The herald., 1897-04-25
Shot While Discharging
His Duty
HE FOUGHT TWO BURGLARS
CONSTABLE PYLE OF FILLMORE
IS THE VICTIM
The Murderer and His Pal Still at
Large but Posse Is in
Hot Pursuit

A most deplorable tragedy took place
about 4 o'clock yesterday morning at
Castaic switch, flag station on the
Southern Pacific railroad. eleven miles
west Of Saugus, in which Henson NC
Gov Pyle. a brave constable of Fill
more, Ventura county, lost h4s life while
| in the performance of his duties.
On Wednesday night last about Il
o'clock Edward McCamish, deputy
under Constable Pyle, woke up
half unconscious ard bleeding at
the nose. He got up, lighter
a lamp, and at one commenced
making an investigation. 1t took him
but a few minutes to learn that he had
been murderously assaulted and his
room ransacked by burglars. His trunk
| in an adjoining room was broken open
and many articles of value were miss
ing. besides other evidence of ROBBERY
was to be found.
MECHANISM notified the neighbors and
in a short time almost everyone in the
community was on the lookout for the
miscreants. The officer had slight
clue. and believed his assailants to be
two men whom he had seen earlier in
the evening on the depot platform at
Fillmore.
Some time later Constable Pyle and
Deputy McCamish decided to run them
down if possible, and accordingly they
boarded a freight train and went to
Castaic switch. hoping to head them
off. as it was supposed they were aim
ing for Los Angeles. The officers ar
rived at the flag station about dark
Friday evening and remained awake
all night in the little depot. waiting for
their men to put in an appearance.
They had about decided to abandon the
chase, when at o'clock Pyle looked
down the track and half a mile dis
tant he saw two men approaching the
station, walking hurriedly. AS the
strangers approached the officers per-
ceived that they were the men they had
been waiting for, and plan for their
capture was decided upon.
1t was agreed that If the burglars
would throw up their hands promptly
when ordered, and showed no signs OF
a fight. Mechanism was to hand his pis-
tol to Pyle. who would guard both men
while the deputy handcuffed them. The
| officials allowed them to pass by a dis
tance of eight or ten feet, when they
pulled their guns and commanded
Hands up" The order was promptly
obeyed McCamish gave his pistol to
Pyle and approaching one of the burg
lars, began placing on the handcuns.
While thus engaged pistol shot rang
out, and in looking around the dep
uty constable saw his superior officer
fall to the ground. Trembling with fear
and excitement, McCamish for mo-
ment seemingly lost his reason, and in
an instant his prisoner jerked away
and was soon lost in the darkness. The
man whom Pyle was guarding. having
killed the latter, took a shot at Nc
Camish and then he, too, made his es-
cape.
Several shots were fired at his re-
treating form, and McCamish is con-
fdent he shot the man who killed Pyle,
as he heard him cry out to his partner,
For Gods sake, Bill, I am shot"
The deputy returned to the little wait
ing room and there found Pyle stone
dead, the bullet from the murderer's
pistol having entered the forehead just
above the right eye.
John Arnold, a neighbor, was noti-
fed, and in q short time organized
posse. The country for several miles
around was searched, but no trace of
the murderer could be found.
Sheriff Burr was notified, and he, in
company with Deputies Clement and
Woodward, left Immediately for the
scene. Coroner Campbell and Deputy
j. W. Summerfeld also went. but re-
turned last evening. The coroner's jury
returned a verdict that the deceased
came to his death by a pistol shot
wound inflicted by an unknown party,
while resisting arrest.
Yesterday afternoon a posse Of off,
GERS from Ventura arrived and Joined
in the search.
Constable Pyle was a man of about
35 years of age. and had the reputation
of being an honest and brave official
He has resided many years in Fillmore,
where he was very popular. He leaves
a widow and three small children. The
people of Fillmore and Ventura county
are in a fever heat over the outrage.
and if the murderer is caught he will be
given a short shrift and long, stout
rope.
At a late hour last night informa ton
was received from Saugus that heavily
armed posse of officers on horses had
struck the trail of the murderers of Con-
stable Pyle and they were but few
hours behind. A rancher who lives fif-
teen miles north of the town met the
posse and told them he saw two strange
men moving rapidly across the country
in the direction of the mountains. He
gave a description of them which corre~
sponded with the murderer and his pal.
There is reason to believe that they are
either heading for the mountains or for
the railroad. If the latter is reached af-
ter dark they will in all probability try
to board northbound freight train, but
their escape seems almost an impossi-
bility as Sheriff Burr has telegraphed
every officer between Saugus and Fresno
of the occurrence, and every avenue Of
escape is being closely watched.
A NEW ENTERPRISE