The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-01-08
AN OUTLAW k,LLpp.
HAIRY Hessey Shot Down While Resisting
the Officers


the Oficers
About 4 o'clock OF Friday evening
OF last week Harry Hessey, who rob-
bed store at Woodburn, Marion
county. and afterwards escaped from
Jail at Oregon City week ago Sunday
oy overpoweriDg the jailor, was shot
and instantly killen here while resist
ing arrest.
The interceptlon of aessey was a
very clever piece o: work on the part
OF the officers here and a tramp who
gave his name as Fred Williams.
On Wednesday Williams fell in
with Hessey at the water tank at
Troutdale, and together they came to
The Dalles, beating their way on
freight train, and arriving here about
five o'clock Wednesday morning.
They established camp about sou
yards beyond the ice house near the
0. r. & n. line above town. While
there Hessey revealed his true char
acter to Williams, and threatened to
''do him (Williams) up" if he refused
to ''stand in" and rob people when
ever ordered to do so. Williams ks.
came frightened. and hunting up Night
watchman Wiley told him what he
knew of Hessey. AS a result Deputy
Sheriff Kelley. Sheriff Driver being
away from The city, was called into
consultation, and it was arranged to
arrest Hessey Friday evening.
Deputy Sheriffs W. H Butts and
William Spencer, Nightwatchman
Wiley and Fred Williams had a con-.
sultatiOn at the sheriff's office F iday
afternoon, when it was arranged that
Williams should re.urn to the camp,
and the others should follow and make.
the arrest. Spencer proceeded Butts
and Wiley to the camp, ana pretended
to be a tramp wanting a meal. He en-
gagged Hessey in conversation until
Butts and Wiley arrived, and when
they reached the camp. which was To-
Gated on steep hillside, Hessev
climbed onto rock about four feet
above the fire. out of reach of the Of
ficers. Wiley commanded Hessey to
throw up his hands, but instead of
complying, he 1rew his revolver,
large As calibre Colts, and levelled it
on Mr.. Butts. Wiley and Spencer had
their pistols presented at the desper-
ado's heed and began firing. Wiley's
first shot hit Hessey's hat, and Spen-
GERS shot took effect in his left temple,
causing instant death.
From the surroundings of the camp
and the location Hessey occupied, it
would have been impossible for the
officers to have reached him, or to
have taken him without either killing
or severely wourding him. The camp
was reached by climbing up a steep
trail, and Hessey was on rock at |
least four feet above the officers, hence
could prevent them laying their hands
on him. Taking into consideration
the surroundings, the officers would |
have been killed had they
not killed the desperate. Chief-ot- i
police Burns, of Oregon City, arrived
here Sunday. and identified Hessey as
the man who broke Jail at Oregon
City, and also identified the pistol
Hessey had as being the one stolen
from the sheriff's Office at that place. =.
After the killeg Justice j. M. Fill
loon summoned jury and held an in
quest over the remains. Following is
The verdict of the jury.
THE DALLES. Ore. Dec. 81, 1897.
We, the undersigned empannelled as
q coroner's jury, to inquire into the
facts surrounding the death of an IN.
known man whose body is now before
ls, find as follows:
That the name of said deceased, so
lar as we are able to ascertain, is Harry
Hessy, an escaped criminal from the
Oregon City Jail, and wanted there for
the law, being at the tine of
his death felon; " g fiud his personal
1ress to be as follows: Black suit,
rock coat, black. shirt, black fedora
nat, congress shoes, weight about ITO,
age about q years, two large checkered
shirts and drawers; brown overcoat,
md light compiexion; from the differ
snt articles taken from his person we
believe him to be highwayman and
desperate character. We find that be
,ame to his death while resisting and
to kill officers If The law
While in the discharge of their lawful
luties in seeking to arrest him, unoer
'equest of the chief of police #
Oregon City, Oregon. We also find that
he shooting which led ito his death
N the part OF the officers, J. ]. Wiley
md William Spencer, was perfectly
l-tified on their part and necessary to
reserve their own lives, and we not
uiy exonerate them from all blame
Or causing the death of the deceased,
'ut we commend them for their prompl
ction in saving themselves and bring
ug to close the life of one who is a
and murderous person, and
hould nos be- allowed to roam the lano
{ liberty and who was in fact eluuiug
fficers of the law of other places where |
e was wanted at the time of his death. c
d. S. DUFUR,
W. A. JOHNSTON,
H. G. NIELSEN,
4. NEwLIN,
T.. +. STEHHENS, a
w. RANDALL. o