Rumors at The Ball

The April 1, 1881 New Northwest carried the details of a shooting that occurred in Philipsburg on March 25th. Deputy Sheriff McTague with the assistance of John Sullivan brought into Deer Lodge, “Elisha Reed who had shot and killed Eugene Garland. Both Reed and Garland were married men and Mrs. Porter had been living at the Reed residence. Apparently, at the evening dance, Garland danced with Mrs. Reed and also with Mrs. Porter. (This would have been shortly after Mrs. Porter became a widow due to her husband being shot and killed by Harry Conn). Reed continued drinking after the dance was over and wanted Garland to tell him what Mrs. Porter had said about the Reed family.”

Garland told him nothing was said and went on about his business. The next morning while Garland (who worked at Morse’s Butcher Shop) was busy delivering meat to the neighboring mining camps, Reed continued being upset and drinking. He finally found a person that knew nothing about the disturbance, who loaned him a gun on the pretense Reed was going to Georgetown to hunt mountain lions. 

Thomas McKay, a sworn witness in the murder stated: "About 1 o’clock p.m. March 25, 1881 Eugene Garland came in from peddling meat. I saw Reed coming up the street. Reed pulled out a six shooter and said to Garland: “I want you to get down and I will make you swallow the words you said last night.” Reed followed Garland into this room with the pistol in his hand. I heard them talking and in a minute I heard the pistol go off. Saw Reed come out with the pistol in his hand and exclaiming --- ---. Reed and Garland had some words last night at the dance. Reed had been waiting for Garland to come home all the forenoon. Reed had been drinking. I saw Reed and Garland talking this morning. Apparently Reed, his wife and Garland attended a dance the night before. After consuming a fair amount of alcohol a Mrs. Porter dancing with Garland made some comment about Reed’s wife. When Reed asked Garland about it the comment was denied. This angered Reed and he went looking for a gun the next morning. Reed found a person who knew nothing of the argument and was loaned a gun to go hunting lion’s at Georgetown. After the shooting Reed went from the scene of the shooting with pistol in hand to Mrs. Bradshaw’s where his wife was. Mrs. Bradshaw told Reed she was not there. While he was still talking to Mrs. Bradshaw the Deputy sheriff arrived and disarmed and arrested Reed."  

Almost immediately the citizenry became incensed about the cold blooded killing and the sheriff was concerned his prisoner may be lynched so he and John Sullivan put the whip to the team pulling the buggy with the prisoner in it and “had a keen run for the greater part of the distance for 12 miles, when night came on” and they moved the prisoner under the cloak of darkness to Deer Lodge. Reed was housed in the Deer Lodge Jail until the trial. 

An inquisition was held in the back room of George Morse’s Butcher shop with the following juror’s present: D.B. Jenkins (Foreman), E.D. Holland, George H. Kidder, N.H. Connolly, Charles Kroger, W.T. Allison. Their judgment was that “Eugene Garland came to his death by a pistol shot wound feloniously fired from the hands of Elisha Reed.” 

The May 20, 1881 New Northwest stated Elisha Reed escaped from jail on May 19 and the May 27 edition explained how it had happened. Jailer Lytle had left the jail without securing the cell door. Reed was found by James D. France who came to Virginia City from South Boulder stating that he had corralled Reed on the 13th of June and asked Sheriff Plattner in Virginia City to assist in bringing him in. Reed was returned to Deer Lodge according to the news accounts of June 17, 1881. Reed, during his escape had mailed letters to his mother and wife with instructions to send their replies to a Red Bluff address, so he must have planned on hiding in that area. 

Tried by a jury of his peers a verdict was returned Wednesday morning at two a.m. Reed was found guilty of murder in the first degree stated the New Northwest December 16, 1881. Reed, a father of three children, was sentenced on December 23, 1881 to twenty years in the Deer Lodge State Penitentiary. 

 Moral of the story. Be careful what you might make people think you are talking about while dancing at a ball.