Montana oil and mining journal., 1937-03-13
More Than Score of Butte Police Have
Felt Sting of Bullets, Officers Recall

Upwards Of a score Of Butte police
men have felt the sting OF 8 killers
bullet; possibly more. About half Of
them recovered.
John Geary and John Lyden. two
veterans Of the force got to talking
It over recently, each trying to help
the other remember names. dates and
circumstances. They could think OF
only ~ officers who had been injured
OF killed. but agreed there must have
been more. In some cases they had
forgotten the officers first names.
The conversation was occasioned BY
the brutal killing Of Officer Nicholas
Aleksich.
Starting with Aleksich, and count
ing backwards, they could think Of
Herb ONein, James Mooney, Frank
Prlja, Joe Freshman, Pete Parlin, Lin
coin, Henderson, "SWede" Murphy. Bill
Taylor, LeSage and Pete Mcdonald.
Chief Jere j. Murphy, who died In
September, 1885, was also mentioned
as one who had died with his boots
on, although he wasn't shot. He died
from fall while wrestling with man
who later served 80 days on a charge
of carrying concealed weapons.
The name OF another officer came
frequently in their Conversations man
who was never shot-but was frequent
ly shot at. He ran to the rescue of
at least two men who were killed,
risking his life each time. He was Hem
ry (Hank) SteinbOrn. He was standing
on his corner one night-Galena and |
Main-when Officer Pete Parlin had
a call into Main alley to Illustrate a |
stickup. AS he ran across the street |
from Park and Main he called to Stein |
born. The latter followed on the run /
and got to the scene lust in time to !
see Parlin shot dead
Bandit Shoots
On another occasion Officer Joe
Freshman started after an armed ban
dit into the basement of the Steam |
boat block, Main and Platinum streets.
The bandit saw him coming down the !
stairs and shot him. Freshman craWled /
to call box to turn in an alarm but he
was too weak to reach up to the box.
Officer Steinborn had heard the shoot
ing and ran down the street He
Iound Freshman trying to manipulate
The call box and took him to a hos
Dital where he died.
PrlJa was killed under circumstances
very similar to those surrounding the
murder of Officer Aleksich. At the
onger on the force, having been dis
missed about two years previously as
he result Of having wounded the man
Eho later turned the tables and killed
orlja.
Officers Lyden and Geary were a
title hazy about the next case dis
,uSSed. They both remembered that
m officer had been killed in the Of
ice OF the West Side Coal company.
They thought his name was Lincoln.
bullet came through a window to
nd his life. The murderer was never
Another man they we're not sure
bout, but they believed his name was
eSage, was killed one night on Cur
is street. In this case, also the slayer
1aS unknown and never caught. A shot /
anne from out the dark and an officer /
led.
Officer Henderson was shot four or
I've times but lived to die in France,
lghting to make the world safe for |
emocracy. He was shot by a man |
AIMED Little, at Park and Idaho
5reets.
"Swede" Murphy and Bill Taylor
duty. Murphy later moved to Cali
ornia. Taylor is still in Butte, on the
stirred list.
Officer Herb ONeil was shot through
ne head by William Knight on Christ
las day, 1885. He died within a few |
sconds. Officer James E. Mooney, who
as with O'Neil was shot twice through | /
~ AsAAOIA0C4os OA4C III ~ SILL Crippled,
Though slowly coming back to nor
lal Mooney is one of the present night
iilers.
20 yes, we almost forgot Pete Nc
'onald," said Officer Lyden. pete was
not one night near the G. o. D. IL
Iundry while chasing stick up"
Mcdonald retired from the force
lore than a year ago and is living
ith his wife on South Washington
rect.
"And while we're talking about for
etting,'" said Officer Geary, I'VE al
lost forgot that you were shot your
If, john"
fficer Lyden. 'I was shot, wasn't ~"