The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
SALOON TRAGEDY
NEAR RAWH|DE
A Young Woodchopper Re-
ceives a Fatal
Wound.
Was Drunk and Boisterous and
Refused to Leave the
Resort.
Exposed to the Chilly Night Air for
Hours Without Medical
Attention.

SONORA, CAL, Dec. "a. = Girard's s
house, near Rawhide, was on Wednesday
night the scene of tragedy. Herman
Erickson, in company with his uncle, went
to Girard's house early in the evening.
drank coplously and became boisterous
and obnoxious to the owner of the house
and others. Erickson and his uncle were
requested to leave. but failed to do so, pre-
ferring the warmth and comforts of the
cabin to the outside world. At la st Glrard
decided upon employing sterner methods
toward ousting his undesired guests, and
so called upon his friend John Voisson to
aid him in doing SO. Voisson agreed to
take hand and went to his cabin, some
little disa ance from the house, took down
a double barreled shotgun and thus armed
returned to Girard's house.
There ne found the two disturbers out
side on the porch and told them to quit
the premises, which invitation Erickson
profanely and obstinately refused to COM
ply with, calling him a vile name and
threatening to shoot i'm for his pains.
This, of course, was not to be endured.
Girard's house had to be cleared at any
cost, and the double-barreled shotgun
was called into play and shot fired into
the air in the hope Of soaring the breakers
of Girard's peace. No sooner had the shot
been fired than Erickson started for Vols
son, who, thinking matters had reached a
climax, shot again, and this time brought
down his man.
After the shooting Erickson was left out
in the open air where he fell and was not
allowed by Girard to be taken into the
house, though his uncle begged that he be
extended this favor. and so the young fell
low. scarcely 20 years of age, was left all
night without medical or any care what
ever, save what his uncle could do, in his
unfortunate plight.
Next morning Deputy Sheriff Donohue
of jamestown was informed of the shoot
ing and at once set out for the scene, ac-
com panied by DR.. Congdon. On arriving
there it was found that Erickson was
fatally wounded, the shot having taken
effect in his abdomen, on the right-hand
side, penetrating it and infiictlng injuries
that must surely prove fatal. His right
arm was also badly hurt by the shot.
Sheriff Donohue as soon as possible con-
veyed the wounded man and his assailant
to jamestown, where The former was taken
to Sissons Hotel and the latter to the
branch Jail, whence he was later taken to
torney Otis of this city was al once noti-
fed, and was requested to go to James
town and take the dying mans deposi-
ton, which he did, but which he stead
fastly refuses to diyulge until called upon
in court to do so in his official capacity.
THE CALL correspondent. however,
called upon Voisson in the County Jail
and from him obtained a statement, in
which he claims to have acted in self
defense. He said he did not wish to kill
the man, but simply disable him, but his
aim was too good.
When the reporter told him that his
victim would die he said: 81 can't help
it now; 1 saw him this morning and he
did not look so bad; would not have shot
at all, but he ran after me. l did not
know whether he had pistol or gun; he
acted like crazy man and the other man
was with him few yards away"
Voisson gave his age as 45. He is q
Frenchman and of short but rather stout
build and wears stubby reddish beard.
He has the appearance of a hard-working
man, and certainly does not look like q
criminal. His statement, however, about
fearing that Erickson was going to shoot
him seems scarcely warranted by the facts
in the case, for the dying man had no
have given Voisson, who was armed with
a shotgun, provocation for the assault.
Erickson and his uncle are Firms and
were employed around the Rawhide as
woodcboppers. and were regarded as
harm less and inoffensive men. The pre-
liminary examination will not take place
till Erick5en either shows signs of i'm
provement or dies, the latter outcome be-
ing far the most probable