The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-07-09
AS IT NIGHT
HAVE BEEN.

Murder! Murder! Help! Muir
der!"
If was a woman's shrill scream that
rang out on the murky air and caused
q preat commotion on the usually quiet
street. Men ran, hatless, from their
supper tables; women with frighteheu
faces followed.
What has happened? What can be
the matter?" they asked each other.
'The cries came from Deans" one
man said, making haste in that direc-
ton.
From up and down the street people
came running, and in the dusk they
crowded and hindered each other, ana
tie opposite streams met and jammed
the gate at Deans. But men leaped
the low pickets and rushed around the
house. for whatever it meant the dis
turbance was in the back yard.
Almost instantly one came hurrying
back.
"Neighbors," he shouted, "there has
been murder done! Mr.. Dean has been
killed! He is lying there, all blood. his
head split with an ak. Somebody go
corner of the house.
"Police! Policew some one yelled.
The increasing crowd swarmed inside
and overran the yard and filled the
house and surged to and fro, excited
and eager for a glimpse of the unfor-
tunate victim.
Bulletins for the information of the
hindmost were sent back, second by
second, from mouth to mouth, by those
nearest the scene of the tragedy and
whose imaginations supplied them with
their knowledge of the facts, and many
were the contradictory statements that
few about and enlarged themselves in
passing, as is natural and usual
The messengers dispatched for doc
tor and police spread the news as they
ran, and on returning heard on the out
skirts of the crowd that stretched far
up the street that not only Mr.. Dean,
but Mrs Dean and even the two chill
dren had been butchered in cold blood.
The screams were from the servant
girl, who had found the mangled bod
les, etc.
So does human nature love the hor-
rible, and gloat over it
As Mr.. Dean was ca shier of the bank,
the president and other officers were
notified by swift and willing volun-
teers, and presently they added them
selves and their neighbors to the hu-
man mass of excitement and curiosity.
1t was at last definitely learned that
no one was hurt but Mr.. Dean; that no
one else happened to be at home at the
time; that Mrs. Dean, returning late
from something somewhere had found
him lying in the back yard apparently
dead.
A few Of the bystanders were so for
tunate as to get a fieeting view of the
inert figure as it was carried into the
house; and then the police with their
bludgeons undertook to drive out the
crowd
"Off with your they cried. eff you
stamp and prance all over the place
how do you think anybody is going to
find trace of the murderer"
"Yah, much good you'll do" jeered
one.
That's so! Much good you'll dor re.
peated another, taking it up. I'D like
to know what the police amounts to
any way when a man can be murdered
in broad daylight within two blocks OF
the square"
1--WE might all be murdered in oul
yards and you not know it." said 6
third.
SIT was not done in broad daylight
as you know very well; and we are no
expected to prowl around in bach
yards, looking for possible assassins,'
the police retorted hotly. "But get ou
of here, every one Of you; we've got t.
search the premises" and with mucl
taunting and resisting the mob at las
withdrew.
Reporters for the several newspapers
the bank officials and a neighbor o.
two were allowed to remain; the may
or, a personalfriend of the family, cam
in, and together they awaited in al
outer room the announcement of the re
suit of the examination by the physi
clan.
The wound on the head was foun,
to extend from forehead to crown.
''The whole bit of the AK" said on
of the doctors; but although 1t was a
ugly gasil it did not seem to have pene
trated the skull; and aside from tina
there was not a bruise or wound Q
any kind on the body.
The man breathed, and it seemed Do:
sible that he might recover If he es
capped conclusion of the brain.
Having done everything possible -fo
his comfort and well-being, attentio
was turned to a close examination c
the place, and everybody concerned,
hopes of finding something that woul
explain the murderous attack on D
Dean.
Encouraged by the knowledge ths
her husband still lived, Mrs. Dean ha
recovered her composure, and was abb
to state quite clearly the little she kne'
of the affair, in compliance with til
somewhat pompous request of the chic
of police, who felt that his hour ha
come.
st was late" she began. "And
came home in a great hurry; it was $
dark that l could not see distinct
across the street. 1 hurried in an
lighted the lamps, wondering wher
Mr.. Dean could be- The children l di
not expect home until after tea at the
auntie's; the girl should have been herr
but was not. Mr.. Dean, 1 knew, ha
some work he was anxious to fnisl
and it was a surprise to me to find th
house dark and no one about"
did you see or hear anything at a
unusual on the street, or about th
house or yard as you came inT aske
the chief of police.
All felt that it was very serious ot
casion indeed. and they crowded close
and listened with intense iutereet th