Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-08-30
SOUTHERN UTAH'S
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
True Story Of the Killing Of Dan
SeegmiIIor by VIM Folndy,
A DELIBERATE HOMICIDE.


fg rrf che state. some weeks ago have
rsyar been given 10 the public. Even
relatives NJ the dead men were ignorant
~ tBs exact cius, Of the terrible tragc-
dy anI not until now have they rec
ss.trI the information they desired. II
como. ln the form " the following let
t.r FfIttan from the sccrmillor Ranch
Ia Rome county by y. s. MusHer. 90 hla
nfH.r Hon. a. Milton Musscr " this
dy. WHO was relative ot tho MUIR
H.HI man:
Door Fathor;-According 20 promise
arI loo compliance with your request
row forward you the particulars. and
ta causes that lead up 10 the death Of
Uncle Dan sccgmrlcr.
hive obtained tho following inf0r-
nation after thorough enquiry and
consultation with those who are we'll
acquainted with the circumstances of
several years ngo Uncle Dan allowed
VIM Nuunly hlH slayer 90 build upon
DIE patented land. "a reservoir. which
vaa Co hold night water IN Boundy'H
ium uf Irrigation. AZ this time there
Hua "a verbal agreement entered into
which provided among other things that
o.. long nH good feelings should exist
between the two men, the agreement
would be lived up 60, but nH soon ~
Irae conditions should cease 90 pre-
vail the agreement would be- void Al
30 with n proylHo that Noundy should
Bay the sum ~ 81 u year the smallest
am0uut allowed hy law, Tor the use ~
tba land This was done 10 protect
IuGlo nan iu hiH ownership uf the land.
pUunly dlsrerurdci the 81 proposition
trl failed 90 pay % Tor two years, whom
h. wna required 90 do 80 by UHclc
DANE lawyer
The reservoir was built. the work up
con 10 being worth $40, Things went ON
smoothly Tor some time until ID was
found that Nouuiy was not using the
reservoir Tor the purpose agreed Co.,
but was using company water out ~ hla
turn uf Irrigation. This Uncle Dan OBJ
isHtHl Co. still there were ro hard feel
insa, and up Co July. 1897. they treated
each other nH urighh1rs should. ~
this time thHre was u horse ruco MATCH
%. hy VIM sougmIller ana Inp. Roun-
iy sons of tho two mon. and owing 10
% disagreement tho rinse was not run.
ana hard feelings began 90 arise. Truu-
Bile over tho Reservoir now came ON .
Tor IL was found that younfy had gone
about mile above the site. Into what is
called Curroll Conyun, ana shut on two
living springs. that .cre tributaries 90
the complnya ditch and turned their
contents down on tho south side OF the
canyon 10 his reservoir, the main chan
nj ~ the cuupnny'H water being lo-
Gated on the north slide Uncle Dan
owned two-scvenths Of the main stream
IN N0undy'H ouc.Hcvcnth and he POSI-
lively objected 90 Rlundy's using hlr
tWUsHrvunthH N CurrCll Canon water.
hut uld that n others ~ the company
wished To give him their share. he had
no objections. NotwIthstnndlng thogs
..HN.HfNNWH NfaHfrH#NaH Hs.
The water into his reservoir. AMI Uncle
Dan turned u out whenever u came a.
his notice,
Hard feelings continued 20 grow. until
Uncle Dan warned Rnundy Co keep m
~ Die premises altogether. However.
Che two men met after this warning
liW'rn liourdy'a and Soogmillor's
ranches, whore they had a considerable
conversation, ana finally concluded Ia
r..i|H the Wnttor by arbitration. n was
uHHH.l that lluunly should choose ono
arbitrator and Uncle Dan tho other
HHl these two mon were To- choose the
W.fN Uncle Dan chose Daniel HDUrly
grl Houndy n, L. cutler They chose
james swap a. tho third man. and
iHHHa were pending n settlement wnDn
lHluly dlsrogurdrd tho arbitration
uUl went 10 hls sheep herd whore hJ
spent most NJ hia time for some months
About the ltih Of july 1899. Roundy
Dm" home ana Htaid about n week. on
N. futll morning ~ july o. he went
uu inH canyon. 10 iH supposed. 20 hlf
rNulr which be- must have found
empty for the water had been turned
lH'l iho company ditch. About hall
rut ten o'clock he cam, from tho puui
SON. through Uncle Dams corral and
,Hi Hf the gate which opens from al,
yard into the outside country. Herr
D. Tied his horse, and left H. Will,
~ went over 10 Emma Sccgmlllori
house, about 300 yards from tho above
mentioned gate. and beyond Aun
9nl Inquired Of Emma for Uncle Dan
LHnl.s eyes being weak. she ala mol
recognize the man, but went In an,
reused Uncle Dan from hlH sleep. d.
$50. 'y.ng on the cot, and told him tina
man wished 10 See him. Uncle Dli
tl.l hur 10 invite the man In. which
shn dIi, and which invitation he refuse,
90 accept saying that he would llk,
i' rra uncle outside. with this TO-
llIfN Doc went on towards his horse
Emma told Uncle Dan. and after walt
lls awhile he got up and won't out q
STRANGER
When Uncle Dan got 10 the corral
uH.Hl midway between Roundy's h1rH
ahI Elnmaa house, Roundy, who wa
about four rods In front NJ him, wa
seen 90 turn and move back toward
victim DE began 10 shoot. The first aho
!N"h eject IN the lett shoulder. ruln
~ 1i the Side and coming out ON Tor
INC next shot, which was receive
MhlH Uncle Dan was moving ava
from his uHsallAut, struck him IN IN
Ni'k and 10 the left side. Neither thl
Dor the 1re shot would have prove
ilill, but Hpundy seemed bent on dnin
hlf work Well, 10 he shot the third tim,
9nl hit Uncle Dan In the middle OF th
laoh. the ball penetrating ono OF IN
lower lObca OF his heart and coming on
Do front through the right breast. Thl
was the shot that fgllpd Uncle Dan I
me ground, ana caused his death.
After committing the dAHtnrdy dec
Nglndy made for his horse, but wa
,N|'l 70 halt by Mr. Snlder. 10 whoi
~ stated that he would be- found d
h'' house, Snider thinking 10 do son
good Tor the yet living Uncle Dan, Del
lhe murderer and won't 20 hls victim
lio found him lying near the gate whlc
opens from the barn yard Into the lelt
ana Emma'H duor-yard Emma soon al
uNod on the scene and saw Uncle ia
ll'' which he did In a few minutes n
r the last shot, without having n
tered "a word.
At the time ~ the shooting the ranC
was practically deserted. Cousin WI
had gone TO Knnab and Aunt Artum
IA and her family 10 Sunday school
me mill, a distance " about sovt
miles from tho ranch, Snldcr Just hal
pencd 10 be at home. and had II M
boon Tor his and q small boys preseno
tAlndy would have found only unc
Dan and Emma with her family, on q
place
IL ioola yar, ,,,uch a.. tho,,.-h Bo,ny