Minot’s First Murder – 1915 Tales From Old Timers #6 –

Whilst today (1915) Minot is to all intents a “Dry Town”, in the early days of construction the sale of liquor was conducted openly and on an extensive scale. Every third building is said to have been a saloon and at one time no less than 27 saloons existed in a community of 500 people. The winters were very severe and early settlers had great difficulties to contend with. Crap shooting, shell games, rolette, faro, chuck-a-luck and other gambling games were going strong every hour of the day and night. Minot never went to sleep. Soap men, tin-horn, gamblers and desperados found this country profitable territory. One of the most notorious killing episodes in the early days was when Roxie Queal shot and killed Shang Foster in the White Elephant Saloon (Jack Doyle’s Saloon) during a gambling argument.