Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-07-23

KNOW ~. II you 0ld you WOulQ De lad
! TO hurt someone and that would
! mighty bad" As he finished speaktn
he made rapid grab and caught th
revolver by the end Of the barrel twist
ing Il away from his body and out {
Flannagan'S hand Just as Frank pulle
the trigger. The bullet struck q log il
the side of the house. Henry then sale
Now you go and lay down and II
give you your gun in the morning, bu
any more war talk out OF you, Kid, an
\ III take my turn" Flanagan did &
and lay down and the next morninl
saddled his horse and left for the NJ
N home ranch on the Missouri river
where he was sent to ride with anothe
wagon. Thompson gave him his gun q,
he was about to leave and never spoke
| OF the occurrence afterward.
Flanagan was killed two years late
| by one of his best friends, Mac Hunter
at the latter's ranch near Fort Galpin
! It was early winter. Frank was out OF
work and broke and was staying at the
Hunter ranch He had come from Glas-
gov on this day, and beside having
quite a supply Of whisky inside Of him
had brought a quart along. He got
pretty fun and began making himself
disagreeable to Mrs Hunter. Mac
very plainly that If he didn't quit such
talk and actions that he was liable to
get into trouble and gave him to UNDER
stand that after that day he wasn't
welcome at Mac Hunters home.
Shot Through Heart
Flanagan Quilted down for a short
while but finally Just as Mrs. Hunter
had occasion to pass between him and
ner husband he made an insulting re-
mark to her, at the same time jumping
TO his feet and reaching for his gun.
Hunter who had been watching him
was too quick for Flanagan, and Jerk
ing his gun from a table shot Flanna-
gan squarely through the heart, kill
ing him instantly. Hunter gave himself
up 70 the sheriff, but was exonerated
Kid.
Thompson did his first killing in
Montana in 1894 at Fallon, shipping
point on the N.PR.R., about 40 miles
east Of Miles City. Normally, Fallon
was simply q little station consisting
OF section house, a store, saloon, a
few dwellings and a lodging house, but
during the shipping season 1t bloomed
out into a wild little burg Of tents in
which were run saloons, gambling halls,
clothing stores, and while cattle were
being shipped to the eastern markets,
Fallon was on the map. 1t is situated
conveniently for handling stock, being
In the center of very large, level flat
and many herds can be Conveniently |
held near there on Powder river and !
the Yellowstone river nearby. The
month of September, 1894. had been |
very busy month for Fallon. A great |
number Of beef cattle were shipped /
from its stockyards during the month /
Many herds of beeves were camped |
along the Yellowstone and Powder |
rivers, waiting their turn to be loaded /
into the stock cars.
The night Of Sept. "a, the little ship
ping town was alive with cowboys.
Those whose herds had been shipped
had nothing to do but celebrate. Those
who could get away from their herds
were in town and were doing their bit
rs loud yells and other noises. The
poker game and saloons were doing
rushing business.
Among the different outfits that were
waiting to get their stock into the yards
were two wagons Of the Nm, one
under charge of Steve Rupe and the
other under Jim Snirly. RUPEES herd
was camped about three miles north
Of Fallon on the north side of the
Yellowstone. Henry Thompson and the
writer were riding for Rupe, and along
With some Of the other members Of
hat crew, rode into town just about
;undown. George Denman, the cook,
vas one Of the party.
Denman was a Mulatto, large and
powerful man, and man who was
heartily disliked by every man who
ode for Rupe. He was overbearing,
lomineering, and insulting in his man
Ter and talk, a regular bully and
eemed to be always looking for
rouble and seemed to want nothing
etter than to kill some one. He always
arted Winchester saddle rifle on the
eat of the mess wagon, and the first
hing he would do when the wagon was
amped was to take the rifle and stand
against one of the hind wheels with |
he remark so all could hear, stand
here little lady. You are good for
as the only one at the wagon who j
semed to have any friendship for {
Senman at all and 1t was often won
cred at by the cowboys why this was. s
was thought by most of the COW
ands Denman would be very lucky
ian II he lived to see the finish Of the
eef roundup that fall. When the N {
bunch reached town they scattered,
DING to different places Of business. I
no was better known as Dynamite, !
as filled with cowboys in all stages !
hilarity, each seemed bent on max
IL more noise than his neighbor. ]
bout 10 O'Clock Long Henry, the
ritter, and several others, entered the {
lace and went to the bar. A cowboy
AIMED Watson who was riding for the I
o L on Powder river and who cared /
lore for q drink Of whisky than he did 1
n anything else, was very drunk and {
as staggering about the place. :
George Denman, who was drinking 4
retty heavily, was having (what he /
,emed to think a lot Of fun with
TatSon He would whirl him around I
$