The Colfax gazette., February 17, 1911, Image 1

About The Colfax gazette. (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

THE COLFAX GAZETTE
THIRTY-FOIRTH YEAR.
POI POURRI OF NEWS
FROM STATE GAPITAL
Land Office in Hands of Three
Commissioners.
Two Contradictory Reports on Cost
of Jute Bags at State Peniten
tiary--Due to Methods of Fig
uring, Both Probably Right.
Olympia, Feb. 15—Since taking office
January 27, 1909, Governor M. E. Hay
has granted pardon to but one prisoner
convicted in Whitman county. This
was Ralph W. Carter, sentenced in July,
1909, to not less than one year in the
reformatory for the crime of grand lar
ceny. A communication by the gov
ernor to the legislature states that the
pardon was granted on the recommenda
tion of the board of managers of the re
formatory, the trial judge and a number
of repHtable citizens of Whitman county.
The pardon was granted March 30,
1910.
In re the Land Office.
Outside of the bill cutting the state
road (hi levy from one mill to half a
mill the measure of moot general in
terest throughout the state thus far
treated open in the senate in the bill by
Allen of Kutit to abolish the elective
office of hTHtc land commissioner and to
place the (iffiiirs of the laud office iv the
bands of a commtMion of three mem
bers to be appointed by the governor.
Thin pawed the senate Thursday after*
noon by a vote nl 24 to 17 Senators
ArrHHtnith and Hall of Whitman county
both opposed the bill on final paHSHge,
and both supported the motion made a
fetv moments before by Stewart of Cow
litz that the measure be indefinitely
postponed. The measure was lost, how
ever, by a vote of 27 to 14- Some of
the opposition to the measure wae due
to the appointive feature, and an effort
was made by some of the friends of the
bill to have it referred to committee and
tae appointive feature eliminated.
Bills Introduced.
The Whitman county delegation in
the legislature has introduced within the
past few days measures as follows*
Bj Representative Larue, H. B. 286,
providing that county treasurers shall
submit monthly statements of financial
conditions of third class school districts
to clerks of such districts. 11. B. 287,
amending the constitution, making
supreme court judges appointives of
governor ami fixing their terms at 12
years. H. B. 310, prohibiting hunting
and fishing on private property without
consent of the owner. H. B. 244, re
lating to cities of third class, author
izing collection of assessments for local
improvements and declaring an emer
gency.
By Representative Todd, H. B. 302,
permitting candidates for the legislature
to tile declaration to vote for popular
choice for United States senator. H. B.
317, relating to damages for death by
wronglul act and amending laws of
1909 relating to recovery of damage for
death of person caused by wrongful act
or neglect of another.
Two Sides of the Shield.
Two reports have been received by
Governor M. E, Hay from the three men
named to investigate the matter of jute
bag production at the state penitentiary
at Walla Walla. A minority report was
turned in by E. I). Cowan, a member of
the state board of control, while a ma
jority report was received from H. H.
Hanson of Touchet and H. A. Reynolds
of Walla Walla. According to the re
port of Cowan the state, during the last
18. years, has lost f 300,000 in operating
the jute mill. On the other hand, the
report by the majority shows a profit
to the state in the sum of $113,000 in
the same rime.
The difference is due to the method of
figuring employed. In the compilation
of the minority report maintenance and
every expense except interest on the in
vestment and sustenance of free em
ployes is figured in, while in preparing
the majority report there was only
charged to expense the actual expense of
operation of the mill. Mr. Cowan is of
the opinion that the prisoners should
not be required to work in the jute mill,
that it is unhealthy and that it would
be better for them to be employed upon
the public roads.
The report also pays that if the farm
ers of Oregon, Idaho and WashiDgton
were of a mind to combine in the pur
chase of grain bags as a corporate body
they could break the grain bag trust.
The minority report says the state
should have a buyer ol jute stationed at
Calcutta all the time to take advantage
of any lowering of price, and in addition
could save the etate some $26,000 a
year by buying second grade or mixed
jute, which would result in the manu
facture of a lighter sack.
MA, INQUIRIES AT HAND.
Home i< ters Want to Know Mora
A ■-; the Palouse Country.
