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

we stated that the people here could not
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 Z o'clock on Saturday evening last
II 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
Were Deputy Marshal Collin and Joseph
McMurrin, a nightwatchman at the tith-
ing office.
Reports oil the terrible afiray 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
lTOul lnll luCtS WHICH, uuNe I1OU YET
reached the public. Mr.. Davis had on
Saturday evening been home TO supper
and was, about Z o'clock, returning to
his store. He lives i'm the alley where
the shooting occurred, and rs he neared
the west entrance
HE MET THREE MEN GOING EAST
In such way as to arouse his suspicious,
and, as his wife is a 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
word. Mr.. Davis further says that he
noticed the last man, as he passed them,
who was man OF medium height, and that
he wore a gray overcoat. On, 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 ut 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, rs fast us self
cooking trigger could be pulled.
AS there was no noise, however,
very little notice was taken oil the firing.
In a 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 7:40 he started with two of his
nieces to the concert rehearsal, and as
they passed the alley Mr.. Young pro-
posed to go into it and see ii 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 and on lifting it up with his cane,
found it to be
A NEW FELT HAT.
lie then went to the City Hall and in
quired If any one had been shot, and was
told there had. Just then Marshal Phil
lips came along and was going into the
room where young McMurrn lay, when
MIR. Young told the Marshal he would
like to see him n moment, when they
stepped into the police room and he gave
the hat he had found to the Marshal, and
told him how and where he had found it.
The Marshal then went into the room
where the wounded man lay, and Mr..
Young went on to the Opera House.
AT the time OF the shooting
MIR. JOHN LLOYD
WAS on his way home. He was passing
along near the rear of the Theatre when
he heard two shots fired almost opposite
to him, but did not think anything OF the
firing till he had crossed the road and
had his attention drawn to a man living
inside the yard in front OF Spencer Claw
sons house, few doors north OF Social
Hall. He called out to Mr.. LLOYD TO
summon the police and send carriage
for his wife, rs he was in a dangerous
condition. Mr.. Lloyd recognized the man
to be Joseph M. McMurrin, and at once
hastened to the City Hall and informed
the police. The City Marshal and other
officers Immediately went to McMurrin
They found him in weak condition, and
forthwith conveyed him to the CITY Hall
where he informed those present that he
had been shot by Deputy Marshal Collin
Mrs. McMurrin soon arrived and was
beside her wounded husband. As the
mans condition was precarious, he was
PREVAILED UPON TO MAKE y DEPOSITION,
The contents OF which are not vet author
ltatlyely known. 1t is said, however, that
statement is to the effect
that he was passing through the allev
when he met Collin. Some unpleasant
words passed between them; that he
struck at Collin, when the latter opened
fire on him.
Soon after the deposition was taken.
McMurrin was removed to his residence
IN the Eighth ward. Collin in the mean
time had given himself up, and had been
Iaken TO the penitentlary in the custody
Of Deputies Greenman and Vandercook.
Regarding
THE ACTION THAT MARSHAL IRELAND TOOK
In holding Collin, he to-day stated that
when the city officers first made the
demand on him for Collin that they had
no warrant for him. lie told them
hat he would bring Collin to tbe
City Hall, which he afterwards did
When the police next applied TO the Mar.
shall for Collin they had a warrant for
him, but M Mr.. Ireland had in thp mean
lime arrested Collin himself No wonii
not give him up, believi' .thut rs r'uited
states Marshal he had authority 10 Mold
lim. The Marshal '.ar stated That
wo years ago 'sa pmu exactly ike !
his one came .R ne ~ difference I
being thu the city tool nu san into Gus
ody: When the Mah4l demanded him.
~ vi.tue OF Il COMMISSIONER warrant 4
he ny Marsha would not and did moi
i've l.im up, and the Marshal at the time
.cCpueu L. Inp pitv tho ~, .,,,t A., l,,Il -