The herald., 1898-12-31
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By DEATH OF rzz INTENDED
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A Quiet Little Oregon Town STIRRED by
Crimes Ranging From Burglary
to Murder

SEASIDE, Ore, Dec. 3O.-~Sherif J. w.
Williams, Deputy Sheriff Lamers ana
Charles Willard, a desperate character, are
dead here tonight as the result of a fight
which occurred this afternoon. Recently
State Senator c. w. Fultons summer cot
tage was destroyed by fire, and an investiga-
tion was being conducted. Willard was eus-
pected and today the sheriff, Deputies
Lamers and Miller and Senator Fulton went
to Willard's house with a search warrant for
articles supposed to have beenIstolen from
the burned cottage. Willard was stopping
at the summer residence of Mrs. Susan Lew
iston OF Woodlawn, Ore. Senator Fulton
and Deputy Miller entered the house, Sheriff
Williams and Deputy Lamers remaining OUT
side. Willard was heavily armed and when
Miller and Fulton were out of sight fired at
Sheriff Williams, the ball entering his back
and coming out at the side. The sheriff stag
gered and fell down an embankment. Will
ard turned his rifle on Lamers, shooting him
in the stomach Lamers, though nearly dead,
grappled with Willard, and was struggling
with him when Fulton and Miller came from
the house. Fulton seized a gun and shot
Willard, but the latter continued fighting.
Fulton then beat Willard over the head
with his gun and then went to loo1 for
Sheriff Williams. The moment he turned
Willard jumped and seized gun and shot
Miller in the leg and ran. Fulton then took
aim with his rifle and fred, blowing away
Willard's face and killing him. Lamers died
an hour later. Sheriff Williams was very
popular man and great indignation is ex-
pressed here over the crime. A mob from
Astoria, all armed, started for Seaside as
soon as the news became known, and had
Willard been alive he would have been
ynched. The bodies were taken to Astoria
tonight.
Senator Fulton represents Clatsop county
in the upper branch of the Oregon legitla-
ture, and Isl one Of the most prominent law.
yers in the state.
The story of the shooting as told by SenJ
ator Fulton is that the officers went to tho
Lewiston cottage where Willard stopped
and awakened him, telling him they wanted
to see him. He came out of the house and
the party entered. Mr.. Fulton found some
shells which he had left at his summer
house. Noticing that Fulton recognized the
shells, Willard suggested trip to the Carl
son cottage, near by, where he said some
one had carried part of the centents. He
took his rifle off the wall and the five men
iSit ioi eA'V NhiiSou SOttutC. AitCi CAolutu~
ing it they returned to the Lewiston place,
Fulton saying he wished to make further
examination. As soon as Fulton and Miller
were out of sight Willard shot and killed
Sheriff Williams with the rifle and then
turned it on Lamers. Lamers received a
shot in the stomach but with remarkable
courage closed with the assassin The 9TH
ers ran from the house and then began q
terrible struggle They tried to beat Willard
into insensibility but were unable to do 80,
and he began struggling with Miller when
Senator FELTON, started for help. The latter
seized the rifle and shot at Willard, the ball
grazing his shoulder. He then started to
assist the wounded but had gone only q
short distance when Willard jumped to his
feet and started to run. Fulton then shot
him through the face and he dropped. Will
hrd, although badly wounded, managed to
draw another revolver. He fired three more
shots one striking Miller in the leg Miller
then shot Willard through the body with
the rifle, killing him. The parents of Sher-
if Williams reside in st. Louis, Mo. Deputy
l.amers has relatives in GAINESVILLE, Wis.
Charles Willard has lived in Seaside for
about three years and during the winter has
cared for various summer residences. He
was considered tough character.