Heal B e men in Colfax report that
many 7; iries are coming from the
East aX Vlidfile West asking for in
formation in regard to land and h'ttiit -
in the Palou*e. It is apparent there will
be a movement in this direction noon.
While we of the Palouse cannot expect,
and do not desire, to capture all, etill we
should not hide our light under a bushel,
but let our resources and advantages be
known. The commercial clubs of the
different towns situated in the marvelous
region known as the Palouse should get
a "move on" and that right away.
Therein an old Baying that "God helps
those who help themselves," the moral
of which it it not difficult to understand
There is room in the Palouse and the
Inland Empire for thousands yet to
come, a land if not overflowing with
milk and honey yet has many unde
veloped resources, a land capable of pro
ducing everything raised in the temperate
zone. The Palouse is the cream of this
rich empire, still it is the least adver*
tised of any part of it. Who is to
blame?
GOES TO WASHINGTON. D. C.
J. G. Patrick Enters Government
Service--Hurry Up Call.
,T. Q. Patrick, who took the civil ser
vice examination l»st September for a
clerkship in the chief engineer's depart
ment of the war office, received a tele
gram Yonday from Wat-hington, D C ,
to come at once, consequently Mr. Pat
rick has resigned his position in the
county treasurer's office and will leave
on the 19th to ap'uoie his new duties at
the national capital En route he will
stop a few days at Dcs Moines, lowa, to
ccc his brother livinc there. In this
connection it should be stated that the
civil service examination passed by Mr
Patrick was the highest in the state,
which accounts for the quick demand for
his services in the war department. Mr.
Patrick is a most worthy young man,
and is being heartily congratulated by
his friends.
E I). Eldridge has picked up the duties
of Mr. Patrick in the treasurer's office
and will probably be a fixture there.
THE JERSEY CREAMERY CO.
Turns Out Several Hundred Pounds
of Butter ■ Week.
The Jersey Creamery Co. of Colfax is
turning out between 600 and 700 pounds
of butter a week at this time. This is
made possible by reason of the fact that
large quantities of cream that formerly
went to the Elgin Creamery at Palouse
are now coming here. Dissatisfaction
arose with the Elgin people, the nature
of which we do not profess to under
stand, the result being that the Jersey
Creamery gets the cream. Elbertonand
other outlying points are the places of
distribution bringing th*> change about
The product from the Jersey Creamery
finds a ready sale in Colfax and many of
the near by towns, it not being necessary
to ship the product to Spokane or to the
Coeur d'Alt-nes.
Bible Lecture at Court House.
Announcement is made that a free
Bible lecture will be held in the court
house on the evening of the 22d, begin
ning at 7:30 o'clock. It is held under
the auspices of the Brooklyn Bible So
ciety of New York. The special object
of this society is not to create new de
nominations, but to stimulate bible
study. Besides these free bible lectures
a quantity of free reading matter is
given away. No doubt those who at
tend will be greatly enriched in thought
and action. Remember the time and
place.
K. of P. Lodge at Elberton.
The Knights of Pythias will soon or
ganize a lodge at Elberton. A petition
. for the institution of a lodge has been
: B°nt to the errand chancellor, and as
Boon as th<? petition is granted the
' local lodge will be launched. It is the in
tention of those having the matter in
| hand to institute about the first of
March.
Changs of Residence.
County Surveyor McCaw and family
moved this week from the Duehemin
residence in the south end to Mrs.
Thomas Baker's house on Mill street.
Mrs Baker has taken up her residence in
the MacKeozie apartments.
COLFAX, WASHINGTON, FKIDAY, FKBRUAKY 17. 1911.
REEDER, DINING CAR CONDUCTOR,
SHOT BY A WOULD-BE BURGLAR
Lewiston Junction Scene of Crime—John
W. Burns Confesses to Shooting
and Issues Statement.
D. J. Reeder of Portland, diaing car
conductor on the Oregon-Washington
Railroad & Navigation Co.'c line runuing
out of Spokane to Lewiston Junction,
where the dining car is sidetracked until
No. 11 comes along, which takes it to
Portland, was shot in the breast, just
above the heart, by a would-be burglar
at 1 o'clock Tuesday morning. Reeder
heard some one trying to break into the
kitchen of the dining car. Getting up to
investigate he was fired at by the intruder
from the car kitchen window, the ball
taking effect as above stated. Reeder is
at St. Mary's hospital, Walla Walla,
where he was taken soon aftsr the shoot
ing, and is in a critical condition. The
shooting seems to have been cowardly,
as the would-be burglar oould have
escaped, not having entered the car.
