The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-02
A MURDEROUS LOVER.
Taylor Starks Stays His Sweet
hearts Father.
He TRIED TO ABDucT THE GIRL.
A Murder 1T Falls City Committed by
IN unwelcome Lovcr-starks Az
lowed to Escape.

Word reached the city Tuesday evening that
Neis bloomstrandt, . farmer OF Falls City, had
been shot and killed by Taylor Starks, farmer
OF the same town. Yesterday morning Coroner
Horton left for the scene of the tragedy and was
accompanied by Sheriff woolery and Deputy
James Wells. Although neither the coroner
nor the sheriff and his deputy have yet returned
from Fails City, the story of the crime has been
learned and it appears that Bloomstrandt is the
victim OF brutal murder
Dispatches from Falls City state that Starks,
who is about 10 years of age and has an unsav-
DRY record, had been paying attention to
Inconsistencies Ayear-old daughter Chesty.
Bloomstrandt objected to the match and ordered
Stsrks to cease his visits to his home. Starks
became angered, and on Monday went TO the
girls home and was taking her forcibly away,
when Bioomstrandt's l2-yesr-old son interfcred.
starks knocked the boy down and the father
came to the rescue of his children and was shot
Gown by Starks. He fired two shots at Bloom
strandt from 3S-caliber revolver, killing him
instantly.
Starks took to the woods, and it is supposed
that the sheriff and posse OF deputies are now
hunting him.
County Commissioner Taylor was in the city
yesterday and said that the citizens OF Falls
City are very bitter against the murderer, and
feeling also runs high against DR.. lansing, the
justice OF the peace, and J. B. Rutherford, the
constable, because they made no effort to detain
Starks. Dr.. lansing attended the wounded man
before he died, and he must have been familiar
with the circumstances of the affair. Why he
did not interfere and order the arrest of the
murderer Is not known.
Mr.. Wooding says that the citizens of Falls
City say that starks was about town for twenty
four hours after the shooting, and could have
been arrested without trouble. He said:
"Starks is member Of the Odd Fellows lodge,
to which lansing and Rutherford belong. DR..
Lansing's excuse was that he did not want to
get mixed up in the case and therefore re-
fear the officers will now have trouble in arrest
ing him." Mr.. Wooding says he first
heard OF the shooting at Gilman, and he i'm
mediately went to Falls City to learn the facts,
after which he notified the sheriff. He said:
"Just before the train left for Seattle, starks
left Falls City on foot, and walked into the
woods alone. / did not converse with either the
family OF the murdered man or with Starks,
though saw him several times during the day
walking about. What learned of the shooting
was told BY the citizens The bullet which
proved fatal passed through B!oomstrandt's abb
domen, and was what was called side shoot,
entering just below the floating ribs. The ball
lodged just beneath the skin on the opposite
side, and was taken out by Dr. Lansing, who is
also the justice OF the peace for that precinct.
Bloomstrandt was shot Monday after
noon and died yesterday about noon.
There were no persons present when the shoot
ing occurred but the Broomstrandt family aud
Taylor atarks. Bloomstrandt leaves q wife and
three children. The family have been living in
the vicinity about three or four years, and are
much respected.
HTaylor Starks is a member OF the firm of Starks
Brothers, general merchandise merchants of
Falls City, aud has been living there about five
or six years. He is an American, hailing, I be-
lieve from Kansas. It was the talk about Falls
City that he had been connected with like
scrapes before locating there. After the shoot
ing Starks returned to Falls City, and remained
until after Bloomstrandt died. When the news
came that the wounded man had died Etarks
walked out OF town and into the woods"