturdays Daily Gazette.

fishing, public sentiment, which has
been with Mrs. Circuit ever since the
unfortunate occurrence of last We'd
nesday night, seems to be growing
in her favor. The sympathy expressed
for her Thursday night and yesterday
morning, as the inquest progressed
was general and genuine, particularly
because, of her seeming friendless
and forlorn condition. At both ses-
sions she appeared without an at
torney and apparently had no n to
advise or counsel her. Weeping and
exhausted, she occupied the seat as
signed her and strove to tell the fear
full occurrences of that awful night.
Overcome at times by the strain on
her nerves and mind, she would break
down utterly and be unable to do
aught but wiring her hands in anguish
and pitifully sob and moan. Then
with a supreme effort at self control
she would endeavor to resume her
narrative. A few words would escape
her and then she would break down
again and the county attorney and the
others conducting the inquiry would
wait and by questions seek to have
her tell more.
The spectacle presented appealed
to the %stoutest hearted of those who
witnessed it and many were the COM
ments heard on a law that would per-
init one in her condition to be put to
the ordeal she was undergoing with
out providing her with someone cap
able to give her advice and protect
her rights. It is true that she was
Informed that she was not Obliged to
make a statement and that she cOnttn-
ued to do so after having been thus
cautioned, but to a majority of those
who saw and heard her it seemed
that she failed to realize her condi-
ton or thoroughly understand the ne
ture of the proceedings that were tax
ing place.
In answer to the questions put to
her and with the occasional sentences
of voluntary information given by her
stance as follows:
Tells Her Story.
Her husband had frequently up
braided her for being not as affection.
ate toward him as he claimed she
should be and for that reason had Of
ten quarreled with her. She said she
had told him that if he treated her
more kindly and ceased abusing he1
she probably would be more as he de
sired her to be and had asked him tc
stop his cruel treatment of her and
she would be different. She related
several instances when they had hat
trouble and the threats he had made
against her. Wednesday evening
she said, her husband had come home
drunk and after she had prepared
supper he had refused to eat any ant
gone into another room and sat dowr
on a chair. She had remained in thu
room where she was when he cam
in and laid down on a bed with he
clothes N, thinking he would go t.
sleep when she would better leavs
the house las she was afraid of him
After a while she had heard him tax,
off his shoes and then lie down o.
the bed, where he remained a shor
time and then went to where she wa
and asked her why she did not go t
bed. She replied that she coHld moi
as he was occupying the bed with hi
clothes still on. All the time the
were talking, she said, he had shake,
his fist at her, grated his teeth an
cursed her. She told him that sh
would better go away, as they coul
not get along together. To this, sh
said, he had answered that he woul
kill her before she went. She ha
begged him to go back into the othe
room, but instead he had gone dowl
stairs and locked the front door, a
ter which he had come back VI
stairs and gone into the kitchen, r.
turning to the room where she wa
and shaking his fist at her, while hol'
ing one hand behind, all the time a
vancing toward her. She had aske
him what he had in his hand, but tn
only reply he had made was to co
tinue to curse and abuse her. ST.
could not see what he had in til
hand he was holding behind him, b,
because of the numerous threats h
had made against her and because sh
had become so thoroughly afraid {
him and believing her life to be i
danger, she had grabbed UP the r
volver and fired. while he was a,
vancing toward her.
After the first shot he had turne
as il to go out of the door, but i
stead had again faced her and mao