Delta chief., 1885-11-25
DELTA's TRAGEDY.
The First CoId.BIOodcd Murder Ever
Committed In Our Midst.

was thrown into wild state Of excitement
on a ranch about two miles above Delta, who
came in to have warrant issued for the ar
rest Of one J. A. Cameron, for the then sup
posed murder Of Mrs W. A. Whslen. the
wife Of one of Delta cOunty's most promi-
nent ranchmen. Immediately after the war
rant was obtained, sheriff ben Ghecn and
two deputies mounted horses and started out
to capture their man. They got trace Of him
through Mr.. Simpson, the ferryman, who in
formed them that Cameron had crcSsed the
river on the ferry but few minutes before,
and from there made his way down the river
After Cameron hal crossed the river he pro-
cceded directly tn the ranch of Joseph Bond,
at which place he had been working previ-
vious To this time, and where he knew there
was n Sharp, rife and belt full Of cartridges
within easy grasp, and securing them he
started on run for the brusl, west Of the
house. The Sheriff and his pnss" coming up
to the house Immediately afterwards were in
formed by som. men who were near the house
and had witnessed the strange actions of
Cameron, about hi. taking the gun aud the
direction he had taken, when pursuit IN that
direction was Immediately instituted. The
pursuers passed within few yards of the
pursued, when the sheriff struck his track
leading iuto the bushes, aud began following
il up, when 4. II. Howard, one Of the posse,
discovered their man .u,niing IN the brush.
Howard covered him with his gun aud called
upon him to surrender, whrp Cameron came
out aud gave himself up. lie was then
brough, to town. where he waived esamina
tion. aud was sent io Guunison for safe keep.
ing.
In the meantime physician bad been sent
To the scene Of th, murder, who reported up.
on his return that himself, in company with
other, had upon entering the house, found it
full Of smoke, aud the murdered woman ly-
ing partly on the bel. with life entirely eS.
tiuct. The bed upon which she lay was
afrc. her olothinr nearly all burned OH, and
her body .corchei and biackcu-d. Water
wt,thrpwn over her bsjy and the bed
aud the FIR, cx,inguish.d, when the deceased
was carefully laid upon the door.
After the physicians report coroner Breese
summoned jury and proceeded to hold
inquest over the remains. Upon arriving at
the house they found the remains Of Mrs.
Whalen lying upon the floor, in a partially
nude state. aud. upon examination, found
three bullet holes entering in at the right
breast, another that had entered in the front
Of throat, passing clear through and finding
sp exit Ia back of head, either wound of
which would have caused death, and bruisc
from blunt instrument on the right tenn
pie. Her limbs were rigid aud drawn, show.
ing that death had occurred some hour, pre-
vious, but the countenauce bespoke no agony
or suffering previous to death, showing very
plainly, and also taking the nature of the
wounds into consideration. that death had
been almost instantaneous. Lying Mt the
foot Of the bed and having the appearance
rs though II had been dropped from the de-
ceascd's right hand. was large 45 calibrc
revolver with one chamber loaded. The re-
volver from appearances had not been shot
oil for some time. The bed upon which the
deceased had fallen was partially consumed
by fire, and the stencil of burnt feathers aud
scorched flesh made the atmosphere In the
house oppressive and sickcning. The only
bullet hole that was found in the house
through the door, evidently being fred from
the outside.
The examination Of the witnesses by the
coroi er and jury in substance is a. follows:
About o'clock ON the morning OF the Goth
inst, J. A. Cameron, who had arrived in
town but few weeks previous To this time,
came up to the house of W. II. Whnlen, MIR.
Whalcn aud sons being away on a hunting
trip at the time, aud nt which house was
Cameron had had domestic troubles in the
past, which resulted in the wife leaving the
husband, the cause of which she claims was
cruel treatment. and taking with her their
children. The husband had often entrcatcd
the wife to come back to him but she refused
aud according to the husbands story, his
wifc's aunt, the deceased, was Mt the bottom
of 1t, and that she would not let his wife have
an interview with him. whereby domestic
troubles could possibly have been adjusted.
The husband went up to the house to have
an interview with his wife, or trouble, mud
was met at the door by the deceased. His
wife and little girl, Mary, was in the room ut
the time. when the wife hearing loud talk
and threats, sprang out Of bnck window
with the intention OF calling MD She had
proceeded but II shoct distance when she
heard firing back at the house. She became
frightened and sprang into swamp and hid