The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1895-05-21

Last Thursday. May 16, news
was brought from Houston by
the stage driver that Paul p
Lawson had killed George Wat
son, but as to the particulars of
the affair nothing was learned
definite until Saturday afternoon
the 18th, when J. J. Mitchell of
that place arrived In Challis. and
swore out two warrants, one for
the arrest of Paul P. Lawson,
and the other for Lawson's s)n,
and Sheriff Hosford, Chas. Wal
Ter and Coroner Jones left for
the scene Immediately. Coroner
Jones expects to dig up the
corpse and hold an inquest ac-
cording to law.
To give the particulars of the
affair we must date back to Oct
1894, at the time that George
Watson came TO Houston exhibit
ing himself in show as a her
cules for strength Shortly
Watson became acquainted with
Mrs Miller, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Chris. Rogers, of
Houston, and the short acquain-
tance resulted in Watson and
Mrs Miller being married. Mrs.
Miller had one child by her first
husband, and the child was cared
for previously by Rogers and
wife, but Mrs Watson wanted
the child, but it was refused by
Rogers, so Watson, accompany
ed by JAS. Porterfeld, went to
said Rogers house and demand
ed the child. In the meantime
Paul p. Lawson appeared ON the
scene with shotgun and or
dered Watson and his companion
away without the child As Wat
son was departing he said to
Lawson: s'You have got the
drop on me now; but I'll get
even with you"
On Nov IL, 1894, Watson met
Lawson upon the streets of
Houston, and knocked him down
! and at the same time kicked him
in the face; whereupon Lawson,
Junior, hearing of the beating
that his father had received, pro-
cured gun and took two shots
at Watson, but without doing any
bodily harm 10 Watson Young
Lawson was placed under arrest
but skipped" from the officer
and went to Montana, but re-
turned to Houston this spring.
/ Paul P. Lawson is quite well
/ known in Idaho. Three years
ago he was Representative from
Custer county to the Idaho legis-
lature.
AS to the killing of George
; Watson by Paul P Lawson, a
Il MESSENGER reporter learns the
following:
On Wednesday, May Is, 1895,
at o'clock p. m, George Wat
son was walking In the public
highway, unarmed, on visit to
, a friend. and when in front of
Mr.. Miller's house, about one
half mile below the town of
? Houston, Paul Lawson, was at
2 said Miller's house with double
' barrel shotgun loaded with buck
, shot and slugs, waiting for Wat
son, and as his victim had got a
short distance beyond the house,
: Lawson fired one shot hitting
Watson in the back knocking
b him down; Watson regained his
: feet and started to run. exclaim-
ing: You murderous s-b p
I and Watson was just climbing
e through fence near by, when
e Lawson discharged the remain
shot at him. which proved fatal,
Watson dying in a few moments
: Lawson stood guard over the
j body for IA hours with shot
r gun, and would allow no one to
come near it, and while thus on
guard was heard TO remark ;
s.This is my meat 'srl have
S another s-b in Houston if !
r live three days" and other ex-
$ clamations which are indecent
to put in print, and at the same
time he defied arrest
J. After the corpse had laid in the
It hot sun and dust for IA hours
l. Lawson consented, and his par
+ ticular friends held a farce
. autopsy over the remains. Mil
ler was Justice, and the jury
brought in verdict something
If like this: George Watson came
q to his death by shotgun wounds
h with a shotgun held in the hands
of Paul p. Lawson The C0ur'
;. evidently did not like this yer
le dict for it was sent back to the
n jury for revision, and the jury
lr then brought in this verdict
) .Justifable homicide " The In.
nueSt was held behind locked