The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-05-18

noon on that uncertain Monday for
Chinnick. 1t was quite apparent that
'the committee" did not intend to be
caught unawares, and that it was equal
ly determined that the orders issued
were to be carried out.
There had been too much exercise
of liberation in the immediate as well
as remote past. Miles City was really
only five Or six years old. 1t had been
first established about three miles east
of its present site along the south bank
of the Yellowstone river, just outside
the east boundary of the military res
ervation, which was ten miles square.
Within a short period after the mark
ing of the military reservation boundary
lines, that portion lying east of the
Tongue river was abandoned. The first
settlers moved their hastily erected log
structures to the new site, which is
now occupied by the modern city.
Naturally, saloons as business institu-
tons, predominated. Payday at the
military post was harvest day for the
saloons.
Chinnick had been present through
out these changing scenes. He had
enjoyed the fortunes and vicissitudes
that come and go with the fortunes of
a frontier village. He had made a bid
for the saloon business and profited
from his share of it. It was certainly
a blue Monday" for him with his back
to the wall, confronted as he was by
orders from "the committee" to depart
from the village that night.
Suddenly, the watcher with the spy
glass was startled. He noticed a COM
motion among the members of the
gang hanging around the Chinnick
house. He followed the course of a
messenger who had been despatched
to town. He saw him return, accom-
panied by a doctor, the latter remain
ing for perhaps a half hour. Surround
ed by a group of interested citizens,
the doctor announced that John Chin
nick had not only been accidentally
but fatally shot.
When Chinnick arrived at his home
his courage had mounted to the point
where he %raucously announced that as
soon as he had eaten his dinner, he was
going back to tcwn-With a gun. It was
his moment of triumph. He had over
come his fear. He had conquered him
self. He could conquer "the commit
tee."
Mrs. Chinnick ~endeavored to dis
Suade her husband from taking such
a rash step. Her womanly intuition
made her conscious of the fact that
danger lurked in the gesture her hus-
band was about to make. She knew
better than Chinnick that "the COM
mittee" once committed to a course of
action would not retreat. One man
could not hope to shoot it out with a
group of men, each one of whom would
be armed. Chinnick armed himself
and was proceeding out of the house
when Mrs. Chinnick interviewed. A
Scuffle ensued for the possession of the
gum. 1t was accidentally discharged.
The bullet struck Chinnick in the alb
domen, inflicting a wound that Joined
him i~rrevocably with death after a lapse
of four weeks.
Just what would have happened
says an account of the incident, had
Chinnick not been shot, is hard to guess,
He was a brave and determined man
and had fully made up his mind that
he would not obey the dictum of the
committee, and both through traits OF
character and other influences, he pos
sessed a following that was large and
devoted. On the other hand, the COM
mlttee was composed of men of nerve
and determination. A clash, even
more; a battle was imminent and
would to a certainty have been fought
but for the accidental shot that put
Chinnick hors du combat and scatter.
ed his following, for as soon as it was
determined that he was done for, hi.
gang could not get away fast enough