As soon as news of the shooting reached
Spokane R 0. Cowling, assistant super
intendent of the Washington division,
went messages to every agent and pection
foreman along the line to notify all rail
road employes. Per consequence all
tramps and suspicious characters in the
territory where it was possiMe for the
wood-be murderer to be were bundled
into box cars and later taken to Star
buck, only eight miles from Riparia,
which is on the opposite side of Snake
river from Lewinton Junction.
Sheriff Carter Takes a Hand.
Sheriff Carter left for the sceue of the
shooting immediately after being noti
fied. He. with Detective Joseph Plover
of the 0.-W. R. & N\, who was on the
train which left Spokane at 7 o'clock
Monday evening, took up certain dues
which finally led to the discovery and
arrest of John W. Burns, who acknowl
edged doing the shooting and made a
signed statement which is published be
low. The region in and around Lewis
ton Junction is sandy, and the track of
the man who did the shooting from the
car kitchen window wae picked up and
traced as far as Riparia. Mr. Plover
made a plaster of parie cast of the foot
print, which fit in every instance, for be
it known Burns has a peculiar shaped
foot or wears a peculiar shaped shoe,
which in the end was his undoing.
Are On the Right Trail.
Reaching Riparia the sheriff and de
tective found that the station agent and
section men had rounded up a
bunch of tramps and had them in
a box car. It was decided to take them
to Starbnck, eight miles distant, which
was done. There each shoe worn by
the bunch was examined, when lo! the
shoes worn by Burns were exactly the
same size and shape as indicated by the
plaster of paris cast. Burns was closely
questioned, strongly denying that he
bad any knowledge of the shooting. He
wa* perfectly cool, Be!'-possessed, an
swered all questions freely in an off hand
manner, and in no particular did he con
tradict himself. When told of the tell
tale foot prints and shown the plaster
of paris cast he weakened and admitted
that he did the shooting, but attempted
to justify his act by the statement given
below:
Statement by Burns.
February 14, 1911.
To Whom It May Concern: A con
fession concerning assault with a deadly
weapon on the Pullman conductor on
February 13, 1911.
I came into Ripnria, Wn., on a freight,
hungry, cold and broke. After warming
up in the depot 1 decided to rustle some
thing to eat. I walked to Lewiston
Junction in search of it. The first thing
I saw was the dining car, aud thinking I
might make a raise I crawled inside and
bit the glass with the muzzle of the gun,
but failed to break it. Being frightened
I went out to investigate. Seeing no
body around I returned and broke it in.
This awoke the men iusidp. I was busy
picking out broken glass when a man
t-ame up in the car. I saw him through
the crack of the door and I thought I
saw an automatic pistol. I drew my
gun and he pushed che door back
against my head and the gun exploded
accidentally. After th» fl^sh I «aw nor
heard anything and jumped and ran and
returned to Riparia.
(Signed) John W. Burns.
Witness: C. F. Actor, Ed M. Davis.
Prisoner in County Jail.
Sheriff Carter arrived with his man in
Colfax Wednesday afternoon, where he
lingers in the county jail. Burnt* ie 23
years of ege, of medium height and
weighs about 150 pounds. Ie should be
stated that the gun with which he did
the shooting as well as several bu'l^ts
were found close to the track near Ri
paria, where they had been hastily
cached. The gun is a Colt's 32-20, of
large size, carrying an ounce ball.
Evidently a Tramp.
Burns ie evidently an assumed name.
He says that he was born and his folks
live in ludiana. Evidently he has been
floating throughout the Northwest for
the last two or three years, mentioning
numerous places where he had worked,
even giving the name of a man at Star
buck for whom he had worked a few daye,
the man being called in by Sheiiff Carter
and recognizing Burns as the man.
Reeder, the unfortunate dining car
conductor, lives at 190 North Twenty
first street, Portland. His fatber, Wil
liam R. Reeder, lives at Weiser, Idaho.
