The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-05-19
DEATH Of RUSTlER
RELIEVES COUNTRY

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The Examiner last week printed an
account Of the death Of John I4ange,
homesteader residing near the SOUTH
western corner Of Powder River county
but in Rosebud county.
More particulars are contained in
an account printed by the Forsyth
which is as follows:
"Jack Arncld, special deputy sheriff
at Birney in Rosebud county, last
Wednesday evening shot and killed In
self defense John Lang, an alien
at the lattter's homestead
on Hanging Woman creek near Gopher.
The shooting occurred about 1880 y.
m. after Arnold had used every
means possible to prevent it and yet
perform his duty as q deputy sheriff.
'Mr. Arnold went to the Lang home
stead early Wednesday evening in
company with two ether men to ar
rest Lang on charge of horse steal
ing. The horse was the property of
the Brown Land & Cattle Co., and was
on Lang's homestead at the time CT
the shooting. Mr.. Arnold asked Lang
about the horse and Land said that he
had bought 1t but refused to state
frem whom he had bought it. Mr..
Arnold knew the horse and knew that
1t belonged to the Brown Land & Cat
tie Co. and told Lang SO. Lang said
that that didn't make any difference,
that he had purchased the horse and it
was his. Mr. Arnold then told Lang
that he was a deputy sheriff and had
come tc' arrest him for stealing that
horse and that he intended to take
him to Forsyth.
Tang said that he wouldn't go and
picked up an xe. went over and stood
near the door Of his 'dugcut.' Deputy
Sheriff Arnold stepped forward to
grab Lange and the latter struck at
him with the axe. Arnold grabbed the
axe and told one Of the men. who
were with him. to grab Lang. The
man took hold Of Lang by one of his
wrists and forced him to drop the axe.
AS soon as he had dropped the the
axe. Lang jerked away and stepped
back into his dugout. The door to HIS
dugout. according to Sheriff c. f.
Thompson of Forsyth who whit CCun-
ty Attorney Sam Crawford and Coro-
ner r. NJ. Booth were summoned to
Birney after the shooting occurred.
was but small opening and more like
a window than a door.
"Arnold attempted to crawl thre ugh
after Lang but the latter picked up an
ircn bar tthe rear axle of /. buggy.
and tried to hit Arnold, using a stab
bing motion. Arnold lodged the blow.
pushing the bar aside with his arm
then Lang drew the bar back for a
SECOND time. saying. TIL get you this
time Seeing that all further effort
to arrest Lang was useless and that
his own life was in danger Arncld
fired the fatal shot
Lang has been regarded as a des-
perate character for sometime and
during the war he was placed in a
United States dtntion camp at Fort
Douglas Utah. 1t has also been re-
portd that Lang was driven from Cam
ada In 1914 because of seditious ut
terances against the Canadian govern
ment.
''Mr. Arncld summoned the sheriff
from Forsyth Immediately after the
shooting had occurred and Sheriff
Thompson, Sam Crawford and Mr..
Booth left her at 1920 Wednesday
evening. arriving at Birney at 800
N
ner's jury was called Thursday morn-
ing and the following verdict was
rendered:
I'VE. the jury. duly empannelled and
sworn according to law to inquire into
the facts and circumstances surround
Ing the death of the deceased new ly-
ing before us, after hearing the testi-
mony and viewing the body. now find:
That the person killed. whose body is
before us. was John Lang. home-
steader of Rosebud county. Montana:
that Lang came to his death by a
bullet from IS ealiber automatic in
the hand of John Arnold and that he
was killed about 1870 p. M on May 8
1922, IN Rosebud county. Montana.
"sWe further find that John Arnold
was the duly qualified and acting dep
uty sheriff of Rosebud county, Mon
tana. and acting as such at the time
he shot John Lang: that John Arnold
was attempting tc arrest John Lang
for felony and that said Lang was
resisting the arrest and was attempt.
ing to strike sid Arnold with heavy
iron bar;
eve therefore find that the shoot.
| ing OF John Lang was excusable and
justftiable by law. We commend Johr
Arncld for his action in this matte,
and exonerate him from all blame
| Signed: S. N. Moses. foreman: Aller
McSweyn. ]. NJ. Davidson, william
| Munson, kenney Harp. Ezra H. Rcurr
jury. and F. NJ. Booth. coroner"
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