The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-04
KILLED LIKE HIS DOG.
Mate Fletcher, Of the Chehalis,
Brutally Murdered.
The MURDERER IS CAPTURED.
osrvtns K1tten Kills RIefehsS's Deg
and Answers His Protests With
Gaa-A Prompt Captars.


brutal murder that took place st Chico. in
KItsap county, the evening before. Will
lam 8. Fletcher, mate Of the steamer Che
halls. having been shot in the head twice
and instantly killed by 5ervius Ratten, .
rancheT.
Ruttsn had borrowed q rife from Lar
sen brothers, who live ia cabin built on
. log noat in . gulch, short distance
from the beach. so that the water
backs up and floats IL when
the tide Is in. lie wanted the
rife 10 hunt o cougar and lefs his shotgun
instead. About 60 O'Clock Saturday
evening he was passing the residence OF
Capt. w. b. Seymore. master OF the Che
halls. with the ride On his shoulder. when
little dog belonging TO Fletcher ran out
and began barking at him. He shot the
dog while IL was close to some children
who were playing about the house. Capt.
Eeymore had Just sat down TO supper, and
when he went 20 the door he saw Ruttsn
going mp the trail toward Larsen's With the
gun on his shoulder.
When Fletcher heard that his dog had
been killed he started for Larsen's TO see
Rutten about it and demand an explana-
tion. He did not 20 down TO the house.
but from q bridge crossing the guich
above he threw stone down on the roof
Of the cabin, and when Rutten came out.
Fletcher asked What in he'll did you
shoot my dog for ~
IL shot him because ne tried 10 bite
me. (" was the reply.
'.You Dutch ~ that dog would
no. hurt you or anybody else. retorted
Fletcher. .sIf you will come up here /
will give you the damnedest best licking
you ever got.
81 won't 90 np there, but II you want
anything out OF me you come down here,
said Ruttan.
Fletcher then walked down and said !:
"you pay me what that dog was worth. !"
How much was he WORTH" asked
Rutten.
Ten dollars" was the response. land
you pay it between nov and 10 O'Clock to-
morrow morning. II you don't. I'll fix
you
''You shut up" said Rutten, and at the
same time he Ieyeted the shotgun he had
Just received back from Larsen and dis
charged both barrels in quick succession.
One charge struck tho left side OF Fietcher's
head. tearing away the whole size OF his
head, and the other struck him In the
neck, almost severing his head from his
body. He was horribly mutilated. and
died instantly. The two men were stand
ing 30 close together when the shooting
took place that Fietcher's shirt was set
on fire.
Rutten stood his gun against the wall
and grabbed an old coat. with which he
covered Fietcher's head. Then, looking
up. he saw Fireman Turner. OF the Che
halls. and called TO him: ''Come down
and help pick up this dead man."
He then started down the guIch and
along the beach past Capt. Seymore's
house. which is only short distancs from
the landing aud about 100 yards from Lar
sens cabin. Capt. Seymore's attention
was attracted by the cry.
BILLY has been shot" and running on.
of his house he saw Rutten coming along
the besch under the bank, with the gun in
his hand, and making his way south.
Rutten started 10 run when he saw the
captain approaching. but the latter COW
cred him with q revolver and commanded
him TO halt. Seeing no chance of escape he
handed up his gun and climbed up on the
bank. Capt. Seymore then took him on
hoard the steamer Chehaiis and dashed
him fast 60 the mast. Sheriff Pitt, OF
Kitsap county. had come in on the
steamer ct o o'clock, but had gone out in
the country aud Capt Seymore sent a
messenger after him.
In the meantime nearly everybody In
the town had congrcgated around the
boat and threats of lynching were freely
INDUCED in. Capt. Seymore made q
seeech To the crowd. telling them tina,
Entten was his prisoner and he would not
permit them 10 lynch him. The sheriff
soon returned and the prisoner was turned
ever TO him.
During the evening Justice of the Peace
Johnson was brought over from Tracyton
jury was impaneled and an inquest
held. Three eye witnesses testified to tho
circumstances of tho shooting as related
and the jury returned the following yer
dict;
I'VE, the jury. find that William Fletche,
came to his death by two gnnsnot wound.
bred by SeFvius ku,ten.
Then Justice Of the Peace Johnson or
dered him committed to Jail TO appear be
fore the superior court Of the county
There being no suitable lail in the county
y
she steamer A. X. Robinson aud he wa
placed IN the King county jall. A Posr
2srELLisENCKR reporter called at the Jail
bat the prisoner refused To- be interview eli
Hts statements in Chico Just after th,
shooting. however. are substantially IN,
came as the facts here related
except that he claims The stone thrown b,
Fletcher went through the roof of Ia
cabin and straek him on the neck and tina
the shooting Was IN seif-defcnse. III
claims he AIRED once 10 scare Fletcher an,
thst the other barrel went of accidentally
William !. Fletcher was a wsil-knowl
sseamboStman. He was a hA.f-breed. hu
one could not easily detect Il in his an
rearanee. Hv had heen mate with Can,
seynsore GA the steamers Grace. Cricket
aud Chehalis almost continuously for IN,
past tive years. lie Was pleasant ans
sgrecahie. aud every one who knew HIN
liked him. lie was about - years Of are
and leaves yoaaE wife and one child
aged 2 mon tbs. His remains we're bgs,e,
81 Chico yesterday.
sersfus katten Is = tall, sulien. loakt in,
German. with black, bushy heard. III
had charge 81 Attorney H. T. Shields
ranch near Chico. and vas considered
harmless sert of = fellow. lie appears 1,
be aheat 20 or As years Of aEc.