DEATH OF GRANDMA TAYLOR.
Pioneer of Pioneers of the Palouse
Country--Highly Respected.
Probably the oldest pioneer of the
Palouse, bo far as early settlement is
concerned, died at Pullman Monday
night. We refer to Mrs. Hester Anna
Taylor, wife of James S. Taylor of Vera,
Spuknue county. Mr*. Taylor was nr
the home of her dauunter, Mrs F. V
Meek of Pullmnn at the time of death
Mrs Taylor was born 66 yearn ago in
lowa. She, wirb her pare-ite, crocked
the plains to Polk county, Oregon, in
18. r>9. Fron: O.egoo nhe went to Walla
Walla where, in 1863, she became the
wife of James S. Taylor. The couple
moved to Colfax in 1871, taking up a
homestead sou*h of town, living there
40 years.
She is survived by her Lusband. one
son and two daughters—Edward C.Tay
lor of Colfax, Mr*. F. V. Meek of Pull
man and Mrs. Fred Johnson of Colfax
Funeral was held from the Presby
terian church WetJuesdny afternoon at 2
o'clock, Rev. J. Herbert Biinton offici
ating. Interment took place in Colfax
cemetery.
PIONEER PASSES AWAY.
Charles F. Eaton Dies at Potlatch- -
Buried at Onecho.
Charles F. Eaton, a pioneer of Whit
man county, who came from Eugene,
Oregon, 85 years ago and settled on a
homestead near Wilcox, died Saturday
at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. J.
Allen of Potlatch, Idaho. He wag 58
years of age. Dro; sy ie given as the
cause of death. The funeral took place
Wednesday forenoon from the Methodist
church, Rev. N. M. Jones officiating.
Interment took place in Onecho cemetery
beside the remains of bis wife.
Six children survive—Mrs. Mattie
Ennis of Portland, George and Charles
Eaton of Wilcox, Frank Eaton of White
Salmon, Robert Eaton and Mrs. A. J.
Allen of Potlatcb. Mr. Eaton wae a
man universally respected.
G. A. R. AND RELIEF CORPS.
Will Observe Birthdays of Wishing.
ton, Lincoln and McKinley.
The G. A. R and Relief Corps of Col
fax will meet in G. A. R. ball tomorrow
night to honor the memories of Wash
ington, Lincoln and McKinley. This is
an anuual event observed by the mem
bers of the G. A. R. Washington's j
birthday anniversary is next ftednee
(lay, Lincoln's wns last .Sunday and Me- ,
Kinley'e was in January, but the three j
events are obseived at one time.
An elaborate program has been pre- I
pared, consisting in part of singing by |
the High school quartet, an address by j
Rev. N. M. Jones, and other features j
that will be of interest to all who at
tend. The public is invited to these ex- ;
ercises.
Before the public meeting, af 6 o'clock,
the veterans and their families will en- •
joy a banquet, which, no doubt, will be !
an enjoyable affair.
To honor the names of Washington,
Lincoln and McKinley, a trio of patriots !
whose names add luster to the Great I
Republic, is and should be a pleasure to j
all citizens, and it is befiitting that the !
G. A. R. veterans should take the initi ;
ative.
More Than Doubly Afflicted.
The four year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. ;
Steve Cutler, who live on the Palouse
river near Diamond, died of pneumonia
Monday night. Mrs. Cutler and another !
child are down with the same disease,
which makes the family more than
doubly hfH.cted.
Ptomain Poison.
Word was received Tuesday that Dr.
Maguire, mayor of Pullman, who is vis
iting in Los Angeles, was stricken in
that city with ptomain poison, for a
time being a very sick man. Latest ac
counts, however, state that the ductor
ie recoTering.
WHITMAN COUNTY TOWNS.
Census Returns Give Population as
Reported by Cansus.
