The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-09-15
FATAL SHOOTING
IN BUTTCANE HALL
Brock Jones Dead and His Slayer
Held for Manslaughter

Brock Jones Dead and His Slayer
| Held for ManSlaughter
The upper part of the Buttcane
buildinp on North Main street, which
has been used this summer as a sort
of club by the colored people, many
of whom have been working for the
paving company, was the scene Tues
day evening of shooting scrape, and
the proprietor, James (Brock) Jones
was shot to almost instant death, pre-.
sumably by. Charles Caldwell.
AS near as may be learned, the
trouble began at about 6:15 when
a dispute arose in card game in
the south front room of the build
ing Charles Caldwell, Bud Lee
Billy Bell, all colored, and R. C.
Norm, white man, were playing
poker, when Caldwell decided to quit
the game. He asked to cash in and
receive his money. but disagreed in
some way with Billy Bell, who was
running the game, and who refused
to hand over the amount he demand
ed.
|
upon the scene and to placate Cald-
we'll he offered to pay him the money
himself, but Caldwell insisted that
Bell be forced to pay it. He drew
small revolver with which he
threatened Bell while he commenced
to hit him with his free hand. Jones
left the room and went thru hall
way to the north end of the building
where there was locker, or ward
robe, containing large revolver. He
was followed by Caldwell, who was
marching Bell ahead of him at the
point of his gun. Now all three were
in the same room and Jones had
taken out big gun from the locker,
at which Caldwell left Bell, pointed
his gun at close range at Jones'
stomach and took the other weapon
from Jones.
After this, it is supposed that a
general fight occurred The testi-
mony before a coroner's jury We'd
nesday afternoon and evening, was
conflicting. All three fell struggling
thru a doorway into the kitchen and
in the scuffe Jones received his
death wound. The bullet passed into
his abdomen and upward and could
not be located He died shortly after
being taken to the hospital.
Caldwell rushed out of the room,
washed up and departed. When Of
ficer Groseclose, who was first called
arrived he found Billy Bell standing
in the doorway of the room with
both revolvers in his hands. The
police and sheriffs were summoned
and they rounded up every known
inmate Of the place, who might have
anything to do with the affair, in
Guiding two women, Grace Porter
and May Jones, who is the wife of
the deceased Brock Jones.
Charles Caldwell was arrested and
taken to the hospital to have his
wounds dressed, as he had come from
the fight minus one ear and with cuts
on the top of his head, inside his
mouth and between the fingers of
his hands. 1t is not known how he
received these cuts. A bloody, broken
bottle was found at the place Of the
scuffle, and it may be that either
Bell or Jones, himself, administered
a few blows with it to Caldwell's
head. Caldwell steadily refused to
talk of the matter, calling for a
lawyer. A. S. Dickinson is counsel
for his defense.
The coroners jury, after session
lasting from 4 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon until midnight, brought out
a verdict that James (Brock) Jones
died from a gun shot in the abdomen,
the bullet coming from a gun held
IN the hands of Charles Caldwell.
lnsomuch as the testimony was con-
Trajectory in several points with re-
gard to the use of the guns, Cald-
well may attempt to prove that he
did not have the gun.
The solemnity of the coroner's
trial was broken by a general litter
when Washington Wetherall, a wit
ness, stated that before the quarrel
had got as far as shooting he began
to leave the building.
Where were you at the time of
the shooting?" asked the prosecuting
attorney.
"Ah was gawn," replied Wetherall
firmly, WAS half way down the
stairs by that time"
And where was the white man at
that timer" continued the questioner.
He was GAVIN too-he was gettin'
out there bout as fast's was"
There have been complaints about
the resort where this brawl took
place and twice the authorities have
searched it for hidden liquor as it was
supposed to be a headquarters for
suspected bootleggers, but no evil
dence was found either time. 1t is
probable it will now be cleaned up.
R. G. Norm, the sheep herder who
was present at the poker game from
which the fight started, admitted
that he had been convicted of trans
porting liquor, and several Of the
other witnesses are thought to have
hard regulations.