Montana Law Enforcement Museum

212 E. Broadway
Philipsburg, MT 59858
(406) 859-6536

Constable A. B. Ceney

Denton Constables Office

Constable A.B. Cheney succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained six days earlier while attempting to arrest a man who had threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend and his uncle. The man had gone to his uncle's home and held him at gunpoint, demanding he drive to town to pickup the ex-girlfriend and return, so that he could kill them both. He then held his aunt and cousins hostage as the uncle drove into town. The uncle immediately informed Constable Cheney who, along with a local judge, got into the car and were driven back to the home two miles south of Denton. Constable Cheney and the judge both got out of the vehicle before arriving the house and began walking across a field towards the house. When they were approximately 50 feet away Constable Cheney saw the subject and ordered him to put his hands up. The man immediately started firing. Constable Cheney returned fire as he continued to approach, but was struck by one round that severed his spinal cord. Constable Cheney's last shot struck the subject in the head, killing him.
Constable Cheney became paralyzed from the wound and died six days later.

End of Watch:
October 28, 1913