Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1915-07-29
OFFICERS MAKE
DARING CAP TURE
JOSEPH SCHUTT RUNS AMUCk IN
LEWISTOWN AND FIRES SEW
ERAL SHOTS AT OFFICER.
JOHN CROWLEY SLIGHTLY WOUNDED

VUJIV OjVUIIl OktONlLI UUUUUlU
| The Vincent Gies rooming house,
corner Main and First avenue, early
j Tuesday morning was the scene of
an exciting episode, in which one ,Jo-
seph Schutt, a Pole, and three local
/ Schutt had run amuck with a gun, and
threatened to kill several people, but
/ the officers took hand in the affair,
which resulted in the offenders ar
rest before he did any great damage
After some cautious work by the
officers, which showed particular dar-
ing and good judgment on the part of
/ Chief of Police T.. w. Ray, who was
! in charge OF the capture, Schutt was
taken into custody without any Sc
rious injuries being inflicted upon him,
although the officers could easily have
shot and killed him had they so de-
sired, and it seemed as though the
provocaton was ample.
In the exchange Of shots that took
place John Crowley was slightly
wounded on his right hand but other
wise no one was injured.
On Warpath.
Schutt, who arrived yesterday from
the coal mines near Stanford. started
on the warpath early yesterday morn
ing. and cleaned out the Gies rooming
house by parading up and down the
hallway with revolver and making
sundry and divers threats. Mr.. Gies
roI1 nffipor (trf,u1ou hn rs
the rooming house to arrest Schutt
| The latter opened fire on Crowley
with his 3S calibre revolver, and
Crowley shot twice in exchange
| Crowley was slightly wounded.
Chief Ray Comes.
| Chief of Police Ray arrived on the
scene at about this time, together
with Officer Biggers, and these two
men entered the front room of the
lodging house. while Schutt retreated
into his bedroom. A thin board par
tition divides this room from the hall
way and the lobby.
Keeps on Shooting.
SS,utt was ordered to surrender
but his reply was With his 3S. Mr..
Ray gave orders to capture the man
without injuring him. and about an
hour was consumed in accomplishing
this feat.
Some formaldehyde was thrown into
Schutt's room in an effort to Smoke"
him out, but he refused to bulge.
Finally Mr.. Ray slightly opened the
door leading to Schutt's room, and
with Schutt sitting on his, bed, revol-
yer in hand, his attention diverted for
the time being, he struck Schutt
over the head with his revolver and
at the same time Schutt fired point
blank at Ray from a distance of about
three feet the gun pointed at the abdo-
men,
Partition Saves Ray.
The bullet fortunately struck n
thick portion of the partition, a 2 by
4. and thus spent the force. Schutt
closed the door and fired twice more
in the direction of Ray, and it seems
mir aculous that Ray escaped without
being hit, as the bullets whiZZed
through the thin board partition with
great force, and had he been standing
few inches farther to the left, as
/ Schutt had presumed he was, the bul-
| lets would have taken effect. 1t was
a very narrow escape for Lewistown's
thief of police. While this was going
on Mr.. Biggers was close behind the
! chief, in the hallway, and Mr.. Crowley
had returned from the doctors office
where he had his wound dressed.
Ordered to Surrender.
Chief Ray thought that it was about
time for Schutt to come ont of his re-
treat before he killed someone, and so
lie ordered the man to throw up his
hands end come out of the room in
that position, threatening to start in
shooting himself if this was not I'M
med.ately complied with. There was
& determination in the orders of the
chief that caused Schutt to heed him,
and he soon put his hands out of the
, door and then slowly walked out, Civ
ihg Himself up. He was Placed in the
city Jail. and this morning was turned
over to the county authorities. He is
now in the county Jail, and first de.
gree assault charge will be lcde,.d
arslns1 him.
Refuses to Talk.
! Schutt had no excuse to offer for
: his act yesterday, and at first refused
to talk, but asked for lawyer He
is man about As years of age and
not very well known here, although
, he claims to thave worked in the
. Spring creek coal mines a few years
ago.
Schutts Version.
There is no question at all as to
what occurred after the officers ar
rived. Prior to that Schutt says a
man tried to get into his room to rob
him, as he had about $85 in money on
him. The prisoner had been drinking
somewhat and when the officers came
he thought it was another crook try.
ing to get into his room and SO began
: to shoot.
STANDARD OIL MEN DECORATED
:. CONSTANTINOPLE, July 2S.-(Via
London, July 20, 1912 a. m.)-For
numerous humanitarian services the
} sultan has decorated w. E. Bemis,