Montana Outlaw Henry Thompson
the street. When he returned to the Valley Saloon, friends warned him not to go in. As he entered through the door, Shufelt fired his gun. The first bullet hit Thompson in the left shoulder. After he fell, Shufelt fired into his body a few more times. Shufelt surrendered to the Glasgow Deputy Sheriff and admitted his guilt.
J.H. Jordan and E.M. Hammond paid Shufelt's bail on February 19. Shufelt claimed that Thompson started the argument that lead to his death. He claimed that he tried to calm Thompson down by offering to buy him a drink. He claimed that Thompson refused his offer and made threatening gestures toward him, so he shot only in self-defense.
The State called two witnesses who testified that Thompson had not gone in the saloon with an attitude. They told the court that Thompson had not unholstered his weapon. Another witness testified that Thompson had not fired his gun. Doctors testified that all five bullet wounds were fired from behind.
After a two-day trial Shufelt was found not guilty. The outcome of the trial was a shock to everyone since it seemed so clear that it was murder. To save himself from a lynch mob, Shufelt left town immediately after the trial.
Some compared Thompson to Wild Bill Hickok, in terms of a fast draw with deadly accuracy. If his exploits had been better publicized, he might have been as well-known. Instead, he was quietly buried on a ridge north of Saco. A passing stranger helped lower the casket into the grave.
(SOURCE: Outlaw Tales of Montana, Gary A. Wilson, High-Line Books, Havre, Montana, 1995)
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