The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-10-12
DASHED 10 HIS DOOM.
4 lillah Tough Meets the Fate Hs
Deserved.
he WAS SHOT WITH HIS OWN Gun,
Martin Edner, once n Detective aud
sheriff, Was shot 90 Death Dur
Ing n Desauch at ziiIah ON sat.
urdsy Evening Last.

Martin Edner, the terror OF the lower
end OF the county from the muzzle Of
whose wicked gun many a chum has fed
in confusion and fright. has committed
his last transgression. lie was a desper-
ate character when drunk, in which con-
dtion he has been for some months with.
out much intermission.
On Saturday evening last about 8 go
o'clock, he walked into Louis Outs ga.
loon, where four or five sat at card table,
the proprietor being one oil the party,
and, throwing his gun on Frank Curtis,
who was behind the bar, demanded a
drink. Curtis expostulsted with him a
momeat. but finally, seeing that Edner
was drunk and therefore desperate, gave
him drink. Edner sat down for mo.
ment and chatted with fellow work.
in the employ OF Hale. the butcher.
Presently he got mp, went behind the bar
and was helping himself TO drink " hen
OFT arose and protested. At this quar-
rel ensued, In which OFT gave the desper.
ado TO understand that he should never
again so behind his bar. Edner Jefied
the barkeeper and. to show him that he
could do as he pleased, he attempted to
take possession OF the proprietor's place.
OFT, a large, powerful man, struck Edner,
knocking him across the room, but the
tough quickly recovered, got up, pulled
his gun and, rushing at OFT, struck him
over the head with il. The force Of the
reaction loosed Edner's hold OF the revolt
yer and it fell to the floor. Both men
struggled to get il, and while thus en-
gagged the gun was discharged, the bullet
striking Edner in the mouth, killing him
instantly.
OFT claims that he did not get posses
sion of the gun at any time during the
struggle, and that it must have been
cooked when it fell, for neither contest
ant had time to pick it up, cock 1t and
shoot rs quickly as the fatal shot was
fired. Coroner Taggard's jury, however,
composed of J. o. Clark, Myron J. Calk-
ins, G. ID. Fleming, ii. ]. Bicknell and
&. Titled, said in its verdict that de-
ceased came to his death by shot from
a revolver in the hands of Louis OFT, but
that it was case OF justifable homicide.
OFT was arrested by Constable Hale,
but he came to this city on Monday ION
his own recognizance" and had prelim.
mary examination before Justice Clark,
who refused to hold him, the testimony
showing that, if he killed the man, he
did it in defense Of his own life.
OFT will return home on Friday. He lie
the Hotel d'Schanno at Yak
lima City and the saloon at Zillah.
Coroner Taggard has held the body of
Edner, pending the search for bis brother
who some time ago was at Ocosta; but
no word has been received and, inasmuch
as the X. OF z. lodge Of Tacoma, OF which
deceased was member, refuses to take
any action, the coroner will bury the re-
mains tomorrow.
Coroner Taggard is preserving very
peculiar memento of his oflio ial relation
with the concluding chapter of Edner's
cratic life. 1t is large pocket knife on
one side of the handle Of which, under q
pearl slab, is his name in gothic letters,
and on the other side is his picture.
A few days before Edner's death he
went into outs saloon in a drunken con-
dition and held OFT up for bottle Of
whiskey, but the proprietor finally in
duced him to pay for it before he left.
He was selling liquor to Indians by the
score and on his way out TO the rendez.
vous he was overtaken by farmer.
Edner quickly jumped into the wagon
for ride. The farmer knew him and
kept very still. Edner saw that the old
fellow was trembling with fear; 80, to
aggravate the situation, he pulled his re-
volver and shot five spokes out Of from
wheel of the wagon. Still the farmer
had nothing to say. Edner frequently
amused himself with such freaks of des.
peration.
About three weeks ago he quarreiled
with his employer, Hale. the butcher.
He assaulted Hale and bit his ear off.
Although Hale is constable there, moth
ing was done to punish Edner for his
offense. Hale feared him. In fact Ed
ner had the entire community terrorized.
According to the Daily News Mart
Edner has been for fiyeor six years well
known character around Tacoma. He
was tough citizen and was constantly
in trouble over his prediction to use q
gun on the slightest provocation. He
first joined the police force and was at
tsched to the Old Town force, but after q
few months he got mixed up in woman
scrape and was forced to disappear fol
some time. He next appeared as deputy
sheriff under Secretary OF State Price,
which position he retained until his
habits got so bad that he had to be re-
moved. Whenever he arrested man his
habit was to threaten to shoot his pris-
oner before he executed the warrant.
Then he went to work for the county
commissioners and for short time was
superintendent of the construction OF a
county road. He was forced TO leave
this job by shooting at one OF the work.
men, and fed to escape arrest. In few
weeks after this escapade he bobbed uI
as deputy United States marshal under
Marshal Brown. By this time his drink
ing habits had become extreme. and one
night he tried to kill half dozen negroes
in Opera alley. He shot one in the head,
but as the negro did not die he was re-
laaaad IN N small fna NJ n Sullivan