The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-05-26
SHOOTS WIFE
AND HIMSELF.
FEARFUL CRIME BY DRUNKEN
BUTTE MINER.
LITTLE BOYS Vain HELP
Small Son of Wretched Pair Battles
Desperately to Save His
Mothers Life.

Butte, May 24.-Michael Haggerty,
a MINER shot and mortality wounded
his wife this morning i'm front of her
home 1928 North Montana street, then
fired a bullet through his own head,
dying a few minutes later.
The tragedy took place after
desperate struggle ON the part of the
unfortunate woman-a struggle be-
tween husband and wife witnessed by
their three sons, one of whom tried
to rescue his mother. The boy struck
the father with am axe, but failed to
disable or injure him. Several neigh
boris witnessed the shooting, and
James Walsh, brother of Mrs. Hag-
gerty, was near at hand, but arrived
too late to be of assistance to the
| unfortunate woman. The shooting oc-
Cured a few minutes after s O'Clock
| this morning.
Cause of the Crime.
| Jealousy on the part of a drunken
husband is believed to have been the
cause of the crime. Neighbors and
other friends of Mrs. Haggerty are
unanimous in the statement that the
wife had never given the husband
cause for jealousy, and that although
she had been compelled by his brutal
conduct to cease living with him
some time ago, she had lived blame
less life. 1t was Mrs, Haggerty, it is
said, who supported the family, and
the children are bitter in their denun-
Citations of their father.
llI-Treated His Wife.
Mr.. and Mrs. Haggerty had not been
Iliving together for a considerable
time, owing to- the fact that Haggerty
ill-treated his wife and made her life
unbearable. More than two years ago
Mrs. Haggerty and her three children
went to California to make a Living
for themselves to- escape from the hus-
band and father. Later Haggerty left
for San Francisco and after a time
induced Mrs. Haggeu'ty to return to
Butte. He promised to give up drink
ing and to live a better life. That he
kept his word for time there is
no doubt, but soon he drifted back to
hEls old ways and lately they have not
been living together. Some days ago
he decided to leave the place and
was to have taken his departure last
might. Instead, however, he was about
town drinking all night and, according
to people who saw him early this
Imorning, he went to the home OF mis-
family considerably under the intlu-
ence of liquor.
Boys Graphic Story.
The STORY of what happened as Hag-
gerty trapped ON the door is best told
by Edward, the l1-year-old SON.
81 had just gotten up and was wash
ing my face when my father was seen
by mother coming towards the house.
sne told me he was coming and ran
and locked the door. He came up the
steps and raped at the door. She
went to the door and asked what was
wanted. He replied, I want my over
aals.' My mother opened the door and
ais she did so ran to her side. As
my mother opened the door he put his
hand into his hip pocket and my
mother said Mike, have you got a
gun?' He replied, No. Just about
that time he got the gun out of his
pocket and my mother made a grab
for it. She got hold of it and got
father by the coat COLLAR and called
} for help They were wrestling and
mother was holding on aIs hard as she
: could. Both fell over the railing
around the veranda to the ground IL
front of the house. This was about
, 10 minutes after 8 o'clock this morn
ing.
5 Lad Attacks Brutal Father.
| "My brother, Johnny, was in tht
woodshed chopping wood and he came
, RUNNING out with the ak in his hand
5 He dropped it and I picked it up anc
It while mother and father were still
: wrestling for the revolver I hit fathe'
: a couple of times With the back Q
the ak, but 1 could not him har'
for fear l would hit mother. wis
I could have hit him hard enough 7