The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-01-05
WHEN BUTTE MEN
FOUGHT TO DEATH
FIERCE DUEL BETWEEN TIN
HORNS IN BUTTE GAMBLING
HOUSE 40 YEARS AGO.
Was Principal Event of Christmas
Season OF That Year; Bystanders
and Mirrors Suffered as Bullets
Flew About; When Men Shot First
and Temporized After.

Forty years ago Christmas day, ac
cording to an old-time Butte man
the gambling fraternity of Montana
staged a battle to the death al King
& Lowry's gambling house on Mali
street, when "Bodie Joe" and Joe
Campbell, two "tinhorns," fought il
out with six-shooters across the width
of a poker table, says the Christmas
edition of The Anaconda Standard.
Campbell was pumped full of lead
but lived through it. "Bodie joe
was shot through the abdomen waen,
his gun empty and Campbell drawing
a bead on him, he dashed for the
back door in a vain hope of making
his escape, only to fall in his tracks
as Campbell pressed the gun against
his abdomen and fired.
The French Kid" was shot
through his hand and was crippled
for life, a pedestrian passing Bro
phys store on the opposite side Of the
street, had a piece Clipped out of his
cheek, and "Pie-Eyed Mike" narrow
ly escaped death by burning when he
made a wild plunge into the open
doorway of a huge cordwood stove,
in his mad effort to escape the range
of the bullets.
Bodie, though frightfully wound
ed, lived for eight hours after his
wound. He died in DR.. Holmes hos
pital where the colored church now
stands at the corner of Idaho and
Mercury streets.
81 remember the circumstances
WE'LL" said the old timer, who was
born in Walkerville. "I was then a
shaver and had a shaver's memory.
Montana was still a territory. Tom
Carter was the delegate to congress,
and Lew Smith was sheriff. The
town was full of gamblers. In those
days men shot first and invited the
innocent bystander to get out of the
way afterwards.
There was bad blood between
Bodie and Campbell. The men on
day, 1881, engaged in a
was then located on the west side
Of Main street midway between the
Clark bank and the Lizzie block.
"a big crowd had gathered in the
place, whether attracted by the game
)r because of the holiday, 1 don't
Know. Probably on account of both.
The game had gone IN for some time
When liar was passed.
"Quick as q flash both men grab
ed their guns and the fusillade COM
1enced. The spectators rushed for
afety. Out through doors and win
-ows they went like stampeded cattle,
While two six-shooters were roaring
heir messages of death within. There
yasn't a door or window left after
he gun battle. The crowd had
mashed them.
I'm the middle of the room stood a
uge cordwood stove filled with
its great door standing wide
pen to lessen it's heat.
"Pie-Eyed" Terror
'Pie-Eyed Mike felt the whizz
f a bullet past his head and without
lought of the blazing fire within,
lade a plunge into the stove. Men
no kept their heads grabbed him
nd pulled him back. He fell, crawl
/ to the counter, where he hid I'M
! a bullet hit the bar mirror square
the center, sending cracks radiat-
Ig like a sunburst. Mike, with a
hine of terror, wriggled across the
DOR to the outer door and fled
Meanwhile Bodie and Campbell
Id been doing execution on each
her. Bodie shot the gun out of
ampbell's right hand. 1t fell on
floor. With his right hand hang
6 helpless, Campbell picked up his
In with his left hand, put it be-
zen his knees and cooked it with
S left thumb.
"Bodie had emptied his gun into
d at Campbell, not all of his bull
IS taking effect. Campbell drew
bead on him with his left hand.
'die lost his head and dashed for
e back door. Afraid to shoot at
for fear of missing, Camp
II followed him. AS Bodie strug-
I'd with the door Campbell press
the gun against his abdomen and
ed. Bodie crumpled to the floor
d Campbell staggered to the bar
called for a drink.
CDR. Holmes had the only hospital
Butte. Bodie was moved there,
ere he died.
vas arrested, but was
at the preliminary examina-
n on a plea of self-defense. A re-
feature of the fight was
It despite the shower of bullets, the
D principals, the French Kid and
unknown man across the street
the only ones hit.
That was one way we had of