The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-25
LURED TO HIS DEATH.
Horrible Murder in Webster
Groves, Near st. Louis.
YOUNG CHICAGO ARTIST KILLED.
He Mortally Wounds One OF His As
saiIants-The Others are Caught
and Nearly Lynched.

ST. Louis. Jan. 94-Wehster Groves Is
wildly excited over a tragedy which occur
red there last night. Bertram L. Atwater.
a young Chicago artist, who had gone to
the suburb to visit his betrothed. Mss Cen
evieve Orton, was waylaid and killed by
highwaymen. One of the robbers, John
Schmidt, wounded to death by the plucky
Chicagoan, will probably die before morn
ing. The other thugs, Sam Foster, coll
ored ex-convict, who fired the fatal shots,
and Peter Schmidt, who arranged the trap
into which Mr.. Atwater was unsuspect!ng-
ly lured and then slain, are In custody.
While the inquest was being held today.
citizens of the village became so enraged
that it was with the greatest difficulty
that cooler heads could restrain the pre-
vailing impulse to drag the captive high
waymen from the officers and hang them.
The Schmidts, who are cousins, con-
fessed as to the part taken by each in the
crime Peter who volunteered to carry
Atwaters valise from the station, admits
that he led the latter TO his fate. He left
Atwater at a barber shop, he says, and
went to Brannons saloon, where he found
John Schmidt and Foster. The boy says
he told them he was going to show At
water to the Orton residence, and they
told him they would meet him at the
bridge where the attempted hold-up and
shooting occurred.
Atwaters body was shipped 10 Chicago
tonight. Mr.. Orton and his daughter GEN
evieve, Atwaters fiance, accompanied the
remains. Miss Orton is almost prostrated
with grief. The wedding is said TO have
been set for an early date, and the object
of Mr.. Atwater's visit last night was TO
look over some OF the preliminary ar
rangements. The young lady is a beauti-
ful brunette OF 20.
This afternoon Sam Foster and Peter
Schmidt were taken, under guard OF Con-
stable Fieldson and five deputies, to the
office OF Justice Prehm, where an inquest
was held over the remains of Atwater
After hearing several witnesses and the
confession of Peter Schmidt, verdict was
rendered as follows: 1--WE the jury, fnd
that Bertram Allen Atwater came to his
death at the hands of Sam Foster and
John Schmidt, and that Peter Schmidt is
made an accessory before the fact"
While the inquest was in progress Foster
made a sensational attempt to escape by
jumping from a window in the court room,
which is in the second story OF the build
ing. Foster and Peter Schmidt were hand
cuffed together, and when the former
Jumped he pulled Schmidt with him onto
a low shed. where they landed. The pris-
oners were quickly recaptured, but their
attempt to escape and the confession OF
Schmidt infuriated the crowd that had
gathered. When the officers started to
take the two men to a place OF safety the
them After a struggle Constable Field
son succeeded IN getting the party into
single horse spring wagon. which he drove
toward Clayton. with the intention of taxi
ing his prisoners there for safe keeping.
He had not proceeded far when the mob
caught the horses head and compelled a
halt.
About twenty-five shots were fired, one
OF which wounded Schmidt in the back.
The horse reared up and broke away from
the mob. which numbered about sixty-five
men, none OF whom were masked. Consta-
bic Fieidson. without firing shot. drove
TO Kirkwood. about fifteen miles from the
city. where he was compelled 10 leave the
rig and take 10 the woods for fear OF the
mob catching him on the highway For
almost Ave hours he plunged through the
woods, sometimes in mud up 10 his knees
and finally al midnight arrived here with
his badly frightened prisoners, who were
landed safely IN jail at the -Four Courts.
Tomorrow under a strong guard the two
highwaymen will be taken to Clayton and
lodged in the county jail there.