The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-08-29
Murder!
Shot Down In Melea Patch The
Murderer hiees to PlaIkint0R.
Then Returns and Gives
Himself LIP.

Himself LIP.
Truman Pattee is a married man
about forty FIVE years of age; has
several children. He owns two
quarter sections of land about three
miles south of Kimbali on one of
which he lives. He has always
borne a good reputation in Kimball
and had plenty of friends. Although
known as a man of hasty judgement
and violent temper when aroused he
was not of a quarrelsome disposition.
On Monday night Pattee left on the
freight to attend the musical festival
in Chamberlain, returning on the
same train after the concert was over
and going At once to his home. On
tie following nornmg Tuesday, he
came into town, went into the post
Office and while purchasing a stamp
said TO post master Grippin "What
could they do with a man in this coun
ty if he shot = fellow" Hang him 1
suppose" was the Lconic reply.
Fattee ta,en SAID "Don't say anything
about it yet, but I shot and killed a
fellow in my melon patch last night
and l am going to Mitchell to get
COUNSEL More conversation of the
same nature followed, after which,
Pattee went to several of his friend
including }. w. Circuit, Sheriff Ochs-
mel and Others to which he said IN
substance the same. He related the
circumstance of the munder to Sheriff
Ochsner while waiting for the train
at the depot, giving no particulars
only that he caught a fellow in his
melon patch, upon his return from
Kimball the night before and killed
him. He described the victim of his
wrath as being rather old and
gray. After Pattee had departed
Sheriff Ochsner began to think he
had done wrong in allowing him to
leave and wired the following dis
hatch.
KimbsN Aug. 9eah 1884
City karsts1l MITCHELL.
Ae~ak ,oJ b.:r- l.I. No. ~.~,
be there on No.. 4. Said he was going Ae see Bill
Ion 4 Preston for COUNSEL. John 4. White knows
him. He stops at Sanbon House.
e. z. Achsner
Not hearing anything Of this Dis
patch Sheriff Ochsner surmised that
possibly Pattee might have gotten
off at Plankinton and wired ths follow,
ing.
Kimball Aug. 26th 1884,
Joseph Sitter
Plankinton Oak,
Arrest and hold Trumen Pattee. Lives in Kim
ball. Lindley knows him.
E. P. Ochsner.
Ochsner then went and informed
Coroner Cone of what had happened
and they together with Judge Long
and L. A. Weeks drove down to
Pattees. Arriving there a systematic
search was made of the melon patch
but aside from a few drops of blood
nothing was found. Some one sug-
gested the body had probably been
removed to the house, and thither the
party turned their steps to view the
corpse and comfort the sorrowipg wife
and weeping children whose father
was now a fugitive from justice.
They found the corpse, but horror
upon horrors, skinned. For the md
saghtdespoiler of Pattees melon patch
the victim of his hasty temper was a
badger, old and gray.
Weeks, Ha! Ha!! Hal!
Long, Sold;
Ochsnes. Well by gosh!
Cone, Take me home boys.
While the Sheriffs and Marshalls of
Dawson and Aurora counties are scou-
ring the country in every direction for
the red-handed murderer, the above
qu~artette and several others are around
with stuffed clubs and swearing ven
gence.