The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-02-18
SQUATT EXCITEMENT IN WISING
Ton TERRITORY.
Vigilance Committee organized -Four
Mep Shot and Two Killed.


From the Oregon Herald, Jan. 2Slh.l
The Olympia Tribune of January
22l and 9th contains some startling
intelligence. 1t seems there has been
a great excitement in Pierce county,
w. T., lately, in relation TO squatters.
4 man named Gibson made an at
tempt to possess himself of the claim
of Wren, on the Muck, by squatting,
when n body of citizens warned him
off. This gave rise to much feeling,
which eliminated in the organization
of a Vigilance Committee, who threat
Ell to proceed TO extremities if further
attempts are made to obtain unlawful
possession to private lands.
A man named Mcdaniel went to
the assistance of Gibson, and we learn
by telegraph to the same paper, dated
SteilacOom, January II, 1890 in the
forenoon, that the Vigilance Commit
tee of Pierce county shot Gibson and
Mcdaniel that morning, about Z
o'clock, while they were on their way
to town. Gibson was mOrtally wound
ed, Mcdaniel escaped with one bird
shot in his arm.
The committee, numbering from forty
to fifty men, arrived in town about fif-
teen minutes afterward, and shot Nc
Daniel, mortally wOunding him.
After shooting Mcdaniel, the COM
mittee took charge of Gibson intending
to take him to jail On the way thither,
Gibson made a grab at a revolver on
the person of one of the committee,
which went off and shot John High
stream in the foot. The committee
thereupon shot Gibson dead, one bali
going through him and wOmding Le-
gard in the leg.
An editorial of the issue of the oath,
says:
The all-ahsOrbing topic of conversa-
ton, in places and with all people in
Olympia, is the startling event of Sat
urday last in Pierce county, on which
two desperate men were killed and
two citizens wounded. Such is the state
of feeling on the subject that people
have little desire to talk of anything
else, and every fresh arrival from the
scene of the fatal encounter is the sig
nal for the collection of a crowd of
anxious inquirers for particulars
Much that has thus = far been
communicated concerning it is coll
ored with prejudices or sympathies of
the party conveying it, and is, there
fore, to be received with caution as
regards correctness. Hence we have
heard the Vigilance Committee and
their victims alternately commended
and condemned, in the same hour, by
per IONS who approved or censured the
course of one or the other. We have
taken measures to procure a state
ment of all the circumstances connect
ed with the affair, from the inception
to its tragical ending, from a cores
pondent free of bias, and in whom we
have the utmost confidence. His
version of the matter, which we hope
to receive in time for our next issue,
may be relied upon as correct in every
particular-free from eXaggeratiOn or
distortion. Until we hear from him,
we shall refrain from commenting up
on perhaps the most tragical event
that ever transpired in Washington
Territory, and one that will long be
remembered with horror by many
who participated in it.
Virginia is rapidly moving forward
in her material rs well as her political
reconstruction. a contemporary Is
authorized to say that active opera
tions will soon be commenced on the
Potomac railroad, extending from
fredericksburg 10 Alexandria, Va, an
organization, under the charter grant
Ell by the last Legislature for this inn
portanf road, having been effected
some time since hy capitalists from
Virginia, Washington, and Philadel-
phia, among whom are Jay Cooke d
Co. 1t is the intention of the parties
to commence the construction of the
road at the earliest practicable mo-
nent, and it is probable that large
force will be set at work on it early in
the spring.