The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1929-05-23
FATAL SHOOTING rs A
SEQUEL TO DRINKING


and mortally wounded his younger
brother while they were visiting at
the home of the former.
Today one may visit the two-room
house in that district and see the hats
of the two brothers lying side by side
on the kitchen table; may see the two
chairs where they sat and drank to-
gether, and then view the pool of fast
drying blood on the floor-mute evil
dence of the aftermath of that not at
first unfriendly meeting.
Today one can see the sorrow -strick-
en- victim of moonshine, crazed and
revengeful, as he uneasily PAGES the
cell in the Carbon County jail; man
charged by his fellow-man and the
laws of God and country, with the tax
ing of human life-that of his bro
ther. At the same time one finds a
wife, the bride of only a month, re-
covering from bullet wounds inflicted
by the one who swore to love and pro-
tect her. She lies ON bed of pain in
the Adams hospital, who has some
hopes of recovery.
Today a bright little lad of eleven
years, is remorseful, in that he has
had to tell of the terrible deeds COM
mitted by his father This mere
youth, who should know nothing of
the seamy side of human life, must
bear the brunt of seeing his father
convicted of the greatest crime.
Today widow with three young
children is wondering what it is all
about, as she was a victim of cir
cumstances over which she had no
control. Her children are fatherless
and all because Of the crazed act Of a
brother-in law.
And today the law must exact pen
atty for the acts and attempt to adj
just things so that all will accustom
themselves to the new order of life.
William H. Courtwright, of the Pry-
or country, came over to visit at the
home of his brother Chris. This was
on Saturday of last week and the two
families and friends attended a dance
that hight in the Cherry Springs
schoolhouse Dinner was served the
next neon and shortly there-fter Mrs.
William H. Courtwright and three
little children returned to their home
south of Pryor. Her husband remain
ed and the afternoon was spent by he
and his brother in visiting and drink
ing.
William Courtwright, Mr.. and Mrs.
Chris. Courtwright and Pete, the ell
even-year-old son of Chris by for
mer marriage, constituted the people
on the ranch at the time of the trag-
edy. The elders were in the house
and the lad was playing around the
barns when the flare up and murder
occurred.
1t was about seven o'clock in the
evening when words were passed and
it was at that time that brother shot
his nearest kin. A 20 caliber pistol
was the instrument used and one shot
above the right eye caused death to
close the festivities.
Little Pete heard the shots and ran
to the house, but before arriving he
heard other shots-five in all. Arriv-
ing at the front of the house, he found
his father chasing his step-mother
across the yard; the woman, who had
been shot three times, running until
she came to the barbwire fence. She
attempted to climb over the fence, but
the attempt was in vain. The pistol
being empty, the crazed husband COM
menced beating her over the head
with the pistol.
The lad stated at the coroner's In
quest Tuesday afternoon, that his
step-mother fell to the ground, while
begging her husband not to shoot her
any more, and finally raised to her
knees and begged for her life. Turn
ing, the man handed. the empty pistol
to his son and told him to reload it for
him or he would kill him also. The
woman begged the boy not to do so.
Pete reloaded the gun but did not
give it back to his father, but started
running across the fields to the W..
Ballard ranch home, a half mile dis
tant. Here he told the neighbors OF
what had occurred and he handed the
pistol to Charles Stewart, q hired man.
Shortly afterward Mrs Courtwright
arrived at the Ballard home, being
closely followed by her husband, who
was crying and begging her to for
give him.
A telephone call was sent to Deputy
Sheriff Tracy Mccall at Fromberg,
and he in company with DR.. Benson
of that place Immediately started for
the scene of the tragedy. Upon their
arrival it was found that Courtwright
had fallen into a drunken stupor and
so they went on over to the Court
wright home where they found the
mortally wounded brother lying on
the floor, partly underneath the kit
chen table. His right hand was lying
on his breast and the other was out
stretched on the floor. He was still
breathing, but blood and brains were
oozing from the wound above the eye.
Blood was running from the nose and
mouth and slight twitching of the
muscles around the mouth were all
+Lo+ Jono+dJ l;fa Ho diad about On