Duncan J McArthur

Newspaper Date : 11/6/1889 12:00:00 AM
Volume : 19
Number : 16
Page : 3
Column : 5-6
Newspaper : Argus
Description : Description of the shooting of George Sousie in the Alpena Weekly Argus..
Transcription : The Black River Tragedy. Last Saturday forenoon George Susie had gone behind a bar, at Black River, to get some implements for work he was doing. As he was reaching for the desired articles, a desperado, named Duncan McArthur, suddenly reached over the bar and discharged a 38-calibre revolver twice at Susie. The latter had his back toward the assassin at the time. The balls entered the back of Susie, between the shoulder blades and penetrated down far into the body. The cowardly murderer then presented his revolver at the proprietor of the saloon, saying: "I have a mind to shoot you!" The man answered back: "Let her go, Gallagher!" The assassin then said he would spare him, and presented the revolver at another person and threatened to shoot him. The man begged off, and McArthur said he would spare him too. He then went out on the street, saw to boys near by, and fired two shots at them, but did not hit them. He then re-loaded his revolver, and left for the woods, no attempt being made to stop him. As soon as possible, the deputy sheriff organized a squad of men, armed with rifles, and started after the murderer. He was traced to a farm house back of Alcona that night, and the next morning was captured and conveyed to the county jail at Harrisville. After being captured the murderer said it was his intention to kill sixteen men at Black River, but Susie was not one of the sixteen. He had shot him as the murderous mood had happened to come on him at the time. Medical attendance was summoned from this city, and Drs. Malden and Cameron went to Black River by the noon train. The wounds were probed but the balls had entered too far to be reached by probing, and so they had to be left in the body. At latest reports the injured man was alive, and there is some chance of his recovery. The murderer stopped in this city a short time, but left for Black River about a week ago, and is reported to have drawn a revolver on a man here but did not discharge it. He has a bad reputation, and it is probable that he was somewhat crazy with liquor at the time of the shooting, but that is no excuse for the dastardly deed. This world has no use for such men at liberty. As the desperado was known to be a good shot, it was no pleasant task hunting for him in the woods, as the men searching for him could not tell what moment he might shoot at them from behind a tree. The Harrisville correspondent of the Free Press has the following to say in regard to McArthur. he was for eight years proprietor of the "Bull Pen" saloon at Black River to so called on account of its distant location in a swamp and its rough reputation. On October 15th, 1888, a warrant was issued for the arrest of McArthur for assault with intent to murder. In June, 1889, a jury found him guilty after a fair trial in the Alcona Circuit, with a recommendation to mercy, whereupon sentence was suspended upon the promise of McArthur to do better and leave the county. George Susie is about 25 years of age, and has a wife and one child. He was engaged at the hotel as manager.