Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1900-06-14
A TRAGEDY.
James Collins Shot Down by
L. l.. Cooke. Result Of an
Old Feud. Cooke
Confesses.


AnHher tragedy has teen added to-
GILLIAN coonty's list tor this year. Last
Pnurs,lay morning James ColGns, who
krpt ,lpe junction House sn,s feed yaT'isr
seven lAiles this side Of Arlington was
shot aNi killed hy L, i, Cooke, n Eeigti-
.bor. TIE .S-n have had tronble lur some
time ever Il certain tract Of hHl which
both claimed, amt on the fatal morning
Collins hstt saken his moving machine
and commenced cutsiug acrop Of rye
which grew on the land. Cooke saw the
work h,sss co.rneneesi, and, arming him
self with Winchester rifle he rode 10
the beld aMd ordered Collins TO quit
work. In the altescation whiehf0llowed
Collins Was shot through the left thigh,
abont six inches above the knee the
bah shaitering the bone ami sesesing
the femoral artery. 1t would seem that
had Collins received any attention the
wound would not have necessarily pro-
ven satal bat as nothing was done to
check the flow OF blood he slowly bled to-
death, After the shooting Cooke went
to the house Of Ralph Ashpangh and
asked Ashpaugh TO go with him TO Coi-
lins' assistance, whom, he SAIL he had
found badly hurt in his ield. Ashpangh
did so, and the two men removed Collins
to his own house. He was then IN a
semi-conscious condition bot they left
! him to his fate. About twoo'clock in the
afternoon Cooke went TO Arlington and
reportetsthat Collins had been murdered,
He disclaimej any knowledge Of who did
Eit but from his manner Coroner Ruedy
suspected him and bad him placed under
arrest.
Coroaer Ruedy, with a n0mber Of citi-
zens and with Cooke in charge OF Con-
stable Sweetin, then repaired to the
scene OF the tragedy and began an in
vestigatioR. A jury was eDpaneled and
Cooke and Mr.. and Mrs. Ashpaugh were
examined separately. Cooke testified
that he saw stranger haul Collins TO
This house and carry him inside afser
which he drove away towards Arlington.
/ That he went to see what was the mat
ter and found Collins nearly unconscious,
gave him drink OF water and left him.
1 Went back at noon and found him dead.
I Ashpaugh testified that he helped Cooke
l take Collins to the house but that he
/ heard no shots and did not know how
Collins was hurt. Mrs. Ashpaugh was
then placed on the stand and she testi-
/ fed that she and her husband heard
three shots and they remarked that per-
/ hape Cooke and Collins were having
trouble. Ashpaugh was again brought
in and upon being confronted with his
wife's statement be admitted that Cooke
killed Collins. Cooke was again brought
in and upon being shown the statements
OF both the Ashpaugh's he broke dowr
and confessed the murder.
The coroner's jury returned . verdict
of murder in the first degree.
] On Saturday Cooke was given pre-
liminary hearing before Justice Of ths
Peace Ebi, at Arlington--S. A. D. Cur
lev appearing for the state and Judge A
S. Bennett, OF the Dailes. for the defense
After hearing the evidence the jnstie'
took the matter under advisement unti
Monday at l0o'clock am. at which tim'
Cooke was held without bail to the cir
cult court. Nothing new in the way o
evidence developed in the preliminary
trial more than was brought out at th'
coroner's inquest, the substantial tact'
OF which are given above. Sheriff vii
COX went down Saturday morning to lool
after the matter and at the close of th'
preliminary hearing Monday morning
. that official touk charge Of Cooke an'
brought him to Condor, where he is nov
lodged in the county Jail.
A--