Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-30
AN AFFRAY IN THE DARK
Deputy Marshal Collin Shoots Joseph
McMnrrin, Probably Fatally.
The Wounded Man Still Alive, But
With Very Slight Hope Of
Recovery.
Collin Transferred to Fort Douglas on
the Authority of ireland and
Dickson.

most uncomfortable passion. Last week
we stated that the people here could moi
live without excitement and agitation
and this week we have the facts to verify
the statement with sad and startling
emphasis.
The public have already learned that
about o'clock on Saturday evening last
startling tragedy was enacted in the
alley Immediately north of the old Social
Hall, on First East street, and that
THE PRINCIPALS IN THE AFFAIR
We're Deputy Marshal Collin and Joseph
McMurrin, nightwatchman at the tith-
ing Office.
Reports OF the terrible ARRAY are vari-
Gus in many details and given with color
ing according to the prejudice Of the
narrators for or against either party con-
cerned.
Realizing this, DEMOCRAT reporter
undertook to gather information that was
reliable, and state the facts as they were
related to him.
This morning the reporter encountered
Mr.. George Davis, the grocer, and learned
from him facts which have not vet
reached the public. Mr.. Davis had on
Saturday evening been home to supper
and was, about o'clock, returning to
his store. He lives in the alley where
the shooting occurred, and as he neared
the west entrance
HE MET THREE MEN CONC r,Sr
In such way as to arouse his suspicious,
and, as his wife is very timid lady, he
concluded to return to accompany her
through the alley, lest she, coming alone,
would be badly frightened should she see
the men he had just met Mr.. Davis
says that what aroused his suspicious was
the way the men passed him. No one
spoke, and from the time he first till he
last saw the men, not one of them uttered
a word. Mr.. Davis further says that he
noticed the last man, as he passed them,
who was man of medium height, land that
he wore gray lovercoat On his return
but one man was in sight, and he stood
by the fence at the rear of the hall. Mr..
Davis went right to his residence, where
he had only been but few minutes,
when
HE HEARD FIVE SHOTS FIRED
In the west end of the alley As his wife
was considerably frightened, he did not
leave the house for few minutes, and
consequently there were others on the
spot where the shooting took place before
he got there.
AT the time OF the shooting Mr. Alfales
Young was at the house adjoining the
alley on the north. All in the house
heard the shooting, and noticed that there |
were five shots fired, the first three in !
rapid succession, as fast as a self |
cooking trigger could be pulled.
As there was no noise, however.
very little notice was taken OF the firing.
In few minutes Mr. Young stepped out
side and leaned over the wall and looked
up the alley, but as he saw or heard
nothing, went back into the house.
About Z 40 he started with two of his
nleces to the concert rehearsal, and as
they passed the alley Mr. Young pro-
posed to go into it and see if they could
see anything. Some little distance east
Of the north side-door of the Social Hall
Mr.. Young saw something black on the
ground land on lifting it up with his cane,
found it to be
A NEW FELT HAT.
de then went to the City Hall and in
CURED If any one had been shot, and was
told there had. Just then Marshal Phil
Ups came along and was going into the
'oom where young McMurrin lay, when !
MIR. Young told the Marshal he would !
Ike to see him a moment, when they :
stepped into the police room and he gave !
he hat he had found to the Marshal, and /.
old him how and where he had found it. |.
The Marshal then went into the room
where the wounded man Law, and Mr..
Young went on to the Opera House.
AT the time of the shooting !
MR.. JOHN LLOYD u
Vas on his way home. He was passing il
long near the rear of the Theatre when p
e heard two shots fired almost opposite r
him, but did not think anything of the b
ring till he had crossed the road and a
ad his attention drawn to man living 81
lslde the yard in front of Spencer Claw Il
on's house, a few doors north of Social
lall. He called out to Mr.. LLOYD to re
the police and send carriage Sc
II his wife, as he was in a dangerous III
'ndition. Mr. Lloyd recognized the man tt
be Joseph M. McMurrin, and at once q
astened to the City Hall and informed di
e police. The City Marshal and other ia
Ulcers Immediately went to McMurrin. in
hey found him in weak condition. and in
rthwith conveyed him to the CITY Hall. ia
here he informed those present that he
ID been shot by Deputy Marshal Collin.
Mrs. McMurrin soon arrived and was
side her wounded husband. AS the 90
ans condition was precarious, he was Is
ErAILED UPON TO MAKE A DEPOSITION ~
he contents OF which are not vet author be
lively known. 1t is said, however. that to
cMurr1n's, statement is to the effect oh
at he was passing through the allev tai
zen he met Collin. Some unpleasant
'rds passed between them; that he S.
uck at Collin, when the latter opened DE-
e on him.
Soon after the deposition was taken. ca,
:Murrin was removed to his residence co,
the Eighth ward. Collin in the mean CHI,
he had given himself up, and had been !.
zen to the penitentiary in the CUSTODY ind
Deputies Greenman and VandercooI. Ger
garding
ACTION THAT MARSHAL IRELAND TOOK
holding Collin, he to-day stated that !
en- the city officers first made the me
nand on him for Collin that they had ant
warrant for him. He told them q
It he would bring Collin to the $75
Hall, which he afterwards did to $
zen the police next applied to the Mar l
il for Collin they had warrant for So
4, but as Mr.. Ireland had in the mean b
e arrested Collin himself he would cen
give him up, believing that as United cha
ties Marshal he had authority to hold the
/. The Marshal further stated that gro'
years ago case almost exactly like OF
one came up, the only difference prlc
ng that the city took the mar into chs cha
=. When the Marshal demanded him. Lec
virtue of Commissioners rr.arrn,,4