The Gaznte received a dispatch from
Director Durand at Washington, I) C ,
Saturday, giving the population of Col
; lax, whicti wa« potted for the benetit of
all. Sunday, however, the population of
incorporated towns in the state not
i heretofore reported were given out by
j the census bureau, those of Whitmau
county being an below given :
'town 1900 1910
Colfax 2121 1783
Helton 251 39i
Elborton 297 330
Faruaington .434 489
Oakeadale 928 8«2
Palousse 929 1549
Pullman .13.8 2603
Rosalia 379 767
Tekoa 717 1676
Uniontown 404 426
(Jartield 932
Endicott 474
St. John 421
Tekoa lead* all Whitman county towns
in gain of population. Roaalia is a close
second, with Pullman only a neck be
hind as third. All towns in the county
show a healthy increase save Oakeedale,
that town having 4G less than it had 10
years age. The reason for this is not
obvious, as Onkesdale is surrounded by
a rich farming community and beara the
imprint of prowperity, not that of decay.
The population of Maiden and Lamont
were not reported at this writing, but
they are new towns, both feeling the im
pulse of railroad cons-ruction.
Eudicott gained 127 over the 12th
census. There in no cause for any town
in Whitman county to curry a chip on
its hhou'der.
BREAKS WINDOW GLASS.
Horatio D. Moses Adopts a New
Method to Get Into Jail.
Horatio 1). Moses iH in (he county jail
charged with malicious mischief. Tue
malicious mischief consisted in breaking
several panes o! glass in the sheriff'«
office with his fist, the object being, hh
he stated, to get iubi'ie the jail, being
broke and de*-irii>g food and lodging.
He told the sheriff ho many stories of
his doings and tseapades that it was
thought best to detain him until more
could be learned about him.
If is claimed that Moses comes from a
well-to-do family living in New York.
He was iutrodut'd to Julius Lippitt at
Portland as a yonog man who desired
to be a farmer, the plan beiiig to take a
six months' course at practical work on
a farm, and if I,' good his father
in the east would buy a farm and Bet
him up in business. Julius Lippitt re
ferred Moees to William Lippitt in Colfax
Moses put up at the Hotel Whitman,
had a wardrobe tit for a king, there be
ing no suspicion that he was on the
verge of starvation. Mr. Lippitt visited
Moses at the county jail and told him
there was no occasion to break windows
to get into jnil—if he (Vioees) had made
his wants known they would have been
supplied.
It has developed that Moses is ad
dicted to the use of cocaine at times,
which probably accounts for his strange
actions and many contradictory storiep.
What he will do on a farm if be gets one,
under all the circumstances, is enough to
make a mule hee-haw.
He is being detained in jail until his
folks in New York can he heard from.
A NEW WEATHER PROPHET.
Irwin's Bullfrog Has Commenced
to Eat--Fasted All Winter.
Spring jb near at hand. There is no
doubt about it tbiß time. The weather
prophet, in the form of Lou Irwin'a big
bullfrog, which has been confined in his
aquarium for over a year, Bays bo. His
frogsbip, which was brought from Snake
river and haa bf jen on object of much in
; terest, has lain dormant in the bottom
of the acquariutn all winter, but recently
has showa a disposition to come to the
nurface and stick hi* head out of water
i During all this time he ban not tasted
food. Last Saturday, however, he
grabbed one of the gold fish in the
! aquarium and without ceremony pro
-1 ceeded to swallow the little beauty. Gulp
i by gulp he had nearly accomplished the
task, only the tail of the fish sticking
. out of bit* mouth, when Irwin made the
' discovery. L>n lifted hie frogebip out of
the water, squeezed the atck tightly,
i when the frog let loose and spewed the
\ fish into the water, which swam away
apparently none the worse from the
; startling experience.
Weather savants ear this is a sure
j sign of the approach of spring, as the
i bullfrog never touches food until the ice
'< king has been dethroned, and gentle,
ethereal spring is about to enchant our
homes. We will see.
Day Was Obsaaved.
Monday was a legal holiday, its ob
servance being the birthday anniversary
of Abraham Lincoln. Sunday, the 12tb,
was the real day, but Monday following,
as in this instance, is the legal day. The
backs and the county offices were closed
to business. In some of the churches
last Sunday the greatness of Lincoln
was dwelt upon in sermons. Next Sue
day Washington will be the subject of
discourse in several of the churched.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
WHITMAN COUNIY
RANCHER IS SHOT
Fred Day Seriously Wounded
by Emil Sparkes.
