The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-19
After Experiencing RELIGION the Dy-
fng Man Makes . Statement to His
Knrse-His Last Hours Peaceful
For Ten Weeks He fingered with
InAammatOry Rheumatfsm An
to the Cause Of Death-HixtoFy Of
q Famous Case.

wanted to make q statement before ne
died.
Mr.. Pratt was in fun possession Of his
faculties and in his statement spoke the
words of man who had experienced re-
lgion and its comforting assurance In his
last moments.
II am sure" he said that none OF the
blows / struck Mr.. Dobson were instru-
mental in causing his death I tell you
this because you may have heard of the
affair. and / want you 10 know the TRUTH.
The blows that were struck were nothing
more than would be given in any ordinary
fight and feel positive that his death
was due to falling on the sharp point of
stump The court records will show that
there were thirty-seven small stumps.
with sharp points, at the spot where the
trouble occurred.
This statement was made three or four
days ago. and yesterday morning at 1:3o
O'Clock the spirit of Phlesming J. Pratt
took its flight.
His death was peaceful. the silence being
broken only by the sobs of the wife as she
was led from the room. Mr.. Pratt's ILL
ness commenced ten weeks ago. and his
death was due TO infiammatory rheuma-
tisnl. a fact definitely ascertained yester-
day afternoon by an autopsy conducted by
DIR. Neville.
The funeral services will be held this
afternoon at O'Clock at the family resi-
Mr. Pratt was born at Romney, Ind.
April Ii. 1850. He came to Seattle about
1ssS and engaged III the business OF team
ing He leaves widow and eight chill
dren.
The history of the quarrel between
Pratt and Dobson, which ended in the
death OF the latter, has been forgotten to
a great extent in the advance OF years
and accumulation of events. At Butter
worth's undertaking rooms yesterday at
ternoon. when a Post-Intelligencer report
er inquired IL Mr.. Pratt was dead 1t was
stated that while the frm had charge OF
the remains, il was news to them that ne
was the man who was tried on the charge
of killing Dobson.
The Quarrel
c. A. Dobson was well-known carpen-
ter and contractor. Pratt let a contract to
Dobson for the construction of six-room
cottage Pratt was to furnish the mate
rails and Dobson the labor. Dohson had
received $9l In cash. but there had been. IT
Is claimed disputes as to additional pay
ments. While away from the house Dob
son kept it locked and refused to surrender
the KEY until il was completed and the full
contract price. SIS. was paid. Pratt and
his family occupied temporary building
on the same lot with the incompleted
house.
Pratt went home from the business part
of the city about $50 o'clock Saturday
evening. June 7. 1890 After supper Pratt
went to the new house. where Dobson and
his partner c. II. Darlington, were finish
ing work for the day. There was some
talk about the building. after which Pratt
asked Dobson for~the key to the front
door saying that he wanted to get In Sum
dag to do some papering.
Dobson made no decided reply, and after
a short time proceeded to shut up the
II
| locked the doors. and taking his dinner
bucket started down the trail toward Yes
Ter way. Pratt followed, calling to him
| for the key The trail led through a low
| place. where Pratt overlook Dobson and
| asked for the key again. Dobson refused
| Pratt insisted, and then there was fight.
| The first thing Darlington saw OF the row.
| as he had remained az the house, not an
| ticipating anything serious was Dobson's
dinner pail swinging through the air, but
| not he said, in the direction of Pratt, who.
with Dobson. was falling TO the ground.
| Darlington said Pratt fell on top Of Dob
| son and struck him three or four times
| but how hard he did not know. Pratt
| stopped quickly and arose when Caring
| ton spoke to him the second time. Dohson
did not move. and when Darlington looked
| at him closely he discovered that he was
dead. Pratt was greatly surprised and
| said Dobson had not been killed by any
intended 10 kill him.
Darlington said that neither man ap-
peared angry when they left the house
The last remark he heard before he looked
out and saw the fight was by Pratt who
remarked: What in HI IS the matter
with Dohscn. that he don't give me the
key The two men were not out Of Car
rington's sight more than two minutes
Pratt surrendered 10 the police. stating
that he had killed man In quarrel His
face was bleeding from a cut and he ap-
peared 10 feel badly about the affair He
made no attempt to deny that he knocked
pobson down, but insisted that he acted in
| self-defense. He told about the contract
| to build the house ard then went on TO tell
| about the fatal fight. rensarking as he
| did so: II would not have killed that man
| for the weird. and would rather every
| dollars worth of my property were con-
| fiscated than that a man should apparent
| iy meet his death at my hands.
| when struck him with nv FIST he fell
| heavily. striking his head with much force
| against a stump. IL is true we quarreled
! about the house AS he was leaving at
| supper time. finding that he had locked the
| doors, | called on him for the key as
| wanted 10 move in. Dohson fatty refused
/ To give the key until l had paid him th,.
balance due. All my entreaties with him
| 90 give UP the key. as intended paving
| him when l got the money, were OF no
| avail.
| II then became angry and attempted IN
| press him 10 hand me the key. and said
| that would have Il. Dohson did not saw
| anything FOR few moments. and I
| thought he was about 10 give me the key
| Instead Of that however he uttered an
| oath and dashed forward swinging a din
| ner bucket which he had In hts hand in
| the act Of striking me. AZ he came TINS
| rapidly toward me ne stumbled the cover
| ~ the bucket flying off and hitting me in
| the face
/ II struck him behind the ear with rrv
| fs' just as he was falling and ne a,ternnt-
, eli 20 draw q knife hit Dobson three o-
/ four times with my open hand after hs
| was down. and vas ga the act wher, l Was
| pulled cfy by Darlington.
| 'pohsoa appeared ynotiouiess after
had risen from his body and tho,fght
| he must have been stunned BY the fan "a
| be- fen head foremost. When. hovyave-
| II became apparent that be was dead I
| was sure that be- had uot bean killed ~
| any blow I rad struck Sut on The con-
trarT. from the fan he had received
| TIE autopsy 20 discover the exn-r -at,sA
| - death WAS Conducted by Drs. J :
| ". Smart Miller. Newian5s and Dawson.
| TIE heart. lungs. liver. spleen kisr,evs
! ard bladder were found 70 - IN a healthy
| condition. The physicians testified thar
/ there was = rupture - blood vessel in
] the brain causing clos 81 blood 20 form
/ 81 The LETT tsrTlts peers of th@ ceyehrr4r.,
| There was AIS, a sub-arAchnn;A rfo,
/ formed IN TIRE left hemisphere Of tire
/ brain. causing a pressure IN THAT organ.
| These rIspsures. Together wirh the con-