The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-01-17
KENTUCKY HAS
A DANDY TIME
Three Prominent" Citizens Dead
and Another Will Die.
THE COLONIES DISAGREE
More Heroes Added to the States Roll
Of Pane and Sensation for Mig
gers and Women to Talk.

FRANKFORT. KY, Jan. 1s. - A
shocking tragedy In which the lives Of
three prominent men were sacrificed.
and that Of a fourth hangs by a
slender thread. while two others mir
aeulgusly escaped with painful injur-
les. occurred here at o'clock today.
The principals In the tragedy were
ex-Congressman David c. colson, Of
Middlesboro. and Lieutenant Ethel
bert Scott. Of Somarset. Lieutenant
Scott was shot six times by colson
and almost instantly killed. Luther
W. Demarre. assistant postmaster at
shelbyyille, an innocent bystander,was
snot three times and died instantly.
Charles Julian, another bystander.
was shot and died half an hour later
Captain B. b. Golden OF Barbours-
vile. commemorative attorney Of
the Twenty-seventh judicial distrinct.
was shot In The back and is not ex-
pected to survive the night. Colonel
Colson himself was shot twice in the
arm. Harry McEwing. of Louisville,
was shot in the foot. and w. o. Rid
path. Of Chicago. sustained broken
leg by the llfeless form of Scott fall
ing against him as 1t rolled down the
stairway.
The tragedy is one of the most sem
sational in the history OF the state Of
dark and bloody ground"
The killing occurred in tht lobby Of
the Capitol Hotel. the principal hos
terery Of the state capital. the room
being well filled at the time with
politicians and others. who are here
attending the contests for state Off
GERS before the legislature.
Colonel Colson is in Jail tonight,
charged with murder, but he claims
self defense.
There are many conflicting stories
as to how the fight began. Colonel
Colson and a party Of friends. among
whom was De Marree.' were sitting
in the lobby engaged in conversation
as Scott ard Captain Golden came up
the stairs from the bar-room walK-
in the direction Of Colson, the latter,
it is said, half rising from his chair,
fred at Scott, who instantly returned
the fire, The shooting then became
general and bystanders are at vari-
ance as to the number engaged in it,
De Marree was standing slightly in
front of Colson and yourg Scott is
said to have crouched behind him to
ward oft the bullets from Colson's
revolver. In an instant DeMarree fell
dead, pierced by three bullets.
Captain Golden, who accompanied
Scott reeled to one side, falling into
the arms of Ex-Governor James f.
MacCreary, exclaiming Il am shot"
The smoke in the locality of the
antagonists became dense. but Colson
continued to press Scott, who re-
treated backward, shooting as he
moved.
Colson emptied all the chambers Of
a S2-calibre revolver and quickly
brought a a into action. Scott, by
this time, had been shot several
times, and as he staggered back and
fell down the stairway, Colson. who
was within few feet of him. contin-
ued to fire until the form of Scott
rolled over and showed that life was
extinct.
After the killing, Colonel Colson
ran out Of the hotel to the residence
of Chief Of Police Williams, where
he surrendered. AS he entered the
house he gasped: Il am sorry he
would not let me alone. There were
three of them shooting at me-"
Meantime the widest excitement
prevailed in the hotel lobby, Men
fell over each other in their frantic
efforts to get to places OF safety;
women tainted, and 1t was several
minutes before the awful scope Of
the tragedy was fully known.
Captain Golden made the statement
that Colson was the aggressor.