The San Francisco call., 1897-06-30
Young Lloyd Duke and
His Slayer Had Long
Been Foes.
Cause of the Warthan Canyon
Tragedy Dates Back to a
Love Affair.
The Assassin Hurried to Fresno to
Prevent a Threatened
ynChing.

FRESNO CAL, June 29.-Leon Rin,
who murdered Lloyd Duke in WarthSn
Canyon in the west side foothills on Sun
day evening, was lodged in the County
Jail this forenoon by Constable Atkinson
OF Coaiinga. Full particulars of the kill
ing confirm the first report that it was
coldblooded and deliberate.
Hill surrendered 10 the officer at Coal
inga on Monday morning, and Atkinson
intended to hold him there until the
Coroner should arrive and hold the in
quest; but the constable learned that the
residents of Warthan Canyon were organ
izing to lynch the murderer, and be quietly
rushed the prisoner to Summit Lake,
whence he brought Hill to Fresno this
morning, starting at o'clock so fearful
was the officer that the enraged citizens
would overtake him. 1t appears that the
Warthan citizens learned that Atkinson
had departed with Hill, and as they could
not learn where he went they gave up
their intentions of vengeance.
The story of the affray as given by eye
witnesses is not favorable to young Hill,
to say the least. Duke engaged a livery
team at Coalinga and drove up 10 the hot
springs to see Mr. Kreyenhagen. A
young man named William Taylor was
with him. Leon Hill and Tony LovsalI
were also at the hot springs, and Hill had
been drinking and was ugly. Some time
last summer Hill and Duke, while under
the influence of liquor, got into fist fight
at Coslinga, and Duke gave Hill sound
thrashing. Though the matter was
smoothed over Hill did not forgive Duke.
he was sober at the time he was shot.
Hill and Loveall left the hot springs by
the new grade. When they reached the
canyon, about two miles distant, a piece
OF the harness broke and Hill got out to
fix it. Duke and Taylor followed them on
their return, and when they came up to
Hill Duke asked him to pull out on one
side of the road and let him pass. Hill
gave him q churllsh and Insulting answer.
Duke got out of his carriage to go ahead
and see if he could drive past Hill's
vehicle.
As Duke started forward, the witnesses
say, Hill drew a Winchester from his
shot Duke in the stomach ana the latter
fell. Hill then left aud Duke was car
ried to Huron for treatment The shoot
ing occurred at about o'clock in the
evening, and Duke lived until 2 o'clock
yesterday.
1t is said that Hill claims that he
ordered Duke to stop before he shot; but
Duke denied this, and the witnesses cor
rOborate his story. Duke was unarmed al
the time.
Hill, who is only % years of age, was
reared in the vicinity where he com mitted
the crime, and bears the reputation of
being very troublesome and of having a
desire to pose as a bad man" On the
way over, the Constable states he was
perfectly Indifferent about the murder,
expressing neither remorse nor regret,
nor yet the least interest or anxiety as to
whether Duke lived or died from his
wound.
1t is known that some time last year,
while Hill and some others were drinking,
a plan was concocted to ''do up'' Cousta-
bic John Kerr of Coalinga. Their grudge
against Kerr was that he was a Constable
who would not let them run things" to
suit themselves. Friends OF Kerr over
heard the plot and informed him, where
upon he took occasion to let them know
that he was acquainted with their plans
and notified them that they had to walk
the chalk" They concluded that they
had better let Kerr alone. Kerr is a fear
less and efficient officer and that was the
basis of their enmity. Hilps father, r.
NJ. Hill, is a respected citizen Of Warthan.
The victim of the murder was % years
Of age. His father is ministe er, who was
formerly pastor ia this city and now re-
sides in Los Angeles.
The fight between Duke and Hill Last
summer was a result of their rivalry n
courting young lady of the neighbor-
hood, and the fact that he was worsted in
each instance was probably the cause for
the deliberate murder by Hill.