Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1905-08-08
RICE RECKLESS
WITH HIS GUN
Livery Stable Employr Starts Out to
Kill w. T.Bebb and Almost Gets
Another Man.
Harness Maker Mistaken For Bebb-.
Other People Hear the Sing of
the Flying Bullets.

G. L. Rice, who for some time past
has been employed in the Dark Horse
livery barn. started out last Friday
evening for the express purpose of
failed to accomplish his homicidal pur-
pose, he did succeed in arousng about
the most excitement seen in town for
many moons. He also sent .hree bull
let's into the clothing Of Joe Likes, the
harness maker and that that gentle
man is alive today is due more to his
good fortune in having some papers
and comb in the inside pocket of his
coat than to any poor craftsmanship
on the part of Rice.
Rice was in the Big Bear saloon in
the afternoon and while there got in
to an alteration with Will Bebb, who
is employed there. After little trou-
ble he went out but went back in the
evening. and, it is alleged, renewed
the trouble. Bebb knocked him down
then got up and went out, saying as
he left the place: You
I'll get my gun and kill YOU
That was shortly after O'Clock and
Deputy Sheriff Ed Martin took him in
charge and Rice promised to go home
and behave himself. But he evidently
had no intention of doing so, for Short
ly after o'clock he appeared on the
street looking for w. T. Bebb. He
went into the Gold Bar but Bebb was
not there and then came out on the
street. Seeing Joe Likes standing ON
the street near the post in front of the
harness shop, he evidently took him
for Bebb and Immediately opened fire.
He fired in all four shots and was not
more than few steps away. One bull
let struck Likes in the right side but
its course was DETECTED by comb and
some papers. Turning downward, it
grazed his body and landed in his
shoe. Another bullet struck him in
the left shoulder, making a painful but
not serious wound. The third one
went through his coat at the elbow but
did no damage.
Rice then evidently discovered that
he was plugging at the wrong man
and turned and went into the Silver
Dollar. There were a number of men
in there and some of them beat a
rather precipitate retreat through the
back door. Rice told them not to wor-
ry as he was looking for one certain
man against whom he had grudge
and did not intend to harm anyone
else. He was arrested shortly after
this by Marshal Burke, making no
trouble at ALL
Within a few minutes after the
shooting the street was filled with
men, women and children. An inven-
tory of the premises showed that one
bullet broke window glass in the
Gold Bar. another shattered the plate
glass in the Puritan, while a third put
hole through the front grass of
Hunter Bros barber shop. Tak/n all
together. it was a very fortunate
shooting in that no one was worse
hurt. The streets were crowded with
people when the shooting began, but
when it ended there were not many
heads in sight.
When taken by Marshall Bebb, Rice
expressed regret that he was unable
to kill Bebb and vows that he will yet
get his man. He is in the county Jail
at the present time, however, and, an
information charging him with assault
in the first degree was filed by Coun-
ty Attorney Ayers yesterday morning.
1t is understood that Rice will plead
guilty when he is arraigned which will
probably be tomorrow or the next day.
The difficulty into which the fellow
has got himself is a surprise to his
friends. He has always apparently
been quiet sort of fellow and the
only explanations offered are that he
was either insanely angry or was
driven to attempt the. desperate act
by fighting jag.