Oregon union. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1897-1899, 1899-01-06
TRAGEDY At SEASIDE
Three Men Killed in a Des
perate Fight. +
THE WORK OF A DESPERATE
Charles willard Murdered Sheriff
Williams and Deputy Lamers, and
Was Shot by Deputy Miller.

Seaside, Or, Jan. 2.-The burning
of the Fulton cottage, at this place.
| last Wednesday morning, eliminated
this afternoon in the bloodiest tragedy
in the history of this county, as re-
suit of which three men are cold in
death and one other is badly wounded.
The dead are:
Sheriff ]. W. Williams. Deputy
Sheriff James Lamers and Charles Will
lard.
Deputy Sheriff A. E. Miller was
shot in the leg.
1t was considered certain by every
one that the burning of the cottage was
for the purpose of concealing rob-
berry. and suspicion pointed to Charles
Willard as the guilty person, particu-
larly as he was seen a short time after
the fire coming from the locality with
q wheelbarrow load of goods.
Acting on the suspicion then aroused
Sheriff Williams this morning secured
a search warrant. and in company with
Senator G. W. Fulton and others, went
to Seaside to search Willard's prem
ises, and also all,the cottages of which
he had charge during the winter season.
About O'Clock this afternoon, Sher-.
if Williams, Senator Fulton and Dep-
uties A. E. Miller and James Lamers,
the two latter being residents of Sea-
side, went to the cottage of Mrs. Susie
Lewiston, where Willard was living,
to search it.
NOn rapping at the door they were
answered Immediately by Willard,
who told them to wait until he dressed,
but from subsequent events it is certain
he wanted tTSpe to get his guns ready
for action. Alter few moments he
opened the door, and ON being told
what was wanted. told tlie sheriff, in
polite manner. that he was welcome to
search any of the residences in his
charge.
Leaving Fulton, Laners and the
sheriff in the house. he picked up his
rifle, and telling Miller to follow him,
he started for John T.. Carlson s cottage
which he had in charge, and which he
said some one had endeayored to break
Into The thes were eoor afterwarsls
joined by Williams and Fulton. The
latter asked Willard to come back to
the Lewiston cottage. He made no
objection.
1t was on nearing the cottage the
second time that the tragedy occurred.
Senator Fulton. had identified some
shotgun cartridges in the house as be-
longing to him, and began questioning
Willard as to where he got possession
of them. This nettled Willard, al
though he answered that friend had
given them to him, and he began to get
ugly.
Fulton and Miller went inside the
cottage, leaving Willard. Sheriff Will
liams and Lamers standing outside.
They had just proceeded to the rear
room when two shots were heard in
quick succession, and on running to
he door. Sheriff Williams was seen to
throw up his lands and fall backwards
over the bank. In front of the house
were Willard and Lamers, in a desper-
ate hand-to hand struggle, although
the latter had been shot through the
right groin and was fast growing faint,
and his assailant was fighting with the
desperation of a demon. Fulton sprang
at Willard's head, and pulling him to
the ground jumped on his face. Miller
wrenched the rifle from his hand. threw
it on the ground, and taking out his
revolver beat the desperate over the
head.
Senator Fulton, in the meantime.
picked up the rife and told Willard to
quiet, or he would kill him.
The latter, however, watched his op-
portunity, and jumping to his feet
started to run away, when Fulton fired,
him the first time, but strik-
ing him in the face the second time,
carrying away the greater portion of
his mouth and nose. Willard fell, ap-
parently dead, and Fulton started to
obtain help to care for the injured men,
leaving Miller on guard with the rife
in hand. Miller stepped back to aid
Lamers. who was lying on the ground
wounded, when Willard
was noticed to be fumbling with his
belt. Quicker than flash he drew
revolver and fred three bullets, the
first one hitting Miller in the left leg,
just below the hip. Miller returned
the fire with the rifle, the first bullet
nfiicting a flesh wound in Wizards
shoulder, and the second hitting him
in the left side. near the groin, killing
nim instantly.
By this time help had arrived, and
IN examination was made of the in
ured men. Sheriff Williams was
ound to have been shot through the
light breast, and although his pulse
was beating feebly when examined, he
showed no further signs of life. La
ners was shot i'll the right groin, and
le lived about 80 minutes after being
emoved to Crimes hotel. Miller, the
'ther deputy, was wounfled in the leg,
,ut his wound is not of a serious ma
ure.
Discarded Woman's Deed.