Belt Valley Times
J.E. Sheridan - Editor
R.H. Bemis - Business Manager
April 4, 1895
A Bad Man With a Gun Shoots Deputy Sheriff McLeod White in the Discarge of his Duty.
The Prisoner Comes Very Near Being Lynched. - The Deputy Resting Well and May Recover.
One of the most cowardly crimes and attempted murder that has yet occurred in thes country was the shooting of Deputy Sheriff McLeod Sunday night by Bill Hall.
Hall, who is well known hereabouts having worked around the stage company’s stable and lately working on Jack Jughes’ ranch, came to town Sunday and during the afternoon got into a quarrel with his employer, Jack Hughes. At about 7:30 in the evening the two men were quarrelling in front of Hoe Howson’s old stand when Hughes struck Hall, the latter falling into the alleyway….
Hall got up and uplled a gun saying “I’ll kill the S— of a b—.” Hughes, seeing the gun, called Deputy Sheriff McLeod’s attention to the fact and the latter started into the alley to disarm him.
When within a few feet of him Hall raised the gun and pulled the trigger, the ball striking the deputy in the lower part of the neck, just grazing gthe breast bone and ulnar vein, and continuted in a downward course, piercing the top of one lung lodging somewhere in the back.
McLeod turned and walked to his room in the Castner hotel after directing someon to seize Hall.
Constable Moran arrived upon the scene at this time and arrested the would-be murderer, disarmed him and took him to the deputy sheriff’s office where he was soon droned hand and foot and as there talk of lynching, the constable transferred his man to Schmidt’s livery stable for safe keeping and later started with him to Great Falls, arriving there at 2 o’clock Monday morning.
As soon as it was discovered that the sheriff was shot a messenger hastended for a doctor and Dr. Primm was soon on the scene and did all in his power to relieve the suffering man. Dr. Chamberlain arrived soon aftern and both awaited the arrival of Dr. Ferguson of Great Falls. It was impossible to locate the ball and the doctor decided to have the patient removed to the hospital in Great Falls, which was done, the party going by private conveyance, arriving there at about 2 o’clock Monday afternoon. At last accountsthe unfortunate man was resting comfortably and although the wound is a serious character there is no immediate danger unless blood poisoning swets in.
The people were so incensed that for a time it was feared that the prisoner would be strung up without ceremony, but wiser counsel prevailed and the excitement subsided.
Hall was arraigned in the police court in Great Falls Monday morning and pleaded guilty to assult with a deadly weapon and attempt to commit murder. His bonds were fixed at $5,000. Parties who witnessed the shooting say that Hall was not drunk, although he had been drinking.
Dunc McLeod is one the best known and most popular men this section and had his case proved fatal before the prisoner was removed, it is safe to say that there would have been another tragedy.
Belt Valley Times
J.E. Sheridan - Editor
R.H. Bemis - Business Manager
April 4, 1895
There is a law on our statute which prohibits the carrying of concealed weapons, and we have peace officers whose duty it is to see that the law is not violated any ore than any other law.
It is to often the case in new camps in the west that the officers turn their heads and take no notice of an act which sooner or later brings sorrow to some homes and the town into disrepute,
and we are sorry to say that Belt is no exception, as has been demonstrated within the past two weeks.
There is no necessity for any man to carry a gun in a christian and civilized community and the sooner a stop is put to it here the better it will be for the people and town in general.