Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-07-22
lAMENTAsLE TRAGEDY.

LAMENTABLE TRAGEDY.
An illinois Farmer Shot and Killed BY His
son.ihstaX, Whom He Was Assaulting
With q Pitchfork-fiie Tragedy the Out
come Of . Family Dimculty.
PINGKNEYvILLE, H., July IA Ia
fiicntabis Tragedy occurred yesterday
morning near Tamaroa, ten miles east Of
here, in the killing o: John W. C0rgan,
an old and prominent citizen of the
county, BY his esf-in.law, Harry Miller.
Miller has been living tn farm three
miles cast Of Tamaroa, which he rented
from Corgaii. kbeut three months since
they had q difficulty, Which was com.
promised in the courts here by CUf9ah
giving psase bond, and allowing Miller
to remain upon the farm until
the expiration of his lease, October l..
Since that time the parties have not been
friendly, and Miller moved of the place
last Monday. On Tuesday he went back
10 get his share Of an oat crop that had
bern grown on the farm, taking four
wagons, with necessary hands. Below
is givena synopsis of the evidence Of W.
S. Jones, an eyewitness, before the
coroner's jury at Tamaroa yesterday
morning.
"My name is W. S. Jones; age, thirty
six years; live three miles east OF Tama-
roa. Miller came to my house this morn
ing, and asked me to go and help him
haul his share Of the oat crop off Cor
gan's faftii. / Went and took ham, with
me. There were fotf WAGONS with two
men to each wagon: When we arrived
at the fed tub III the party got out ard
let the fence down, and Miller started to
drive in. hallooed to him that he had
better tell Corgan he had come to divide
the oats. Just then he looked up and
said: sYonGer they come, now-all OF
them with pitchforkst' BY this time
COrgan hdd got within about one hun-
bred yards of Miller, and said: Get out
of here, you thief. You cofT'c here tc
steal again. You get out, or I'll put you
OUT Miller had, as yet, aid nothing tc
COrgaH, who had arrived ut the wagon by
this time. Miller said: Il am now ready
to divide those OATS Cotgan said: u
am not ready to divide them, and won't
divide them.' At this time he was neal
the horses heads, and came around to
tie Side Of the wagon and made at Miller
with the fork, trying to get in the wagon,
which he finally did.
About this time John COrgatl, Jr.,
aged about eighteen years, came up, and
made at Miller with fork. COrgan,
Sr., was still in the wagon, and striking
at Miller with a pitchfOrk, and Miller was
wardlng off the blows with one hand and
holding his team with the other, and IL
nally hit Corgan, knocking him out OF the
wagon. Cvrgan rose and grabbed the
fork and started for him, trying to stick
him with the fork.
Miller then drew his pistol and shot.
Mr.. C1rgan fell in his sons arms and ex-
pifed iii few minutes. Miller turned to
Mr.. Corgan's sons, two Of whom were
present, and said: Boys, you see what
l have had to do He then turned his
team and drove out of the field and to
town, accompanied by his brother, VIM.
Miller. The shooting occurred on the
farm known us the Pyle place, three miles
last of TamarOa."
THE STORY CORROBORATEp.
The above evidence was corroborated
in all the main facts by most OF the wit
nesses. The pistol used was small 81
caliber, rusty concern, that did not look
like 1t would more than make noise.
The ball entered the body between the
first and second ribs of the right side,
four inches from the center of the ster.
mum, five inches above the right nipple
and two inches below the collar bone,
passed in an oblique direction to the left
side, cutting either the main artery or
going through the heart.
DR.. Ward probed the wound, but
could not find the ball. The hemOrrhage
was internal, escaping through the
mouth. Corgan lived in Tam aroa, and
with his two sons, John, Jr., and Frank,
was out on the farm harvesting hay. He
was large, fine-looking man, and one
who was very positive in all his opinions,
a very strong friend. but had no use for
his enemies. He had been resident OF
this county for many years, and was well
known and respected.
After the shooting Miller came to
Tamaroa and gave himself up to Squire
Willoughby, who ,urned him over to
Constable Grain, and he was brought
mere and placed in Jail. He is man OF
ordinary appearance and intelligence,
comes of highly respected family. aged
twenty-fOur years, and has been married
to Mr.. Corgan's daughter for three
years. He appears to feel
very badly about the matter
and regrets it very much. He says that
it was matter of life and death with
him. Coroner Farmer selected a jury
yesterday afternoon, and proceeded to
investigate the matter. There were
eleven witnesses to the tragedy, two Of
whom were broth.v vs. to Miller, and two
sons of the deceased. At the time of his
death Mr.. COrgan was engaged in mer-