Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-03-21


cattle owner and said, Lets have a
drink" Whereupon the deal was COM
pleted.
Balls and entertainment Of various
sorts were frequent at the MacQueen
house and the large dining room used
Who came with Gen. Nelson A. Miles
as a member Of the Fifth infantry 10
the mouth Of the Tongue river ia 1876.
Colonel Thompson celebrated his 88th
birthday Dec. "a, 1895 at Miles City.
as the ballroom was crowded with
dancers. at one of these dances re-
grettable incident occurred. believe
It was in the fall Of 1890 when a ball
was In full swing with q large crowd
present. A throng of dancers was max
ing its way into the ballroom When
suddenly q revolver snot rang OUT ana ana
Capt Jack Webster, who with his
dancing partner was in the throng,
sank to the floor. He was found to be
shot in the back with AS bullet. The
wound was not fatal but 1t left him
practically helpless for the rest OF his
life. CAPTAIN Webster was retired from
the army because of the bullet wound.
He was connected with the END In
fantry station at Fort Keogh at the
time. No clue could be found as 70
who fired the shot. An old style Colt
the barroom, but it was fully loaded
and had not been discharged: General
opinion was that whoever fired the
shot had done so accidentally and,
frightened by what had happened took
advantage of the lack of evidence and
kept his identity hidden. Captain Web
ster was well liked by the soldiers OF
his company and by all who knew him.
Two other mysterious affairs that
took place on Park street in Miles
City were the stabbing of Ben Frank
lin and the attempt to cut the throat
of another cowboy, Jack Moore. Inc
stabbing of Franklin, rider for the
S H outfit on Powder river, took
place in the fall of 1886 in front Of
the saloon on Park street, known as
Poker Jims place. Several people were
in the saloon when, about midnight,
one man known as Curly Rainy. left
to go up town. He had hardly closed
the door before he was back inside
again and announced: There's dead
man on the sidewalk" Everyone rushed
out and found a man lying face down
ward in a pool of blood only a few feet
from the door Of Poker Jim's. One OF
the cowboys hurried away for q doc
tor The wounded man was carried IN
side and laid on a poker table. He
proved to be Ben Franklin, well known
range rider. When Franklin regatned
consciousness, he could give no IDEA
as to the identity Of the person who had
stabbed him nor why 1t had been done.
He told the doctor (Redd) that he was
walking north on Park street. The
streets were nearly deserted except for
two men about two blocks ahead OF
him walking in the same direction.
Franklin said he heard someone COM
ing behind him but paid no attention
until he reached Poker Jim's place.
Then when the man seemed about 70
pass him, Franklin was given violent
shove and he felt knife enter his
back. No clues were found. FTankltn's
wound was not serious and he was
back at work at the s H ranch In q
short time.
The third affair was the attempt to
kill Jack Moore. This happened at the
Variety theater on the corner OF Park
and bridge streets in the winter OF
1888 lust one door south Of Poker
Jim's place. The Variety hall and sa-
loon was run by Louis King and Red
Ward, and was known as Red Wards.
On this particular night there was a
large attendance at the show. MANY
were in the boxes and the show girls
were busy trying to earn their per-
centage checks by inducing the cow
boys and others to buy drinks. JACK
Moore, a rider for the Y T, was in one
of the boxes. Kid White, another cow
boy. was seated directly below Moore
box. kid" felt something strike on the
brim of his hat and thought an occu-
pant Of the box above was dropping
something on him for q joke. Again
he felt an impact, looked up, intending
to call the joker, and was struck square
ly in the face by large drop OF blood
kid" saw Moore's head resting on the
railing Of the box, his face covered
with blood. He spoke to his companion
another cowboy, and together they
made their way to the barroom where
they found Louie King. White related
what he had seen and the three mer
arrived at the door Of the box, one Of
the girls rushed out and, in a terror
stricken voice, screamed: Hes dead
Jack Moore has been killed" Moore
was slumped down in his chair, his
head resting on the box railing. he
was bleeding from a bad looking cut
in his throat. A doctor wood who
happened to be in the audience, tool
charge Of Moore and succeeded II
stopping the flow Of blood. DR.. WOOD
said the juglllar vein had barely beer
missed by the savage slash. Nothine
could be found to give the sligneeS'
clue to the attempted murderer.
AS in the case Of Franklin, Moorv
could think Of no one who would want
to kin him. He said he had been u
the box all evening, that 81 times
few of his friends we're there wtek
him, as well as two or three OF tn
girls. Moore said he was alone 10l
about 10 minutes before the attack Wa
made on him. He had heard the dO0a
OF the box open, but thinking it VS.
one Of the girls, did not turn around
Then be felt an arm thrown arouKag
| his head and hand covered his mouth