The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-08-06
|. H. pLATTOR SHOT
LIES DEAD AT SPOKANE AT THE
HANDS OF HENRY sEIFFERT.
Shocking Tragedy Occurred in the
Corridor of the County
Courthouse.


Lew H. Plattor. the well known atto-
ney and democratic politician was sho
and killed at 5:3S yesterday afternoon b,
Henry SeifIert in the upper corridor o
the court house
| The two men had come out from Judg,
| Arthur's court room. where the mattel
| or appointing a special administrator fol
| the estate of Rudolph Gorkow had beer
| occupying the attention of the court Mr.
| rlattor, who represented some of the
| beneiiciarlcs under the will, had made
| remarks IN court which Seffert con
strued as reflection on his character
| AS they came out in the hall 1t Is said
| by Selfferts friends, Seiffert walked IN
to Plattor and extending his hand to give
the Elks grip, the both belonging to the
same order. said:
Come on Lew, and | will show Won
you are oil wrong"
Plattor, 1t is sail, refused the hand
and struck Seffert over the right side
CT the head with his cane. At the time
both men were standing at the left lanI-
ing OF the main stairway TO the second
floor. With the blow Seiffert staggered
back foot, while Plattor lodged the
other way. Seiffert reached for his gun.
some one who was close to him. said:
Don't do that, Henry" and Plattor
seeing the gun. started back
Before any of the startled spectators
co"iu ihtciitTe, tneFc was the report ana
nash OF the gun. Plattor staggered back
toward the door of the clerks office. his
nat Falling from his head directly in
front OF the door and his cane falling
from his hand, rolled over to the oppo-
site side of the corridor. Then he com
menced to stagger forward with blood
streaming from his mouth
N. g. Nuzum, who was in the hall.
and a reporter of The Spokesman-Re-
view, who saw the shooting ran forward
10 catch Plattor, but before they could
reach him. he fell face downward on the
moor Just In front of the water tank leav-
ing trail of blood along the floor whore
ne had staggered. lie died inside of a
minute, never speaking word. The
bullet hit him little to the eight and
above the heart.
AS soon as the shot was fired Henry
Seinert, accompanied by Major Gwyder,
VINO sprang at once to his side, walked
down stairs into the sheriff's office and
gave himself up. Detective McDermott
who was in the court room to get an or
der signed by the Judge ran out as soon
as he heard the shot and then went down
stairs to look for Seiffert, but found that
he had already been taken into the Jail.
sefnerts Statement.
AS soon as 1t was seen that Plattor
was dead, the reporter of The Spokes-
man Review went down into the jail 20
see Mr.. Seiffert and asked him If he had
anything to say. His appearance was
That OF man half crazed by what had
occurred. When told that Mr.. Plattor
was dead he was affected
"Oh, | can't help 1t, now It is done >,
said he but he had no business to at
tack my character as he did | have a
WlIe and children that l love- God knows.
better than l love anything or ANYBODY
else on earth, and for him to get up IN
court and make such insinuations.
couldn't help doing what 1 did after he
struck me.
IL don't know how 1 happened 70 do
IT, When we came out in the hall |
walked up to him, and offered to give
aim my hand for the grip of a secret
order TO which we belong, but he re-
FUSED to take 1t. l told him at the same
Ime there was nothing in the insinua-
lions made. / did not make move TO- |
ward him until he struck me with the |
zane and then 1 guess l shot nim-I |
lon't know"
Those who saw the shooting at once |
.elephoned for a doctor and notified GINS |
SeiHert, brother OF Henry, of the occur |
'ence Mr.. Seiffert came over as quick |
y as possible, as did DIR. Newman and |
)r Webb, but before either arrived Mr. |
'lattor was dead.
me news of the shooting spread like
vild-iire over the city, and inside Of IL
minutes from the time of the shooting
rlehds OF both parties were hurrying
cross the river in every kind of avail
BILE vehicles.
Origin of the Tragedy.
Inc Gorkow VIII was the cause of all
ne trouble. few days ago Nunum &
lerritt and Graves, Wolf & Graves. for
ne widow, applied for and had Charles
q, ersuson appointed special administrator.
ne next DAY Will was filed wherein A.
lueller and Carl Beech We're named as
administrators. The benefciaries repre-
ehted by Henley & Kellm, John Il. Hess
" d. mayer, Il. III. Plattor Grfitts &
Suzum and others objected to the ar
ansenent' and the matter came up UNI
er request Tor another administrator.
1t Is said that the day before. the law
ers interested in the case agreed 70 the
prominent of Henry Seiffert, and -lpon
nat understanding Judge Arthur said he
ioulu appoint him, and notified Seiffart
nave the bond ready. Yesterday the
enehciaries under the will commenced to
hject
AT 10 o'clock in the morning the matter
anne up before Judge Arthur. Mr.. Hen
y then said he had objections to urge
sainst Seifrert, but as they were of per-
ohal nature. he did not care to state
lem, but Mr.. Plattor, who was attorney
IF one of the benefciaries, would do so
soon as ne came into court. The court
as then adjourned until afternoon.
Plnttor's Remarks in Court
AT O'Clock the matter was set for
caring in Judge Arthurs court. All the
Ltorheys We're present, were also Mr. |
eiHert. Mr. Henley, in opening for the ,
under the will. said he oh
cted to Mr.. Seiffert, and his reason for
olns that was that his clients insisted |
BON such objection
Mr.. Plattor then arose and said that ,
II his clients he also protested. He said :
was not Tor any personal reason but :
lat III the rumors he had heard on fine ,
reefs were true, 1t was not proner
ing to place the interests of the esta 70 .
the hanus OF such a man as Seiffsrt | ,
ist what the rumors were he did ROT
y, but intimated by his language thar
ey We're against the character of Self
TT. $
Judge Arthur said that If there were OBJ :.
ctons 10 be urged, 1t was no more han
sht that the bench be advised in The
after He said he understood when he
ade the appointment of Mr.. Seiffert that
was agreeable to all parties.
Mr.. Plattor replied that IL was n dali
te matter and he did not like to he y
rced TO speak of Ii in open court so that
would become matter OF the record. \
Iudge Arthur again said that the court
sht TO know all objections to Mr. Self
t.
The lady stenographer got up from her b
Ole and left the room, and IL was an 81
rent that Mr.. Plattor was going TO n
Ike charges that she did not care to p
ar. The matter, however, did not get n
that point. Mr.. Plattor, after studying | n
n minute, said: II
You ask for a reason. When we all m
one side, all but the widow. who. I'M pl
the VIII is the beneficiary to the ex- $
! oil one paltry dollar, so vehemently &C