Historical Notes - Week of November 9th
The Helena Independant November 15, 1892:
"Court at Livingston Livingston, Nov. 14.- [Special.] – The November term of the district court for Park county convened this morning at 10 o'clock. Judge Henry presiding. It is expected the session will continue for some weeks. There are seventy-four civil and seventeen criminal cases on the docket. The most important criminal case to come up at this term is that of James Malloy, charged with the killing of J.F. Smith at Cooke City several weeks ago."
While this article reports that a "J.F. Smith" had been killed, other articles on this trial report a "William Chick" as the victim. On September 26th, 1892 the following article appeared in the Anaconda Standard:
"Murder at Cooke City- William Chick fatally shot by a Stranger in the camp. Special correspondence of the Standard, Cooke City, Sept. 22- A shooting affray took place here today in which William Chick was fatally wounded by a stranger who came into Cooke yesterday. The details as far as can be learned at present are that Chick and the stranger had been together all day drinking and playing cards at the saloons. About 3 o'clock this afternoon they quarreled. Hard words exchanged and Chick shot at the stranger, but without taking effect, whereupon the stranger leveled his rifle at Chick, shooting through the body, from the effects of which he died three hours later. The murderer is in jail here. Mr. Chick was an unmarried man of probably 50 years of age, and one of Cooke's "old timers." He formerly lived in Missouri and has a sister living there now. He was quarrelsome when drunk, but a kind-hearted and genial man when sober."
A verdict came in January 1893, was Malloy found innocent or guilty? Stay tuned in January for the conclusion of this case.
Cooke City Jail, date unknown