The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-26
Authorities estigate
Shooting ARRAY Near
-. Florence Sunday.
THREATENS FAMILY
According to. information Sc
cured, Attack Was Made
Without Cause.

AAuAItOU, July cO.-(Speci0l.) -JOhn
Sumlcnke, charged with murdcrous as-
sault upon four members of the family
Of f. E. Kuhlsof Florence, will be
arratgned tomorrow. County Attor.
ney +. G. Hurts and Sheriff Ike NWyle
have been investigating the affair.
They returned to Hamilton today.
Sumlenke is accused OF attempting
to shoot Kuhl, hitting Mrs. Kuhl with
the butt of his rifle and beating the
elder Mr.. and Mrs. Kuhl. He was en-
p'oyed as a farm hand on the Kuhl
ranch.
SumIenke has said that he merely
threatened the kuhls after the younger
kuhl had made unpatriotic utterances.
kuhl Tells His Story.
II am German by birth, it is true,
but have lived in this country for Is
years and no one can say that ever
made an unpatriotic utterance.'
So f. Kuhl. a farmer living near
Florence. yesterday answered state
ments made by John Sumlenke, who is
now In the Ravalli county Jail at HAM
ilton. charged with murderous assault
upon Mr.. Kuhl. his wife and his father
and mother. Sumlcnke said after his
arrest that he had merely frightened
tho kuhls because Kuhl had made un.
patriotic statements.
Has Done Much Harm.
r This story. Kuhl declares, Is not
only utterly false. but has done ,Khul
great deal Of damage. 80
II had land deal pending, and now
that rs held up" said Kuhi yesterday.
Moreover l can get no men to work
on my ranch, and all OF us are too
badly hurt to put up the hay that is
lying In my fields. Some Of my
ncighbors are helping me now out Of
sympathy. They are all very indig-
nant over the story told by Sumlinke."
According to Kuhl the charge of un-
patriotism belongs altogether on the
other side. Sumlenke. no says told
him and SotheTs that he got out OF the
United States army by feigning in
sanity. The man claimed to be Rus.
suian. though now he says he was born
in Pennsylvania.
Il can't explain Sumlenkes actions"
said Mr.. Kuhl yesterday. II had
never had one harsh word with the
man. and he had been n good worker
aud II pleasant fellow during the 10
days he worked for me before the
trouble.
Trouble With Camera.
Trouble with camera apparently
started Sumlcnke off, says Mr.. Kuhl.
The Russian had u camera devised to
take and develop postcards and on
Sunday took some pictures of the
kuhls. The machine did not work
we'll. but none of the Khuls COM
planned.
Sumlcnke however. got his gun and
some cartridges after Kuhl had gone
into the ficlds. the rancher says. Mrs.
kuhl asked him what he wanted car
tridgcs for and he said he was going
to kill gophers.
IT'S too late now" Mrs. Kuhl said.
But Sumlenke. according to Kuhl. took
what cartridges Mrs. Kuhl was not
able to hide.
Then he put his camera up beside
n ditch in the yard" Kuhl says, and
went to the door with his gun.a
Hit Woman With Rifle.
Mrs. kuhl begged him not to shoot,
but he said he was going to hit II in
the bullseye. or something like that:
that the camera was his and the gun
was his and he'd do what he wanted
to. Mrs. Kuhl Is nervous, and
screamed when Sumlenke fired. She
begged him not to shoot again. but he
simply took the butt OF his gun and
struck her on the breast with it, Tho
doctor says it win cause a cancer.
Then my father came running in.
He told Sumlenke not to hurt Mrs.
kuhl. You've always been a good
fellow he said. And he had. too.
But Sumlenke took the barrel of the
gun and hit father across the face
with 1t. Father is rs"
=. Fired at kuhl.
At about this time Kuhl came driv-
Ing upon his hay rake. Sumlenke.
he says. saw him coming and leveled
his rifle at him.
when I saw that. turned my team
back" says Mr. Kuhl. Then he
banged away at me. My wife says
he fired two shots. but heard only
one. The horses were frightened and
ran away. Finally the rake tongue
broke and was thrown out. The
rake scratched up my arm and leg and
one OF the horses got me in the fore
head"
Mr.. Kuhl showed ugly scars.
Kicked Aged Woman.
Il started down toward Wemne's
place" Kuhl continued. (which is near
mine. l pretended l was goir; to get
a doctor. and my mother helped out by
calling. Run get a DOCTOR
eff you go for a doctor I'll kill YOU
Sumlenke said to mother. And he
kicked mother. who is 6s, for calling to
me. Her right leg is one mass of
bruises" 49,
At wempie's. Kuhl says. n call was
put In for the sheriff and kuhl got
gun. with which he returned.
Sumlenke. seeing Kuhl approach,
left the house. still, carrying his rifle.
which was serviceable. though the butt
had been broken off BY clubbing. He
went, down: .tha, read and met a party
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