The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-30
DEATH ENDS
HIS ERRAND
WILLIAM BATTAMs KILLED IN
soRROWFUL MANNER.
WALKS OVER CLIFFS EDGE
While Bringing Wounded Boy to
Town Becomes Lost and
Falls Into Canyon.

BY one of those cruelties of fate
that are never to be explained William
Battams came to wretched end while
engaged in the humane task of speed
ing to succor and relief a fellow crea4
ture in pain and distress. When
within sight of his journeys end and
while cheering up the sufferer with
him with words of encouragement he
he met with deploraIble and terrible
accident, one which was to be the
cause of his death.
Charley, the little son of Mr. and
Mrs. G. F. Burton, had gone to AS
bridge & Battams' ranch, near High
field, to spend part of his summer
vacation. Last Friday he was hand
ling a small calibre rifle and in some
manner the weapon exploded acciden-
tally. The ball entered the right hand
of the boy, causing painful, but not
serious wound in the outer region of
the hand Saturday morning Mr.. Bat
tams hitched up a team and started
to bring the boy to town in order that
his injury might receive the care OF
a physician. At Roundup a change
of horses was secured from Erwin's
| road ranch and the journey continued
without incident until Buckey's ranch
was reached. Here the two ate sup
per and changed horses again. 1t was
shortly after o'clock in the evening
when they entered on the last part
of their drive and expected to reach
the city in few hours.
Become Lost.
The night was dark and not having
driven over The road for number OF
months, Mr.. Battams lost it and wan
dered over the prairie In his efforts
to find the trail again, he drove a
number of miles to the east and as
was seen by those who went in search
of the couple made the circuit of
Parque's ranch several times. Final
| ly they became headed for the city
once more and entered the road near
Alkali creek, a mile or two north of
town, near where the old slaughter
house stands. Here they became
lost for the second time and leaving
the road a considerable distance to
one side drove in the direction of
the rim rock of the creek.
Falls Over Cliff.
After driving about for sometime,
Mr.. Battams at last decided to unhitch
the horses from the buggy and tieing
them, so that they would not stray
away, began to look for the road on
foot Little Charley also got out
and assisted in the search. While they
were thus engaged he heard noise
and when he called to his companion
received a reply from him in the bot
tom of the little canyon, about Is feet
deep at that point. In response to
questions he was told by Battams that
he had fallen over the bluff and was
unable to get up. The darkness and
uncertainty of his own safety should
he attempt to go to where the man
lay frightened the boy and he hid
himself behing rock, afraid to move.
1t was sometime after midnight, as
near as he could make out, when the
accident occurred and Charley remain
ed where he was until daylight. AS
soon as he could see he looked around
and found Battams still lying where
he had fallen. He observed trail
would lead him to a ranch, which he
believer 10 be nearby. After follow,
ing the trail some distance and crawl.
ing through a number of wire fences
the boy at last reached the Walk
ranch Occupied by man named Ray
In the corral he saw man milking
some caws and to him told what had
occurred. The man took him into the
house and after giving him something
: to eat took team and guided by Char
, lley drove to where Battams' horses
and buggy were. He attempted to lift
up Battams and place him in the rig
he drove for the purpose Of bringing
him to town, but found he could mo-
do so.
! After doing for him what he could