The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-09-05

The Wounded Man Tries to Crawl
Away, but Straub Follows, and, While
His Victim is Down, Shoots Him Twice
in the Head
Probably the most atrocious, brutal
and cowardly murder ever chronicled
in this section of the state was commit.
ted on the south end of Blakeley island
on Friday evening last, between the
hours of 5 and 6, by a we'll known man
named r. III. Straub. The victim was
a young man, aged q years, by the
name of Leone M. Lanterman, against
whom nothing could he alleged by the
murderer, but that he, as school direc.
tor, and his sister, Mrs. J. G.. Burns, as
clerk, had opposed his election as the
teacher of the school in their district.
The circumstances of the killing We're
these: Mr.. Lanterman, his sister Mrs.
J. c. Burns and Ralph Blythe, a step
brother, were all in Mrs. Burns potato
field harvesting their potato crop, and
were busily engaged in their work I'M
aware of the danger which awaited
them. At the hour above mentioned,
a young fellow named Irving Parberry
emerged from the bushes just outside
the field, and at once commenced abus,
ing Mr.. Lanterman in in a scurrillous
manner, calling him all sorts of vile and
obscene names. Mr.. Lanterman soon
laid aside his hoe and walked toward
young Parberry, asking as he did so,
why he talked in that manner to him.
Before he got to him Straub arose from
behind log, and both he and Parberry
commenced firing at him, (Lanterman)
Straub with a Winchester rifle and
Parberry with a pistol. Two shots took
effect, one ball passing through the
bowels and one through the arm. Lam
terman then turned back and ran, eX-
claiming to his sister, ~ am shot-I am
killed" The step-brother, Blythe, went
to aid him, and he too was fired upon,
but falling upon the ground as if shot
he subsequently made his escape.
Straub then turned upon Mrs. Burns,
using the most obscene language man
could utter and saying "Now I will
kill you," and began firing ut her. She
turned to run and his first bullet passed
through her right shoulder infiicting Il
flesh wound near the neck. She con.
tinued her flight, running in zigzag
course, and by so doing escaped being
killed by any of the several bullets
which Straub continued to fire at her
as long as there were any left in the
magazine of the gun. She reached her
house on the beach without further i'll
jury and taking a skiff,, she and her son
Percie, 10 years of age, made their way
to Mr.. Spencer's and reported the muir
der as she supposed of both of her
brothers. AS soon as possible the
neighbors were collected and went III
a body i'm search of the missing. Mr..
Blythe soon came in unhurt, but Mr..
Lanterman's body was found just over
the fence, where he lay with one add
tional bullet through his head, Straub
having shot the poor unfortunate man
after life was extinct. DR.. George >.
Wright, county coroner of San Juan
county, residing in Friday Harbor, was
notified as soon as possible and arrived
at the scene of the tragedy early Satur'
day morning and held an inquest over
the remains of the deceased, rendering
verdict in accordance with the facts
above stated. The murderers after com
hitting the cowardly deed, came inn
mediately to Friday Harbor, arriving
here about O'Clock, Saturday morn,
ing. ana UeuFGfCU LICLiSOiNSo vi ~
Sheriff Jones, who at once locked them
up i'm the county Jail. Fearing trouble
at the hands of an enraged mob, the
prisoners were taken from the Jail on
Monday evening, and kept out in the
woods under special guards.
CoRoNER's INQUEST.
The following is a copy of the report
of the coroner's jury as filed by Coroner
Geo. S. Wright, with the county audi
tor:
We the undersigned, duly summoned
to act as Coroner's Jury, on the case Of
Leone M. Lanterman, deceased, said
deceased being resident of Biakely
island, San Juan county, Washington
and about % years of age, do find, after
due consideration, that the said deceas'
ed came to his death on the 3Oth day o
August, 1895, on the premises of }. Z
Burns, on BIakely island, San Juan
oo,,nty Wash BIZ gun shot wounds a