The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1896-05-23
FIRST BLOOD SHED
War Declared on the Co
lumbia River.
WILL FOLLOW sBARcY's MURDER
Last Night by Fishermen From the
Lower River--NOn-Union Men
WIN Fight.

PORTLAND, May 22.-Last night about
s 80 O'Clock r. Searcy, one of the oldest
fishermen on the Colum bia, while max
ing drift with Wallace Jewell, was ap-
preached in the darkness by a boat filed
with men. AS the strange boat drew
near the net Searcy ordered it away.
Its occupants had apparently been wait
ing for the sound of his voice to better
get the range, for with Searcy's first
shout they began firing. Some ten
shots were fired, but it required but the
first volley to drop Searcy dead with a
bullet through his brain. Another shot
moment later sent Jewell to the bot
tom of the boat with wound in the
back of his head. The murderous crew
hearing no sound and evidently be-
lieving they had killed both men, bent
to the oars and disappeared down
stream, the darkness preventing Jewell
from recognizing any of them.
The excitement among the men fish
ing between Wallace and Cottonwood
islands, over the murder, is intense.
From Ed Pierce. seiner on Cotton
wood islands, the following description
of the tense situation on the river was
obtained by Telegram reporter:
Ever since the 10th of March we
have been awaiting and expecting the
adoption of the tactics which resulted in
Searcy's death last nlght,'' said Mr..
Pierce. sit is too bad the murderers
struck an unarmed boat first. retreating
alter doing their work. Had they come
up the river but few miles further and
began their shooting they would have
met with reception which would have
meant the naming of second Dead
Mans eddy, as the rip in which nine of
their bodies were found seven years ago
after the river battle, has since been
called.
Between Wallace and Cottonwood
islands there are between 13o and $50
men fishing, These men are Americans
with families, and own their own gear.
They do not assimilate with the union,
simply for the reason that to them
strike and its enforced idleness means
starving children and rotting nets, nets
the meshes of which have many of them
been knit by these very children. If
they let the season go by there is moth
ing ahead for them but want this winter,
And say they had followed the mandate
of the union and not fshed, would they
be given any credit by the men at the
mouth of the river2 No, sir. They
would be termed fools when the strike
was over.
Therefore, we ished, and in the
light OF past years experience, felt that
we had taken means to protect our,
selves. Not a boat has gone out on the
river, day or, night, but what it carried
two guns, and the law is: Challenged
mo ahswerl' 'FireI' This may seem
summary measures but the rule Is per-
fectly safe to act on, as witness poor
Searcy's death last night.
"No boat with honest intentions
comes sneaking up on drifting boat
after dark. Anyone aboard on the river
during the night knew the strained cit
uation that exists and will hail before
he is in gunshot. If he does not hail it
means mischief.
'sWe are going to fish, not through
any obstinancy or enmity, but because
we propose earning living and own the
gear to do it with, and if there is to be
killing, we hope and trust to be able to
keep the scores about even. We want
no trouble; seek none; but If the lower
river men labor under the idea that it is