Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/932507
88 | SignatureMT in Judith Basin. His brother, Clarence, homesteads on the south side of the Mullan Road, Jigs is on the north side. Many people knew the two brothers because they pass their shacks when driving to Great Falls. One of jurors clears his throat and exclaims: "Now Mortimer, what will it take for us to convince you to change your vote?" Moving his gaze from the door knob to the foreman Jigs responds: "Ask the bailiff for a ruler, a pair of plyers, a cartridge from the farmer's .44–40 Winchester rifle and the slug from the leg of the cowboy." e bailiff leaves the room, returns with the sheriff who produces the slug from the cowboy's leg and the other items. Jigs pulls the bullet with plyers from the cartridge case of the .44–40 rifle. He places the ruler over the pencil which serves as a fulcrum. en he sits the bullet which the coroner had dug from the cowboy's leg one inch from the end of the ruler. en Jigs sits the rifle bullet one inch from the other end of the ruler. e rifle bullet raises the leg slug from the table. To balance the two slugs, Jigs moves the farmer's slug one-quarter of an inch towards the fulcrum (the pencil). Jigs calmly addresses his peers: "You see, the slug from the cowboy's leg is lighter than that of the farmer's rifle. e leg bullet is from the Cowboy's single action Colt Frontier Six Shooter. As the cowboy cross-drew his Colt he shot himself and bled to death." Postscript: At a recent gun show in Tucson, I obtained five .44-40 slugs from different venders. ey varied in weight by six percent. e usual bullet weight is 200 grains. In 1911 there were 160,165, 180 and 217 grain bullets. I heard this story sixty five years ago and didn't ask questions. Names have been changed. I related this story to Manuel Albert who was raised on a ranch near Sasabe, south of Tucson. He told me when he was eighteen, he was showing his fast draw to friends and shot himself with his .45 Colt Six Shooter. Aer spliing the holster, the bullet ripped a six inch gash along his thigh before entering his leg muscle. e bullet spiraled around his knee, then ploughed through his calf muscle, along the tendon to his ankle where it came to rest over his ankle bone. His boot filled with blood, his friends used his belt for a tourniquet. ey drove an hour to find a doctor who explained: "You're a mighty lucky boy". e doctor swabbed the bullet route and placed a drain tube into the wound. e six inch entry wound required stiches. e lead slug was not deformed. MT S 406.791.5367 • www.uprovidence.edu proudly announces the unveiling of an untitled painting (Ballerina) by Sister Mary Trinitas Morin • ca 1951 University of Providence Galerie Trinitas Hours: Tuesday & Thursday • Noon-3pm and by appointment 1301 20th Street South, Great Falls, MT Beginning January 21st • 2018 1417 9th St. So #100 • Great Falls, MT 406-453-1613 • www.ozogeye.com LASIK Call today to schedule your free initial screening SEE LIFE CLEARLY