The San Francisco call., 1896-08-01
LAWYER PLhTTOR
SHOT At SPOKANE
Killed by the Man Whose
Character He Had
ASsailed.
A COURT CASE SEQUEL.
The Slayer Sought Appointment
as Administrator of a
Rich Estate.
ACCUSED OF IMMORTALITY
Afterward Seeks an Explanation, Is
Met With Blow and the
Tra0edv FnIIows.
ACCUSED OF IMMoRALITY-
Afterward Seeks an Explanation, Is
Met With a Blow and the
Tragedy Follows.

SPOKANE, WASH, July 31.-L. II. Plat
tor, one of the most prominent lawyers in
the Northwest, was shot and killed in the
corridor OF the courthouse at $50 this
afternoon by Henry Seiffert. prominent
restaurant and saloonman. They had Just
come out from the courtroom where Plat
tor, as an attorney, had made remarks
complimentary to Seiffert. The men
walked down the corridor, when, it is said,
Selffert held out his hand to Plattor, the
men being both Elks, and said, "I'lI show
you that you are all wrong in your state
ments about me-"
Then it is said Plattor struck him with
q cane on the side of the head. Seiffert
pulled his gun and shot Plattor in the left
arm, the ball coming out on the right side
of the neck. Plattor staggered forward for
ten feet before ne fell, leaving trail OF
blood along the corridor.
Your correspondent was in the corridor,
and, springing forward, caught the dying
man as he struck the floor. He did not
utter a word, dying in less than half q
minute. Seiffert. with Major Gwydir, who
stood beside him during the shooting,
walked down stairs to the Sheriff Office
andsgave himself up, but the gun was not
upon his person when searched and no
one knows where it is to be found.
The shooting was witnessed by num-
Der of lawyers who had been attending
the case on trial. Word of the shooting
spread rapidly over the town and caused
intense excitement on account of the
prominence of the parties, and this even
ing knots of men are gathered on the
street corners talking of the matter. The
cause of tine shooting was insinuations
made by Plattor against the character of
Seiffert.
A few days ago Rudolph Gorkow, a rich
brewer. died, leaving q will but cutting off
his widow, formerly q variety actress
(Helene Edwards, or McKenzie), with 81
She applied for a special administrators
and it had been agreed that Seiffert would
be appointed. To-day when the matter
came up in court attorneys for the benz
ficia rigs under the will made great OBJ
jections and intinated that Seiffert was
not a proper person. Plattor, one of the
attorneys, told the court that he had bad
character and intimated that he had been
secretly living with Helene Gorkow, the
widow, before the death of Gorkow.
This angered Sieffert in the courtroom,
but he said nothing, and when the case
was over he was supposed to be cooled
down. and it is said by those close to him
in the corridor that he made friendly
overtures to Plattor, who refused them.
An inquest will be held tomorrow
morning. Meantime Sieffert is in jail, al
though it is thought he can get bonds for
any sum, as he has great many friends.
Plattor leaves a widow and has a brother
now travelling in California. He was one
of the most prominent Democrats in the
Northwest, having held several positions.
At the same time he was brilliant
speaker and had stumped the State several
times, carrying convictions by his elo-
quence. His wife went into Mysteries over
the affair and is said to be in dangerous
condition.
The wife of Sieffert is also in bad con-
dition and tainted when informed OF the
shooting. Nothing has occurred here in
years that has caused as great excitement
as this.