The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-01-23
AFRuIr GROWERS MURDER.


sacramento's Public Administrator Con
vicfed of the Crime-H ow and Whv IL was
Committed.
In the trial OF Troy Dye, ex-public
administrator of sacramento county,
CAL, for the murder of A. M. Tullis, a
wealthy fruit grower Of Grand island,
near SACRAMENTO, the jury, after twenty
minutes deliberation, brought in the
verdict, "Guilty Of murder in the first
degree"
The crime was committed on the night
OF August LIST, of last year. It's object
was to enable Dye, in his capacity as
public administrator, to get hold of Tul-
lis estate, the latter's heirs living at a
distance. At the time of his death Tul-
lis was the largest fruit grower on the
Sacramento river, having one large
orchard and large interests in two
others. His gains in the fruit season
were at the re- te of thousand dollars
day, and he had accumulated from $780,
600 to $100,O00 before his body was
found cold and stiff in his orchard on
the morning of August I'd. When Dye,
as public administrator, applied for let
ters of administration, he rated the
estate at $50, 900, his object being to Sc
cure all over that amount. The killing
OF Iullis on any other ground being OBJ
1ectless, the theory was formed, soon
after the murder. that either his rela-
tives had committed the crime to secure
the estate as his heirs, or that Dye mad
done the deed to take possession as
pubic administrator. As Tullis' rela-
tlves-a brother and nephew-were
from 300 to 5000 miles from the scene,
| suspicion fastened upon Dye, who was
| discovered to be in the neighborhood of
| Tull g. ranch the night of the murder.
He was arrested on August 18th. As he
had up to that time borne an irreproach-
| able reputation his arrest was shock to
the community. Two days later he made
| confession of the crime in the presence
OF the district attorney and others. The
murder was not committed by him, but
'7y CLARK, his partner in saloon ven-
ture, and by Anderson, former EN-.
| ployee in Dyes butcher shop, Dye
having other occupations besides that of
| pubic administrator. Anderson, being
arrested, also made a confession. Dye
said that he first thought of killing Tul-
lis in the spring, having heard of the
wealth the fruit grower was acquir-
ing. At that time Anderson offer
ed to kill any one Dye would
name for 800, and he confessed
to the committalof two murders already.
After Dye made up his mind to MUIR
der Tullis, he enlisted Clark as we'll as
Anderson, and the first endeavor was to
poison Tullis. CLARK visited the fruit
grower on pretease of business, and left
behind as a parting present bottle,
ostensibly containing choice cordial,
but which really contained poison. For
some reason this scheme miscarried, and
then it was determined to waylay Tullis
and shoot him. A boat was built at
Dyes house in Sacramento, in which
Anderson and Clark rowed to Tullis'
fruit ranch, which was on an island,
while Dye waited for them on the main
bank. This vas toward evening on
August first. After they had landed,
CLARK concealed himself while Anderson
went to look for Tullis, who presently
clme near where Clark was lying. An
derson asked Tullis for work, but was
told that Cinnamon were preferred. HI
managed to get behind Tullis, so that hi
could strike him with a sandbag. AL
though shaken by the blow, Tullis CLOSED
with Anderson, while the dog tore tb,
aseassin's trousers and barked. CLARK
coming to the rescue, fired at Tulli
with pistol. but apparently missed
Saying to Anderson, "Stand back,
Clark fred again, hitting Tullis in tn
back. Putting the pistol to the back o
Tullis' head, he fred again. Tulli
fell on his face. Anderson had alread,
run to the boat, and CLARK then followed
| The two rowed hack in the boat whicl
they then broke up and threw into tn
J river. Anderson also tore up and dc
, stroyed his trousers. thinking there wa
blood on them. They then met Dye
who carried them back to Sacramento.