The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1900-10-04
A Merchant of kiona Shot to Death
at PrOSSer.
MURDERER MAKES HIS ESCAPE
Hop Piekers Held Up BY Hobo Toughs. ana
When an Attempt Is Made to Arrest
Them One Of Them Kills W. W.
Seott-His Associate In Rob-
berry Arrested.

| zens Of Yakima county to greater degree
thsn.sny other in many years occurred at
Prosser late last Sunday afternoon
when w. W. Soft, well known
resident of Kions, was murdered while
trying to arrest some hobos, who had
held up and robbed couple of hop
| pickers. The accounts vary in some re-
spects but the particulars as can be gath
cred from most reliable sources are as
follows:
Three men, who had been picking hops
in the Sunnyside fields, crossed over to
Mabton and boarded an empty box car,
intending to beat their way east. When
Prosser was reached two other men en-.
tered the car and with guns compelled
them to disgorge all of their valuables
consisting OF $3.50 in money and silver
watch. The train then pulled out and
the robbers jumped off at siding be-
yond Prosser. AT Kiona the hop pickers
got out and notified the people at the
station OF the occurrence and asked that
a message be sent back to Prosse- to ar.
rest the robbers. This was about to be
done when W. w. Scott, who was for.
merly telegraph operator on this divi-
sion of the Northern Pacific and whose
wife owns store at Kiona, said that
west bound freight was about to pull out
and securing his shot gun told the hop
pickers to come along with him and iden-
tify the SIS of b-s and he would get
them. When Prosser was reached Scott
and his companions found five men
boarding freight car. Scott ordered
them to get down, which they did, when
he told Corners, who was one OF those
robbed, to pick out the two men. Con-
ners wanted them all marched to the sta
ton but Scott insisted and he pointed out
large and small man whom he said
were the ones. By this time several OF
the train crew and others gathered about
the scene and when Scott took his
eyes off the large man to locate
the other the former pulled revolver
and fired two shots, one of which
took effect in the breast of Scott,
above the heart, and the other entered
at the mouth and passed through the
head. Scott dropped dead and all the
other witnesses took to their heels. The
murderer then fred a shot or two
more, one of which struck w. F.
Edwards in the right side, and then he dis.
appeared in the gathering darkness. Ed
wards was brought to the hospital in this
city for treatment. His wound is Sc.
we're one, but is not thought to be dam
gerous. He claims Indiana as his home,
and was beating his way back.
When the news of the murder was re-
ceived in this city, where the murdered
man had many friends, feeling ran high
and there were frequent expressions ad-
vocating summary punishment on the
lawless hobo element. Sheriff Tucker
and posse of deputies left for the scene
the next morning, and many men were
dispat ched from Prosser looking for the
fugitive. He is described as large man.
with pronounced scar around that part
of the neck under the chin, and gener-
ally wears handkerchief IN an attempt
to cover it. A reward of $500 has been
offered by the county for his capture, and
other rewards aygregating $4,000 are said
to be out. The country is being thor
oughly secured, but at the time OF The
HERALD's going to press no definite clue
had been obtained of his where abouts,
although there are many rumors which
are being chased down.
This morning Sheriff Tucker returned
with Carey Harlow, who was captured
by two young m en- Eamed Reid and Car
penter, while making his way across the
Horse Heaven country. He admits to
having been with the murderer and had
a hand in the hold-up, but says that his
companion held him up in turn, and that
at the ii me of the shooting he, too, fed
and knows nothing further of his crimi-
nal associate. Harlow made no resistance
and bad neither money, gun or even a
knife when arrested.
| w. w. Scott was a Mason, and dele
CATION of Masons left this city on Tues
day and, after the inquest, took charge OF
the body and buried it at his home in
kiona with the customary services of
the order.