The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-12-27
A SALOON MURDER.
COLD FLOODED KILLING AT COW
INGToN. NEBRASKA.

James Toohey, . Cook, Slabs Elmer Z.
Erwin-An Attack on . Very slight
Provocation-ThC Dead Man Wolf Com
nected-Story OF tho C~rime-Other Haps.
n Mishaps OF the Wicked and Unfor.
tunatc.
Elmer T.. Erwin. Oldest son of A. w.
Erwin, the we'll known wholesale merchant
OF Sioux City, was stabbed To death hy
james Yoohey, in the saloon Of Arens-
dorf " Leader, in Stanton, Dakotn county,
Neb., ut about 2 o'clock on Sunday morn.
ing. Stanton is II place having no exist
ence IN the postotfice directory. It is the
newer part of Covington, and should not
be confused with the town Of Stanton, in
Stanton county,.
The scene OF the murder is one of the
murder is one of the best in the place, aud
is quietly conducted. In the rear portion
of the room are a lunch counter, eating
stalls, and in the rear of them, in another
ROOM, is the kitchen. Toohey, who killed
Erwin, has been at work as cook there for
Il mouth or more. He was formerly en-
ployed as cook in the Choteau hotel at
Fort Benton, Mont.
The account of the crime, as given by
Sheriff Brassfield and his deputy, who
were on the scene almost Immediately, and
as they collected it from somewhat contra
dictory reports of the witnesses, is as fol-
lows:
The bartender who was ON night watch
in the saloon had just stepped out,, leaving
u party unfamiliar with the business TO
stay until his return. Erwin came in and
ordered a drink. The party on watch said:
Wait until the bartender returns" En-
win answered this by saying: "l've got
money to pay for my drinks" Toohey
nf tstyx. ftn,n sv,N S,,~ e,0,,, - 1911.
Give him a drink; he's all right; 1 know
him." Erwin, it seems, got insulted at
tins and said: what is it to you, you
Cd d-n s-n of n b-h?" Hot words
followed. resulting in q knock down,
Erwin coming out best. Toohey then
went back into the kitchen and secured q
butcher knife, and started for the front
of the saloon. Parsons followed him,
took the knife from him and advised him
to go to bed and forget the occurrence,
which he said he would do, but instead
went back to the kitchen. secured another
knife and walked straight toward the door.
as If intending to go out.
When opposite Erwin, who was stand
ing leaning with his arm on the bar, he
drew the knife from his sleeve and plunged
it clear to the hilt in Erwin's breast, pass
ing it through part of the heart. Erwin
AOptS ~ WHY tG w I'LL Ill
WIN. Meth, n barkeeper at the samehouse,
who w,,s conversing with Erwin. grabbed
Toohey by the throat and threw him down.
In an instant a crowd gathered and each
and every one seemed to have n kick or
blow for Ioohey, aud when City Marshal
Cramcr and Marshal Luther arrived the
murderer was more dead han alive. They,
through strenuous efforts, succeeded in
liherating him and brought him to this
place. The threats against Toohey were
loud,and various, and it is doubtful if he
had remained i'll C%ovington that he would
ever again see daylight. The jury brought
in Il verdict of deliberate and premedi-
tated murder
Toohev, after recovering consciousness,
Was taken charge of by the officers and
talk of l%ynching. Toohey was taken to
Dakota tity, however, before the excite
ment grew 10 q serious extent and his
neck WAS probably saved by that action.
He is of Irish parentage, light complexion.
about D feet q inches tall. His conduct
about Stanton has been that of an in
offensive, quiet man, determined and per-
sistent. His part i'll this tragedy was en-
acted with a delibcration almost fiendish,
and II stoical cruelty which tell of his ter
rible rage at being slapped in the face.
Ihe men in the restaurant, when he went
after the knife, took one knito away from
him. He said not u word, but found an
other, and quietly stole out with it in his
sleeve. He was perfectly calm and the
cpithet he applied to his victim as he
raised tho murderous weapon was
Kissed from between his teeth. His &C.
count of the murder is this:
i went to work as cool for MIR. Parsons,
who OWNS the restaurant in the rear of
Tierney IL Leaders saloon III Stanton,
the day before Thanksgiving. l was on
day duty. i came from Montana, where I
had resided for the past eight years. On
saturday night, the night of the killing,
lirwln. without any just cause, hit me. 1
asked an explanation and received one in
the shape of another blow, which knocked
me down. After this l remember nothing
until / found myself in Jail. 1 had not
been drinking and never had a word with
the man in my life.
The victim was we'll know in Sioux City
where in earlier days he held positions Of
trust. He WAS of exemplary parentnge,
the family being among the most aristo-
cratic and highly respected people in the
northwest. The story is not materially
different from many others. Drink and
it's accompanying evils had practically eX-
lied Elmer Erwin from the friends and
associations of his earlier years, and he
pretended i'll later years to no vocation not
intimately associated with liquor selling
and liquor drinking. His remains were
taken 10 his fathers home and buried from
the family residence.