Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-08-17
Slayer of Marshal ConIee Of
Sprague Behind the Bars.
LYNCHING is NOT FEARED
Svmes Told or His Deed, the Hardships
Of HIS Flight and Ills Future
Plans.

Ritzvile, Wash, Aug ia. j
Symes was landed safely in the Adams
county Jail at 12:40 this morning. For
two or three nights a crowd had col
Iected at the depot at train time, but
they were town people and were at
tracted there through mere curiosity
No interference whatever was attempt
ed and there are no indications Of trou-
BILE from any Rttzville people.
Symes was brought from Montana by
Sheriff Thompson and T.. ID. Gibson OF
Ritzville and II. w. Mclaughlin, sher-
if of MissOula county. Montana. When
the train reached Rathdrum the OH
GERS took the prisoner and quietly left
the coach and entered the baggage car
When RitzVille was reached they took
Symes off on the side opposite the plat
form and hurried him to the jail, two
blocks away. So smoothly did the Off
GERS do their work that they had MIN
behind the bars while the people at the
station were still looking all around
for them. A man on the platform
asked the brakeman if a prisoner was
aboard, and was told that the prisoner
left the train at Rathdrum.
Symes was brought before Justice Oh
the Peace A. l.. Coffey and his prelim-
mary examination set for tomorrow al
2 .. M, when he will doubtless be com
mitted to jail until the regular term OF
court In November He is looking very
thin and plainly shows the effect of the
terrible hardships and exposure he haf
undergone. He is. however, very cheer
full, talks and laughs heartily with Wis
itors and certainly exhibits nothing re
sembling remorse.
TALKS FREELY.
A reporter interviewed the prisoner
at the Jail and he talked freely ano
willingly. He said:
II went to Sprague on June "a to pay
some debts, attend to some other bus
mess and secure a marriage license.
was just ready to start when Lou con
lee came up and said he wanted me
He had no warrant, or If he did he re-
fused to read 1t. l would have gone
with him willingly gladly. | was
not afraid to be tried for the hog bust
ness. / could have proved by two gooc
people that the hogs came to my place
A few days before that | had tried &c
get the owner of the hogs to go with
sne to RitzVille and settle the matter by
a trial.
ION the road to RitZVille Conlee
Quarreled with me all the time and ac-
cused me of writing a threatening let
ter to him. l did not write to him
Near RitzVille Conlee pulled gun and
says, 'Symes, your time has come
told him to pull. He did pull. He shot
one time and l pulled my horse and he
missed me. When Conlee shot he
dropped his bride rein and his horse
started off on trot"
did the horse keep COnlee from
shooting again?" he was asked
mo: it was me. | kept him from
shooting again. a man never shoots
twice at me. l shot Conlee in the side
first and did not shoot him when he
was down I did not need to- The
piece of the gun found was Conlee's
He dropped it and the horse stepped or
it,
IT had no ill-will for Conlee, but he
had it in for me. He would never come
to my ranch when l was home. He did
not search me. He asked me If l had q
gun and l told him Yes, He took the
gun out of my pocket I had another
gun in my chap pocket and the handle
was sticking out. l had no fear Of ar
rest and had no fear Of trial, and WOulC
have come to town and given myself vi
hut for fear of n mob I was on the
point of giving up the chase or the
horses when l saw the man cater
them.
THE hogs were stray and belonged
to a man who had lately moved in from
the Palouse country and wandered t'
my place.
IT did not burn my house. If / did
how did they get the photograph anC