The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-24
MuRDERoUs FREAK OF DRINK
cRAzED STRANGER.
Trimming FIGHT WITH POSSE
w. II. BickneII Seriously Wounded by
Citizens While Resisting Arrest
for Shooting at Children.

pgress Of skirmish if not a battle
! were heard Wednesday night about
- O'Clock on the fiat south of town
and many wondered what had happen
ed. Before the facts could be learned
! all sorts of wild rumors we're afioat.
Some hau it that a number of persons
, had been killed by crazy man and
others that officers and outlaws had
clashed. 1t finally developed that the
/ shooting was between a posse of citi-
zens and a man whom it was sought
! to arrest.
! Crazed by Whiskey.
4 The man was a stranger and ap-
peared to be possessed of a homcodial
mania, which was the cause of the
chase and his subsequent arrest, at
ter he had been brought down
by bullet.
4 Shortly before his capture he ap-
peared in lower 1wenty-eighth street
and was seen flourishing revolver
and accost several persons. Among
them was Miss Lillian Flatt, who was
on her way home. When she passed
the man she brushed mosquito from
| her neck and he repeated the move
ment made by her in doing SO, at the
/ same time saying, Il can give the
sign right back to YOU" Miss Flatt
paid no attention to the man, but con-
4 tinued on, walking faster. He follow
ed her and kept talking to her in a
mumbling manner. Being frightened,
the young lady hastened her steps
and did not look back, consequently
| failed to observe what he was doing.
Some others who saw him declare
that he drew mis- revolver and getting
down on one knee took aim at her,
but did not fire.
Shoots at Children.
From there the man appears to have
continued on down South Twenty
eighth until he reached the residence
of George A. Berky, whose son,
Henry, boy OF Ii years, was outside.
AS soon as he saw the lad the man
i began firing at him. Fortunately
Henry saw the weapon leveled at him
and threw himself to the ground, an
act to which he may owe his life, as
the bullet sped directly over him.
Previous to shooting at young Berky
! it is said that the man fired shots at
some children who were playing in
the street and nearby yards.
Chase and Capture.
BY this time that part OF the city
was in an uproar and some one tele-
phoned 10 police headquarters. Pa
trolman Garnant was in the chiefs
Office and as soon as he learned Of
what was transpiring he secured sew
eral revolvers and hastened in search
OF help. He met Officer Baker and the
two started for the southeastern part
of the city, having been told thar
the man and number who were pur-
suing him were headed in that direc-
tion.
| Before the policemen could reach
the place the chase had ended and the
man was under arrest A posse COM
posed of Messrs. Berky, Petit, Buns,
Swim, Ogden and Bell had started in
pursuit of the man and at every step
exchanged shots with him. He Is
known to have emptied his revolver
at least twice in the running fire
he kept up with his pursuers.
Finally he was brought to bay in
ditch in the Yegen pasture, southeast
of town, into which he fell. Here he
fired at the posse, but failed to hit any
of them. One of the shots sent after
him by those in the rear struck him
in the left shoulder and he called for
quarter and said he had enough. He
was taken to the city hall and as it
was seen that his wound was a serious
one was removed to the Sisters hos
pital, where Doctor Lindsey attended
him.
Denies All Recollection.
Yesterday morning the man claimed
to know nothing of what had transpir-
ed the night before. He said that his
name was William H. Bicknell and