George (Terrell) Tyrrell came to Montana after the Civil War and lived in Philipsburg for about thirty years before he got into an altercation with John Ryan in the Philipsburg Brewery Saloon, and shot and killed him, on January 7, 1893, shortly after noon.
The story goes that: “Ryan, who had been drinking heavily, went into the saloon and requested Tyrrell give him a drink; Tyrrell refused him and an argument followed. Eye witnesses say the two men were talking rather quietly together near a billiard table in the saloon when Tyrrell told Ryan to get out of the house; Ryan paid no attention to the request and Tyrrell stepped into the back room and got a shotgun; coming back with the gun in his hands he again told Ryan to leave the house and almost at the same time the gun was discharged and the entire charge entered Ryan’s face, just above the mouth, passing upward into the brain and killing him instantly….Since his confinement in the jail Terrell has become very despondent and has said that no one felt worse about the tragedy than he does….(He) is a veteran of the late Civil War. About three years ago he was attacked with rheumatism, which had incapacitated him from active work, and those who have known him for many years say he has grown old very rapidly of late and for some time has not acted naturally. John Ryan had also resided in these parts for several years and was known as a hard working man, but was most disagreeably abusive and quarrelsome when influenced by alcohol. When sober, however he was quiet and inoffensive. He leaves a wife and eight children….” stated the January 10,1895, Philipsburg Mail.
John Ryan’s funeral was held at the family residence two days after the shooting and a large group followed his casket to the Philipsburg cemetery. His headstone gives a birth date of October 6, 1844 and an incorrect death date of January 4, 1895. His wife Mary is also in that grave without a headstone, according to City File cards.
The coroner’s jury, composed of F.A. Taylor, James McDonel, J.C. McLeod, Conrad Wipf, M.E.H. Gannon and M.E. Edwards, returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts, and George Tyrrell was to be tried at the next term of court.
Research found articles in The Mail in 1887 stating George who had recently worked at the Kaiser House Bar was assisting G.A. Kellogg in surveying The Hill and in April 1889 where he was “down sick with a cold”
On January 17th George waived examination before the District Court so he was to be held in jail until his trial.
The headline DEATH OF GEORGE TYRELL with the following story graced the March 14, 1895 Mail: “George E. Tyrell, who was confined in the county jail awaiting trial for the killing of John Ryan was found dead in his cell at 7:30 o’clock Monday morning, having succumbed to a violent attack of nervous prostration and physical exhaustion. For two weeks preceding his death Tyrell had been very weak and unable to eat or sleep [as] his nervous system became in a violent state. He was so feeble that on Wednesday last week when he was arraigned in court the bailiffs had to assist him up and down the court house stairs. Jailor C.H. Coy went to Tyrell’s cell about 7 o’clock Monday morning and found the sick man sitting on the edge of his couch in the act of putting on his shoes. After leaving Tyrell’s cell Mr. Coy made his usual morning inspection of the jail and returned to Tyrell’s cell about 7:30 to summon him for breakfast. On opening the cell door the jailor found Tyrell sitting in about the same position as he had left him a half hour previous only he was leaning against the bedpost and on approaching him he discovered the man was dying. Mr. Coy immediately summoned Under Sheriff Argall and they placed him back on the bed and as they did so he breathed his last. Dr. Power, after making an examination declared the death natural and no inquest was held…..The deceased was 56 years of age and a native of Illinois. He has been a resident of this state for a quarter of a century…no one seems to have any knowledge of his family connections, though it is said he has a brother in Waverly, Iowa who is an editor of a newspaper in that place….Tyrell worked at Hope Mill before his health failed him and of late had been barkeeper in various places in town. Tyrell’s trial was to take place in District Court yesterday.”
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