Old Feud Supposed to Be at Bottom
of Crime--Sparkes Quickly Lands
in Jail.-Two Bullets Enter Body
of Day--Feeling at Hay Is Deep.
Fred Day was shot at Hay at 11
o'clock TueHday forenoon by Emil
Sparkps, the shooting being the result ol
an old grudge existing between the men.
They met at the time mentioned in the
Btore of J. B. Taggart, a few words
passed between them, when Sparkes
wbippf d out a pintol aod shot Day twice
in the breast. Th*> first shot bit Day in
the center of the left breast, striking a
rib and passing aronnd to the back.
The second struck the right breast, lodg
ing under the arm. Mr. Taggart, pro
prietor of the store, his ton and a man
whose name we did not catch, were the
only witnesses of the tragedy.
The sheriff's office in Colfax was noti
fied and Deputy Sheriff Cole lost no time
iv going to Hay. Sparkes was found at
the home of hit* father, William Sparkes,
8 few ruiliH from Bay, ami wnn takeu
across couutry to La CroMe and lodged
iv jail there, it being (bought best not to
t/ik- hiui to Bay, (be feeliug in that
neighborhood tieii g strung aguiiMt him.
O i the tirnt iocomiug trim Spurkea wuh
brought to Colfai ai»d lodged in jail.
Spurken in about .'lO jeurs of age aiid
Domarried.
Day in a well-to-do farmer living near
Hay, in .'52 jeitrH ul nge and han a wife
anu four ehildreo. After the nhootiug
D^iy wsH carried to the home of hiu
sister, Mrt«. ,J. A. Mt)rgiiii, near May,
and a doctor from La CrosseHummoned.
Day's wife and children were Ho,>n rtt his
bedside, also his father and mother, Mr.
and Mrs. W. W. Day.
It should be stated that Flay it a
hamlet and station on the (>. W U. A
N. in the enstern part of Whitman
county, being the trading point and out
let of an exteußive farmiug community
surrounding it.
Sparkes telephoned from La Cronse to
Hanna & Hanna, attorneys of thin city,
to defend him. What the line of defense
will be remains to be seen.
Deputy ProsecutiDg Attorney Stotler
went to Hay Tuesday to investigate, bo
as to get at the true inwarduess of
affairs.
Out on Bail.
Sparkee was released on bail yesterday
morning in the superior court, bail being
fixed at J3UOO, Sparken' father and
uncle signing as sureties. He in charged
with assault in first degree.
COURT REPORTER NAMED.
Judge Neill Appoints H. M. Lova
for Tim* Being.
. Judge Thomas Neill baa entered an
order employing H. M. Love to act as
court reporter until the next meeting of
the board of county commissioners. Mr.
Love ban been acting under the employ
of the county as court reporter for sev
eral years, but the comtnieHioners ad
journed their February meeting without
renewing the contract, and Mr. Love
bad an offer in Spokane which be w»»h
about to accpt, which would leave this
county without a stenographer who
could report cases. There will be a jury
term next month with a number of crim
inal cage* and county road condemna
tion canes on the docket wherein the
services of a reporter will be nquired,
and the order wut> nrnde in order to re
tain the services ot Mr. Love until the
commissioners could tn'tke permanent
arrangement* for a c<urt reporter.
Marriage Licenses.
Marriage licensee have bf-en ineuad by
the county auditor to the following:
George U. BrookH and Elizabeth Mc-
Donald, both of Endicott.
John C Bubch aud Tillie Herboth, both
of Uniontown.
Peter J. Weitz and Mary Hcbmick,
both of Endicott.
Endicott vs. Colfax.
An exciting bucket bull gauie is sched
uled to be pulled off this (Friday) even
ing at the High school gymnasium, the
game to ntart at 8 o'clock. It is Endi
cott egaihHt Colfax, both good teams
and both intent on victory.
Basket Ball at Endioott.
The Boy .Scout*' basket ball team met
their Waterloo at Endicott last Friday,
when they went up against the Boy
Brigade of that place, with a ttcore of
23 10 6
Big Class Initiated.
Verona Kebekab Lodge No. 13, I. O.
O. F., at its meeting Tbureday evening
initiated fourteen candidates into the
mysteries oi that order.