Another Shooting Affray

LANG, REGNER, DUNNE

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/10/2010 at 16:11:59

ANOTHER SHOOTING AFFRAY

About eleven o’clock last Thursday night a fight and shooting scrape occurred in the street a little west of Haney & Campbell’s butter-tub factory. Only three persons were present-the two combatants, Henry Regner and Frank Lang, and a young man by the name of Dunne. It appears that both Regner and Lang had been drinking and were intoxicated. They happened to meet on their way home, for both parties lived near each other in the southwest part of Bellevue, and soon engaged in a quarrel, and then a fight. Regner had been out in the country hunting that day and carried a shotgun. It appears that after the first scrimmage, Regner seized hold of his gun to shoot Lang, when Lang too, grasped the muzzle of the weapon, when it came off, the charge of shot taking effect in the calf of Lang’s right leg, making a frightful looking wound. Regner then fled and concealed himself until the afternoon, when he walked into Justice Farrell’s office and surrendered himself.

We have not been able to get all of the facts of the case, as the two men tell different stories, and Dunne, who was an eye witness, refuses to talk on the subject. The calf and muscles of Lang’s leg are badly torn and one small bone fractured. Dr. Hollister is attending him. He will likely get up a cripple for life. Lang is a young man of family, while Regner has none. Lang is very poor in purse, so the county will be called upon to defray the expenses incident to this drunken fracas. He is a section hand on the railroad and Regner is an itinerant butcher. We do not know which one of the two men is chiefly to blame for precipitating this unfortunate affray. One thing, however, is certain, and that is if Lang had gone home at a seasonable hour, as any man of family should have done, he would not now be in the pitiful condition he is in. Regner waived examination of the Grand Jury. He has secured the services of Hon. D. A. Wynkoop to defend him. He claims he fired the shot in self defense.

Bellevue Leader, Nov. 18, 1886