Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-09-21
MURDERED
The Beautiful Blue Willamette
Gives Up Its Dead.
Clues Of His Identity Have Been Found
From Eastern Oregon-Believed to Be
a Sherman County Rancher.

As reported In THE JOURNAL last
night the body Of an unknown mar
was found floating in the william
cite river at a point about 600 feet
below the steel bridge and on the Polk
county side.
Four Salem boys, Walter Basey.
Everett Anderson, Laudie Hamilton
and Roy Crayan we're out in two row
boats watching the Gray Eagle .tow
the. high dredge up the river and after
the boat had passed they saw the
same objeco slowly rise to the surface
OF the water which upon examination
proved to be the body OF a man bound
hand and foot and weighted down
with sash weights.
The boys reported their discovery
and Coroner Wood, OF Dallas, was
notified and came Immediately to the
scene, The body was hauled out
onto the gravel bar extending into
the river near the bridge and an in>
quest was held, A jury was formed
composed OF ID. l.. Mattheney, A. v.
Thompson, |. ii. Burton, E. NJ.
Young, Christopher Patrick, and
James Munk jr. and the coroner pro-
ceeded at once to the investigation.
Young Basey was called and stated
that he, with Everett Anderson, had
gone down the river to meet the
Grey Eagle and after the boat had
passed them he had seen dark OBJ
ject rise from the water about $50
feet below the bridge and $50 feet
from the Polk county side. At first
he thought 1t was log but on nearer
inspection found 1t to be human
body. He and his companions had
notified the coroner.
Everett Anderson gave substan-
TALLY the same testimony as his boat
mate.
Laud Hamilton said Roy Craven
had gonesdown with other boat load
to meet the Gray Eagle. Himself and
companion had discovered the body
about the same time as the other
boys, and thought 1t was log but
when he rowed his boat up TO II
saw IL was dead body. He pulled
his boat around IL several times and
then all came and notified the coroner.
Roy Craven coroborated Hamilton's
testimony aud placed the time OF the
discovery at HAS u. m. lie was one
Of the first to see the body.
Il. Il. Harritt,a Polk county farmer,
was called and testified that some one
had stolen three sash weights and
part Of the ropes fastening them from
his patent gate on the night OF Fri
day Sept. II. That on one OF the
nights named he reached home just
after dark and the weights were In
place, at eight o'clock the following
morning they we're gone, Buggy
tracks were found leading TO the gate
into the yard and back towards town.
In his estimation the buggy tires
were new, and the horses newly shod
with No. Z. shoes. The weights
were positively Identified by private
marks. The person stealing the
weights evidently was acquainted
with the place as the gate was back
from the road and the weights could
not be seen from il especially at
night.
George Plaster was called. He has
seen the man several tunes but did
not know his name. Deceased had
been In his shop on Saturday Sept.
10th, and had stated that he was AT
work 10 a hop yard. Witness under.
stood yard TO be near Lincoln, and he
thought deceased was German.
DR.. Lee Steiner examined the body
ard found Ia his pockets gold hlled
watch aud chain, the works OF The
watch being numbered 7,26O.595, and
the case Illinois Giant 1885. He also
stated the In his opinion the wound
on the forehead was made bya blunt
instrument, the skull not being
broken. The nose was broken aud
there was "A cut on the right side OF
the neck which would sever the right
common carotid artery, which would
produce death. A knife cut Ia the
mouth was found which cut out four
upper teeth. There were no other
marks OF violence on the body.
The mans height was about feet
10 inches aud he was apparently 80
or 40 years old. The clothes were
dark wooden goods with polnt check.
lie wore dark tau shoes. Had short,
dark hair. slightly bald head, aud
bristlng sandy mustaehe, the rest OF
his face being clean shaven.
lContlnued on fourth page.