The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-09-11
Tex Hunter Ends
Quarrel By Shot
Spies Wife Riding With Butte Man and Opens Fire
While Spectators Look On Wounded Driver Stays
At Wheel Hunter Gives Self Up to Deputy Sheriff
Declaring 'Act Made Him Happy

Ernest B. TEX" Hunter, widely known
Montana character, shot and instantly
killed his wife and wounded a man hel6
by Toole county authorities under the
name of George George, of Butte, when
in fit of jealously, he opened fire on the
pair Monday evening as they were driv.
ing through the streets of Sweetgrass in
an automobile. Hunter Immediately sur.
rendered to officers at Sweetgrass, who
quote him as having declared he was
happy over his act.
The shooting occurred after two days
of arguing between Hunter and his wife,
according to accounts given by Toole
county officials. Hunter had been or
dered to leave town earlier in the day by
justice of the peace and the authorities
say that eye witnesses to the shooting
declared that he was in drunken con-
dition when he attacked his wife and
her escort.
Shortly before p. M, Hunter, it is
alleged, staggered down the street and
at the same time he saw his wife and
George seated in an automobile going
in the direction of Coutts. Spectators
say he drew pistol from his pocket and
fired one shot. George was on the side
nearest Hunter with Mrs. Hunter seated
by his side. The first bullet grazed
Georges face. Hunter, the witnesses
say, followed with second shot just as
George raised his right hand in the air
as if to surrender. The bullet passed
through the feshy part of the arm and
then went through Mrs. Hunters neck.
Hunter fired one more shot but it went
wild.
Thinking he had shot both, Hunter
turned and started down the street.
George continued on his way to Coutts,
turned around in that town and came
back to Sweetgrass, where he stopped
the car in front of the Thompson hotel
and fell over the steering wheel in
faint. DR.. Sullivan was called but when
he arrived he declared that Mrs. Hunter
had been dead for some time. Death
must have been instantaneous for the
bullet severed the jugular vein and pass
ed through the spinal cord, the doctor
said.
The car containing the dead body
formed a morbid attraction for the en-
tire population of Sweetgrass. 7 h e.
shooting was quickly heralded around
the vicinity and hundreds were on the
scene an hour and half after the shoot
ing when Dr. A. W. Williamson, Toole
county coroner, arrived to take posses
sion of the body.
Soon after the shooting Hunter walked
up to Deputy Sheriff L. A. Miller and
himself In company with
Miller was Constable E. R. Holderby and
City Marshal 9th Clark of Sweetgrass.
AS Hunter came up to the trio, who
we're searching for him, he was leering
in his drunken frenzy and declared him.
self happy that he had gotten both of
them,' the officers say.
Hunter was Immediately taken to
Shelby and lodged in the Toole county
jail. Early Tuesday morning deputy
sheriffs there told of Hunter SOLDERING up,
but still under the impression that he
had also shot and killed George.
The trouble which caused the shoot
ing had been brewing since Sunday morn
ing, according to Constable Holderby.
1t started, he says, when Mrs. Hunter
demanded that her husband turn over
two trunks containing clothing which
she claimed as hers but Hunter refused
to give her these. Late Sunday after
noon shooting scrape between Hunter
and the dead woman was narrowly avert
ed in one of the Sweetgrass hotels, but
just as Hunter was about to fire, accord
ing to Holderby, who says he 9rappled
with Hunter and took the gun away
from him.
Hunser was arranged in the Sweet
grass justice court Monday morning on
a charge of being drunk and disturbing
the peace. He was fined $50 and ord
cred to leave the city. The officers say
they now believe he refused to comply
with the order and stayed on the war
path to get" his wife and George, as
they declared he had threatened to do
Sunday. Sweetgrass authorities are now
trying to learn where Hunter got the
other gun.
Hunter is held at the Shelby jail on
a charge of murder but no formal CON-