The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1924-03-13

quarrel at Dance Followed by Pistol
Duel Sunday Morning Lyle
Near Death In Lewiston
Hospital.

engranIs anu alcnaru Lyle met on
trail in the Eagle Creek district O.
Snake river and shot out quarre
which started at dance in the neigh
borhood the night before. Lyle wa
struck by Luger bullet near the hal
line in the center of his forehead, til
skull was badly fractured and th'
brain penetrated, and he lies in I
Lewiston hospital at the point o.
death A report from there today
stated that his condition showed (
slight Improvement, but the chance Of
recovery is slight.
The Lewiston Tribune of Monday
gave the following report of the af
fair:
Richard Lyle, a rancher residing on
the upper Snake river near Billie
creek, is in the st. Joseph hospital in
a critical condition with bullet
through his head as the result of a
shooting affray with d. L. Rosen-
grants, neighboring ranchman, at an
early hour yesterday morning. The
bullet entered the left forehead at the
hair line and cut through the skull so
that the brain was exposed and some
brain matter was lost. The force of
the bullet cracked the skull both ways
as far as the surgeons could see with
out the use of the X-ray and Lyle s
condition is so critical that it was not
deemed advisable to remove him to
the X-ray room. The physicians hold
out little hope for his recovery.
Lyle and Rosengrants attended a
dance Saturday night at the Ollie
Bond place at the mouth of Captain
John creek They had trouble at the
dance but were separated by Bond.
Lyle, accompanied by George Baker,
was going home yesterday morning
shortly before daylight and met Ros-
engrants on the trail. According to
Baker, both men pulled their guns and
fired simultaneously, but both bullets
went wild and Rosengrants fired al
second shot with the result that Lyle
Ieu Will Uullct tHAouBu HAD shcou'
Lyle was placed in boat and taken
to the Bond place where he was trans
ferred to an automobile and rushed to
the Lewiston hospital. He has not
been conscious since the shooting but
his physician stated last evening that
he would open his eyes when spoken
to. He is paralyzed on the right side
Of the body.
Rosengrants Immediately called the
office of Sheriff George w. Welker
and reported the shooting and was ad-
vised to come to Lewiston and sur
render himself. He was arraigned be-
fore Probate Judge G. A. Woelflen, on
the charge of assault with intent TO
commit murder, and his bonds were
placed at $500, which were furnished.
The preliminary examination will not
be held until there are further devel-
opments in the condition of Lyle.
Both men are well known in the
Lewiston country and have resided on
the upper river for a number of years.
Lyle has section of land located a
short distance above Billie creek and
the Rosengrants place is about one
and one-fourth miles above the mouth
If Captain John creek. Lyle was in
The hospital few weeks ago suffer
ng from injuries sustained by falling
over a bluff near the place where he
was shot yesterday. He is about 40
years of age and has relatives resid-
ng in the Sweetwater and Mission
,reek sections.
Rosengrants was extensively en-
yaged in the stock business for a num-
Der of years, beginning his operations
IN Camas prairie Several years ago
he purchased the R. R. Steen place on
Billie creek and ran large bands of /
'heep on the upper river and traiied
across the prairie to summer range
back of Kamiah. He maintained sum
ner headquarters at Kamiah for sew
sral seasons. He released the Steen
'anch a few years ago and has since ;
been residing on his ranch between
he steen place and Captain John
.reek.
The Tribune of Tuesday said: 1t
developed yesterday that Lyle was
arrying a single-action 1920 revolver,
while Rosengrants used Luger auto
natic pistol.
George Baker, friend of Lyle and
Who was with him at the time of the
hooting, told Deputy Sheriff Harry
)ent that both men fired simultan :
ously and that both missed and that
tosengrants then fired second shot
nd Lyle fell with the bullet through
is head
1t was stated yesterday that Rosen-
rants had been feeding horses at
ay stack above his house and was |
irving mileh cows in the road when t
.yle and Baker appeared over low s
ill. Lyle and Rosengrants were then
bout 25 feet apart and it is contend