Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-04-16

Fairhaven.
Whatcom county has had few
tragedies in its history, and not since
that enacted by ID. II. Long, who
killed his wife and son-in-law year
and a half ago, has there been such a
melancholy affair as that which oc-
cured yesterday afternoon at about 3
O'Clock at Chuckanut bay.
The actors, one the murderer and
suicide, and the other, the murdered,
were both industrious, hard-working
men, and both have been residents Of
Fairhaven for some four years.
The circumstances which led up to
the tragedy cover their residence in
this city. Henry Horn, the man who
was fatally shot, and George Schmidt,
who shot him, and Immediately after
wards suicded, were friends during
their entire residence here, or at least
until few weeks ago when difficulties
arose over their business partnership in
chicken ranch on the south bank of
Chuckanut creek, Immediately adjoin-
ing Chuckanut bay. They also owned
a team of horses, "a COW and yearling
calf.
Both have been laborers in this city
and last fall they were employed on
sewer construction by w. b. Davey.
Horn in the meantime had started the
chicken ranch and when the sewer
work closed, Schmidt became his part
ner i'm the chicken venture and all went
well for some time. Horn was the
possessor of team and wagon, and the
greater part of the feed for the chickens
was obtained from the hotels and res
taurants about the city. The chicken
ranch, however, was not "a financial
success, and Schmidt became dissatis-
fled and quarrels, according to Horns
own statement, began to be frequent.
Schmidt could neither read nor write
and he seemed to labor under the idea
that Horn was not dealing fairly with
him. On Friday night Horn and
Schmidt had quarrel and they
agreed to make IA division Of
the property and dissolve the
partnership. Yesterday morning the
quarrel was renewed over the calf, hard
words followed, but Horn hitched up
his team and came up to town. About
3 O'Clock he returned to the ranch, and
met his death at the hands of his
former friend and partner, who had APP
parently been broodIng over what he
conceived to be his wrongs, and who
had resolved to end the life of his part
ner and his own.
There were no immediate witnesses
of the fatal affray, although there were
several persons who were close by, and
hearing the shots rushed to the scene.
Among those was Mr.. II. Y. Thomp-
son, who had gone out fishing In
Chuckanut creek. When MIR. Thomp-
son arrived at the cabin he found Horn
writhing in agony on the ground near
the wagon, the ground sprinkled with
blood and shot gun with a broken
stock lying near him. Mr.. Thompson
asked the cause, and Horns only
answer was: "I don't know; why did
he shoot me; why did he shoot me?u
Passing around the shack i'm which
the two men lived, and at distance of
not more than forty feet from where
lay his victim, was the dead body of
the murderer, lying prone upon his
back, his face upturned, the sightless
eyes staring upward, while CHASTITY
wound in his stomach, his clothing and
body burned, and shot gun i'm his
hand showed that he had accomplished
self-destruction.
A HERALD reporter visited the scene
of the murder and suicide shortly after
it occurred. The chicken ranch covers
an area of some two hundred square
feet. On il are the shack in which
Schmidt and Horn lived, chicken
house and a stable. Near by is an en-
closure in which the poultry are kept.
Inside the shack on bunk lay Horn
dying, while outside, not ten feet dis
tant, covered with u blanket was the
dead body of Schmidt.
Coroner Bracket had been tee.
phoned for and the body of Schmidt
was placed in wagon and taken TO
Brackett's undertaking rooms in New
WhatcOm.
Drs. Compton and Streeter examined
Horns wound aud pronounced II fatal.
The double-barrelled shot gun had
been placed against the lower portion
of his stomach and the entire contents
of one barrel emptied into the mans
body. Horn was in great agony.
"Will | liveT' he inquired of DIR.
Compton; the doctor shook his head
"All right them" he said, at makes