Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1913-01-07
ENCOUNTER At
LAND OFFICE
REGISTER C. E. NIXON AND CHIEF
CLERK JOSEPH LAMB ARE
INVOLVED.
LAMB IS UNDER ARREST
Charge of Assault in the First Decree
Filed Against Him-Uses a Knife
on the Register, Claiming seIf-De.
fense-Fearing Will Be Within a
Few Days.

AS result OF an alteration oc-
curing at the United States land Of
flee Saturday afternoon about 5
O'Clock, followed by an encounter in
which Register G. E. McKoin was cut
in the back of the head by a knife in
the hands OF Joseph Lamb, the chief
clerk, Lamb was taken into custody
yesterday, charged by County Attor-
ney c. }. Marshall with an assault in
the first degree. Lambs bond was
flXed at $1,000 by Judge b. II. Foley
and this was furnished last evening.
y. G. White and J. O. Gilkerson be-
coming his sureties. No time has
been fixed for the hearing, but it will
be soon as Mr.. Mckoin's injuries
prove not to be of serious nature.
Mr.. Mckoin is getting along nicely
and viii probably be out tomorrow.
!, The actual facts in the case will
not be definitely known, OF course, un-
til they are brought out at the hear
ing, and the versions given by the
parties differ radically on the essen
tai point as to who was the aggerssor.
The trouble seems to have had its
immediate origin Friday in criticism
made by the register upon the action
or Lamb in putting typewriting ma
chine back on the folding shelf Of a
desk without boiling it. This was
earlier in the day. Along toward S
O'Clock Mr.. Mckoin was taking some
record In the rear room to put away
preliminary to closing up the office.
lie says Lamb came out and asked
him what he meant by his reference
TO the typewriter incident, to which
the register rpelied to the effect that
he meant what he said meantime go
ing on with the work of placing the
record books on the shelves of a sort
or cupboard. Lamb then, according
to Mr. McKoin, complained of his
treatment by the receiver on other oc-
caslons While this controversy was
go1n gon doubtless a sharp one, Mrs.
Lamb, also clerk in the office, came
into the room and undertook to pacify
the men, getting between them. Ac.
cordlng to Lamb, somewhere about
this stage OF the proceedings the reg
lister caught him by the throat and
was bending him back over table,
when he used the knife to free him
sell. Lamb claims that the register
was the aggressor in the actual ply
sical encounter and that he, Lamb,
acted entirely In self-defense.
MI McKoin claims that after the
interference by Mrs. Lamb and while
his back was wholly or partially to
Lamb, the latter struck him in the
back of the head with the knife. in
flicting four cuts; that he then, with
out realizing at all that he had been
Il
down, caught him by the throat and
bent him back over the table. 1t was
not until he raised up, says the re-
ceiver, that he realized he had been
cut, the blood running over his face.
Other employees of the office came
into the room at this juncture and
the encounter ended Mr.. McKoin
went at once to DR.. Attix's office,
where his wounds were dressed.
Mr.. Lamb had on his throat the
finger marks as result of having
been seized there, but aside from this
was unmarked and uninjured. An or
der was entered yesterday morning
suspending Mr. Lamb and the matter
will rest where it is until the hear.
ing is held. Mr.. McKoin says he is
anxious for this, while Lamb ex-
presses confidence that the evidence
will support his claim that he was
attacked first and acted in self-de-
fense.
Mr.. McKoin is, of course, known to
every one here, where he has resided
for many years, and as reports of the
affair circulated his many friends
were deeply interested and anxious
until they learned that his injuries
were not of dangerous nature.
Mr.. Lamb, who Is a southerner,
came to Lewistown from Washington,
ID. c., early last July. He was mar
ried here later, his wife coming on
from Washington for the wedding and
becoming clerk in the office. Nat
urally his acquaintance is not very ex.
tensive, but those who know him
speak of him as a quiet, gentlemanly
man, of excellent character and the
best of habits.
In trying to present something of
both sides to this unfortunate affair,
the Democrat has endeavored to avoid
case that will be judicially
determined within few days at the
outside and has Intentionally avoided
setting out as facts essential points
that are in controversy.
OFF for Scotland.
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