11/03/2026
While doing a client's family tree, I discovered one of their great-granduncles was on trial for homicide in 1880.
Joseph Harris was born in 1854 in Devon, England, to Cornish parents William and Mary Ann (Satterley) Harris. The family moved to Ontonagon in 1857 (!), then later made their home in Lake Linden. They are known as pioneers of the town.
Joseph moved to Montana to work in the mines there in the 1870s. He married and had a son. In 1880, when he was 26, he ended the lives of two men in self defense. He was found "Not Guilty," and, according to some sources, left town at the Sheriff's advice. His whereabouts after that could not be located.
See an article about the incident and read Joseph's testimony below 📚
“On the 28th of April last I had a little trouble with Droll and Sherman about some hides which they were loading on a wagon at a camp where we had been skinning buffalo. I was there to get my hides and they were there to get theirs. Sherman commenced by claiming that I owed him some money and said that he was going to take hides for it. I told him I didn’t owe him anything and did not propose to settle anything there, when he said he would settle it there and would take some hides to pay him, I told him he could not with my permission. He went away then and I commenced to load my hides on my wagon. When I had got on tow hides and was going for the other he told me to stop. He was standing about 15 feet from me and had his Wi******er r***e in his hand full cocked, and pointing at me said he would ‘blow out my brains’ if I did not let the hides alone. I dropped the hide and stood up folding my arms. He said he was going to take the hides and that he would kill me if he got the slightest chance. I started to walk toward him when he raised his r***e to his shoulder and putting his finger on the trigger said he would blow out my brains if I did not stop. I stopped and looked around to see where Mike Droll and saw him with a combine pointed at me. I then saw it was no use to tackle Sherman as he had the drop on me and if he did miss me Mike would shoot me. I then said ‘you’ve got the drop on me and I suppose you will have to take the hides.’ Sherman then spoke to me and said I had wronged him he was going to take the hides and if I objected he would ‘blow my brains out,’ He then called Mike to him and sent him after my gun and kept me covered with his Wi******er while Mike got the gun. He then let his fun down and went over to Mike’s wagon. I then got into my wagon and started off, when he told me to stop, that I could not go home until they started. He then sat down and discovered me with his r***e while Mike finished loading the wagon with my hides. When the wagon was loaded he told me to drive ahead. Mike following driving his own team while Sherman walked keeping me covered with his r***e all the while. We drove about eight miles before going into camp. When we got into camp Mike attended to his team and built a fire and helped me get supper while Sherman kept me covered with his r***e. He would not allow me to leave camp or to get my own gun. In the morning I got up and said I was going to drive up my ponies and go to the Yellowstone. He said no “I would not,’ the gun was not pointed at me and I walked off. When I got 25 or 30 feet beyond my wagon, he called to me to stop when I turned around and asked him what we wanted. I told him I was going to the Yellowstone when he said ‘you will never go to the Yellowstone again,’ with this he took aim with his Wi******er and fired at me from near the end of Mike’s wagon, who was standing near the tongue. I said to Mike, ‘you are not going to see me shot like a dog are you!’ He said ‘yes, I don’t forget last summer’ When Sherman had shot I ran toward my wagon. I had no weapon but a revolver in a sheath on my belt, and as quick as I got behind my wagon, I commenced to get out my revolver. It was hard to get out and during the time Sherman shot six or seven times at me. I fired as soon as I could, and he fell forward on the ground, and I started for his Wi******er r***e. Mike also ran for it and got there first. As I came up he raised it up and fired at me, as he fired I grabbed the gun and threw my revolver in his face and fired, as soon as I fired Sherman jumped up from the ground where he was lying and caught me by the throat nearly choking me, as soon as I could get my revolver I shot him in the head and felt his fingers loosen on my throat. I then got up, picked up Wi******er and saw Mike Droll sitting near the tongue of his wagon, his gun pointed toward me. I fire at him until all the cartridges out of magazine were gone, I hardly know what I done next, all that I can remember is, I was a short time afterwards about one and one half mile from the camp going to Miles City on one of Mike’s horses. I was sweating as if I had just come out of the river and the saddle was loose and came very near turning with me. I got off, tightened the saddle, sat on the ground and began to think I was in a very bad fix. I then mounted the horse and started for the Yellowstone river. The first man I met was Bill Eastman, who I told to go to the first spring and he would find the two dead men lying there. I then went to my house and changed my clothes and went to Miles City and consulted a lawyer, and then delivered myself up to the sheriff.”
photo - 23 Sept 1880 "The Helena Independent"
testimony - 25 Sept 1880 "The Yellowstone Journal" (Miles City, MT)
