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John McShane met his end April 13, 1877, when he was shot while trying to escape the guardhouse at Fort Abraham Lincoln.

According to the account of a fellow soldier, prisoners at the fort had formulated a plan to attack the sergeant of the guard with a club when he opened the cell door. But the sergeant suspected trouble and had another guard open the door while he stood nearby with a revolver.

When the door was opened, the sergeant saw McShane poised to strike and fired. It is unknown why McShane was in the guardhouse.

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