The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-21
THE MURDER OF LYONS
NO CLUE YET TO THE PERPE-
TRAITORS Of THE CRIME.
The Sailors Who Are Under Arrest
Probably Had No Connections With
IL. rs Their stories Hang Well To-
Eether-Some Suspicion Cast Upon
Former Resident of seattle,
Who Was i'm Trouble for = Similar
Crime Twenty Years Ago. but He
As Believed to He Innocent.

y.
was murdered in his saloon al Riderville
on Friday night. takes place in this city
at la o'clock this afternoon from the
Church OF the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
corner Sixth avenue and Bell street.
Notwithstanding the strenuous excr-
lions OF the kitsap county authorities,
assisted by detectives from this city. no
light has yet been thrown upon the iden-
fity of the murderers. although several
parties are under suspicion. Aside from
the two saiiormen arrested in this city.
no arrests have as yet been made. As
lar as they are concerned. further in
vestigation tends To shew that ley will
De able 20 establish their innocence of
any completely with the crime.
THESE two men tell perfectly straight
forward stories. and there is little doubt
that their stories are correct The ground
for suspicion against them lies in the
fact that they left Port Blakeey on the
first steamer after the tragedy occurred.
These men are Peter Diochet. a French
man. and John Saestrem, Finn. They
were shipmates on the Chilean bark ST.
liteima, which arrived on Thursday from
Guayiquil. They We're paid off on Thurs
day. Diochet receiving SO and Saestrem
$5l.
Diochet's story Is that after being paid
off he deposited $40 In the Port Blakeley
hotel. and with his $50 went over to
Lyons place He Immediately proceeded
to get drunk. spent the night in a shack.
continued his drunk all day Friday until
he went 10 bed in Lyons hotel. at some
hour which he is unable to recall. He
heard nothing of the shooting, but lay
in bed until noon Saturday. He was then
walked up by longshoTeman, who told
him about the killing. He got UP and
dressed aud went over to Port Blakeley.
He found his money was all gone. so he
drew down SO of the money on deposit.
and finding his shipnate Saestrem, de-
cided TO come over to Seattle, which they
did, only to be arrested on their arrival
in town.
he was paid off on Thursday he went TO
Lyons place and proceeded 10 get drunk.
He accomplished this task before night
fall. and the next he recalls is waking
up in the dark and finding himself lying
in a shack alone and without cent Of
his money left. When daylight came he
went back Ia Blakeley and spent Friday
night ut the Biakeley hotel, so IL his
story is corroborated there is no question
that he. at least. had nothing to do with
the affair. The remainder OF his story is
identical with that OF Diochet. The two
men are still held however. until further
developments. They will probably be re-
leased
Detective Cudihee and Deputy Sheriff A.
G. Lane went over to Port Blakeiey yes
terday to assist the ktsap county au-
thorities In looking into the matter. Lane
came back on the excursion steamer
George f. Starr at $50 last night, but
Cudihee remained over. Nothing which
has come out throws any further light
on the affair or on the identity Of the
murderers. The two eye witnesses 10
the affair .Scotty" Mclaughlin, also a
sailor from the Sulitelma, and Charley
Carlson, Il longshoreman had recovered
from their drunken tit and were able To
give more connected and coherent ac-
counts of the matter, which accounts
agree except in very minute particulars
Carlson says he went into the saloon for
a can os beer: he was very much under
the influence Of liquor at the time. His
can had no handle and he was obliged to
carry IL with both hands. He had IL filed
by Lyons. exchanged some words with
him and started for the door Just as he
reached Ii two men who had their faces
tied up with black Grape or yelling hur-
riedly entered. The foremost one. who
was much the larger of the two, stepped
up 10 the bar while the smaller one halt
ed directly in front of Carlson and pointed
a pistol straight at him. but without say
ing a word carison's hands. holding the
beer can. were about level with his head.
He heard the taller man say. Hands up
and at the same instant heard Il shot,
There was q perceptibe interval and then
another shot Carlson looked toward the
bar and saw Lyons head rising up from
behind it. The man who did the shooting
walked TO the door; and he and his part
ner ran ont and off in the direction or
Beams point
McIaughlins story Is identical. He had
lust gone 10 the bar and taken a drink
when the men entered He asserts how
ever that the man who did the shooting
said to him stand back Scotty. The
significance behind this statement Hes In
the fact that Scotfy had been in the town
but two days and had never been In the
port before in bis life. II he be correct.
the conclusion Is unmistakable that the
killing was done by some one who had
been In the house within the past few
DAYS and who knew Scottys sobriquet.
He says further that the man who ala the
shooting dropped his mask partly, so that
his face was visible for An instant before
he readjusied Il. Mclaughlin believes he
could identify him.
Fer time suspicion rested somewhat
upon John III. Moss, the first man 10 come
10 Lyons assistance. The reasons for THIS
SUSPICION lay in Moss unfortunate early
record which is known 10 all the Older
residents of Seattle Moss father was one
Of the pioneer citizens of Seattle. and had
an original government claim adjoining
the Hanford claim az the upper end OF the
bay He was the engineer in the old Yes
Ter saw mill. Young Moss spent the days
of his early manhood in California, re-
turning here about 1875. During the sum
raer OF fS17 he was hired to accompany
cattle buyer on trip across the noun
tains. Moss returned TO town alone and
gave some confused account Of his having
been discharged His employer was
found however on the trail shot through
the back Of ;he head. Moss was tried.
convicted OF murder IN the second degree
Ia compromise verdscrl and was given
long term in the peniteutiary. II Is also
asserted that Moss rs heir OF his father.
had some claim 10 the land now occupied
hy Lyons hotel ard that Lyon had been
successful in the litigation involving the
title 10 this property.
OF the other hand Il appears that Lyons
had been aGordiuS Aoss, who - destitute.
q house. and that the tra gedy resulted in
throwing nlm out Of an abiding place.
Further than this Mss ard Berg were
the Only sober men iu che house 81 the
time al the killing. FOR some hours tas$
had the place entirely In 'he!r charge
The outer door of ne safe was open. and
the key 20 the inner door was lying oss q