Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-23
THE CRIME In CAMP.
Arrival of the Murdered Young
Mans Body in This City.
A STORY OF BAD BLOOD AND BEER.
The Gunner Was Young Alleghenian, and
Chased the Camp.
HIS THREATS FROM THE SOMERSET JAIL

The homicide of a young East Ender, in
a camp near Confluence, Sunday night, as
reported exclusively in these columns yes
terday morning, turns out to have been
quite as tragic an affair as it was at first
reported to be. The alleged murderer's
name, however, is James Lehr, not Laird,
as first reported, and he claims Allegheny
as his residence. A tour among all the
Lehrs and Lahrs in that city last evening
failed to discover any one of them all who
knew or had heard of this particular fellow.
The body of young Charles Scott was
brought to the city yesterday morning, ac-
companied by his companions who had
gone to the camp with him on Saturday,
and now lies at Moreland's undertaking
rooms. The funeral will take place from
the residence of his father, John Scott, on
Stanton avenue, East End, tomorrow at
P. NJ. The father is a well-known stone
contractor, and the murdered young man
has a brother in the firm OF Vincent &
Scott, the East End carpet dealers, in whose
store he worked, and also a brother in the
firm Of Scott & Mclean. He was about p
years old and unmarried.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
With regard to the crime, and how it
came to be committed, an eyewitness, Gus
Straub. who returned with the corpse of
Scott yesterday, tells the whole story, as
follows:
Saturday night young Scott. VIM. Marshall.
Thos. Nisbett, Mr.. Echenlaub, Chas. Kurtz
and myself went to the camp as guests of the
Eureka Club. We had most pleasant visit
till Sunday afternoon. Mr.. Scott and had
been up in the woods near the camp and came
back about 4 o'clock. Some of the boys told US
they had been having some trouble with James
Lehr, the cook. He had been drinking heav-
the club, told him he could have no more
liquor Lehr chased him from the camp with
revolver in hand. but finally came back.
While he was gone Mr. Kurtz knocked the
spigot out of the beer keg and let it run, in
order to prevent Lehr from getting any more.
Lehr then made for Kurtz, revolver in hand,
but did not shoot. He was in terrible anger
and threatened and swore around for a long
time, to the terror of all in camp.
Up to this time Lehr had not said word to
Scott or Scott to him. Finally about5 O'Clock,
some of the members of the club said to us
that as there was not much chance for supper,
the way Lehr was acting, we had better go to
Confluence for supper. To this we agreed and
all started from camp. Scott was the last one
to leave the camp. He was about 100 yards
behind me. and was standing in the door of a
tent. He called to me to wait, and started to-
ward me. He had come about ten yards when
Lehr came toward him, and. calling him a
vile name. "Where are you going? You come
back here" Scott faced him, and said: II am
said Lehr and pulled out his revoiver are apd as
Scott moved away sideways, fired shot at
him.
sELF-DEFENSE WAS USELESS.
Scott then moved away further. but all the
time keeping his eyes on him. when Lehr fired
again. Then Scott fired a shot from little re-
volver he had. 1 called to him to run, and he
turned to do so, when Lehr fired again, and the
bullet struck Scott in the back. He fell and
never spoke a word, dying instantly
Some of the boys hurried to Confluence, and
the magistrate and a constable at once went to
the camp. When they got near camp Lehr
pulled his revolver again, but the bows per.
suaded him to put it up. He did SO and was
arrested and taken to Somerset where he is in
jail. The magistrate held an inquest and IA
witnesses told the same story am telling.
There had been no fuss of any kind between
Scott and Lehr, and the shooting was entirely
unprovoked. Lehr was the only man in camp
who was in the least affected BY liquor. and
would not have anyone think for moment
that liquor had anything to do with the fuss as
far as Scott or anyone but Lehr was concerned.
know that Scott had not had drink since IL
O'Clock in the morning, and all day he did not
drink over two or three glasses
Interviewed in the Somerset Jail yester
day. James Lehr said his home was in Allie
gheny and that when he got out ne would
do up any newspaper man that published
anything about it. He said he didn't care
for himself, but didn't want his father and
mother to know anything about it. He is
a slight-built young fellow about feet s
inches tall and weighs about 135 pounds.
He had $3.50 in his clothes when arrested.
He has employed w. h. Koontz as his at
torney.