The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-13
HE KILLED HIS MAN
GEORGE DERR ENDS TEE FEUD BE-
TWEEN HIMSELF AND s. Il. FOSS.
He Shot HiE, Dead Yesterday in the
Streets OF Guthrie-The Tragedy
the Result OF Il Long and Bitter
Quarrel-The story rs Told
by an Eye. Witness.

s. II. Foss was killed at Guthrie yester-
day by George Dsrr.
Foss was formerly kansan aud lived
In Walton township in our neighboring
ounty OF Sumner until a few years ago
when he settled in Oklahoma and opeued
wholesale grocery house at kingfsher.
He was once a very rich man in Colorado
aud trotted in the same class with Tabor
and men OF that kind
When he lived near Gueda Springs he
was in good circumstances, but not very
wealthy although be owned considerable
land in Sumner county as we'll rs cattle in
the Cherokee strip. Like nearly all ''cat
tie barons" in those days he was disliked
by bis neighbors.
From gentleman who was present at
the shooting at Guthrie yesterday,
porter for the EAGLE obtained the follow.
ng facts last night:
rs II. Foss, )" said he, "was a resident of
Kansas before moving to Oklahoma. He
has family; but it is said Of him that be
had been ln many scrapes before this.
When he lived in Kansas Gertie Derr
worked for him, and it was stated that
even then the relations existing between
them were not what should have been.
When Oklahoma opened Gerte took d
claim some sixteen miles from kingfisher,
and Foss put house on it for her Dur
ing all this time George Derr, the
man who killed Foss yesterday, was
in the army. About twelve months
ago, after his discharge from the army, he
went to his sisters house one day and
found Foss there. They were in a room
when he entered and he heard his sister
crying. He opened the door hastily and
found that Foss had Girtie in his arms
while she was still crying and thinking
that Foss was taking undue advantage OF
her he went to the defense of his sister as
he thought. Foss struck him and in re-
turn he struck Foss. Foss then pulled a
gun and before he could use it Derr struck
him and knocked one Of his eyes out. For
this Derr was arrested but the jury before
whom he was tried acquitted him. 1t
turned out, however, that when Dsrr
found his sister in the room with
Foss that she was crying because
Foss had informed her that he was 60
ing to move his house off her claim. She
was protesting, saying that putting the
house on her claim was part of whatever
contract existed between them.
From that day on deadly feud began
between Foss and the Derrs The D-rrs
always got the worst of it till this time.
Nine buckshot were fired through their
window one night, another night their
dog was poisoned; sill another night their
straw stacks We're fired, and another night
George Derr was fired at. On the eth
day OF last Decem Der TWO men rode by and
fired two shots into the house.
About > O'Clock on the nignt of Dec %
his mules caused a commotion and were
evidently eOinff,nto some forbidden place.
This nols- brought out j. j. Derr, the father
of the family. who followed the mules.
he did not return soon search was made
for him and be was found dead near the
corner of barn With two bullet holes
through his head.
Outside of Foss the Derr's had no ene-
mics aud of course the first one suspected
OF the murder of old man Derr was Foss.
The supposition was that whoever the
murderer was, he mistook the old man for
his sou George. Foss was Immediately
arrested, and taken to Guthrie. A. that
time the EAGLE contained n full, complete
ana exclusive account of the murder
For the past several days preliminary
examination was held at Guthrie, and
Thursday night the defendant was dis
charged by Justice Cassidy.
After the judge discharged Foss Thurs
day night, a young man entered Bright
on's butcher shop across the street from
I ba al 1aft 10 hor al
shotgun there, not stating what he wanted
to do with it. Yesterday forenoon about
lilo George Derr was in the butcher shop
and tock up the gun and be-
gan examining it. Brighton told
him to be careful that it was
loaded. just then Derr rushed out through
1 he door, kuelt on the curb stone, took de-
liberate ain and fired the two loads. Foss
was across the street in front OF the
Royal hotel, where be fell with both loads
OF buckshot in his body. Derr rose from
his knee, deliberately walked across the
street, put another load in the gun,
stopped over Poss and fired. This load
went in under the jaw and tore away fully
one-half of Foss' head. Death was in
Dcii bbSu SssNO up was
locked in the United States Jail. His two
brothers were locked up in the !
county Jail.
In Jail Derr made this statement: 81 |
killed him for ravishing my l4-year-old |
sister; l killed him for numbering my |
father. My brothers are innocent of any |
with the killing and should not |
be held in Jail"
The EAGLES informant stated that the !
was equally divided in Guthrie |
Tor aud against Derr
FoSS RECORD.
Foss has not good moral record Two |
years ago he was shot at ST. Louis for a |
iaison with some woman by an angry |
'ather or husband. He has a wife living |
n st. Lonis who applied tor a divorce
rom him some time ago. This divorce
VAS to be tried next Monday but it will be
withdrawn now, of course, and she will be
,he sole heir TO his property.
4 special telegram 10 the EAGLE from
Guthrie last night stated that j. l.. Ad-
nre, editor of the Kingfisher Free Press,
Toss' son-in-law, arrived there to take
,harge of the remains.
Among the witnesses OF the shooting
vas Chief Justice Frank Dale of Okla
roma.