The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1900-10-26
KILLED WRONG MAN
An Infuriated Piend Shoots Innocent
Man in Cold Blood Near
Ashton.
BndeaVored to PaCify Two Men In
a Quarrel and Was Shot for
His Trouble.
The Murderer Made Ills Escape From
the Presence Of Six or
Eight Men.
AN ATROClOUS MURDER.
A Peacemaker in a Fight Was Killed
by a Participant for His In
reference Near Ashton.

reference Near Ashton.
Saturday evening The CAPITAL
editor went to Ashton to remain over
Sunday and on arriving about 8 o'clock
found the citizens of that place
thoroughly excited over murder
which had been committed but few
hours before. 1t was one of tho most
atrocious and uncalled for murders ever
committed in the state and the people
were thoroughly aroused in their efforts
to capture the guilty wretch and mste
out to him the punishment he deserved.
In the afternoon a threshing crew
was in town ard two members of it,
John Wilson and VIM. Nash, had soma
trouble that took no serious turn until in
| the afternoon. The crew went to q
farm four miles northeast of town, near
| the Jim river, to do some threshing
| and there continued the quarrel.
Nash fearing that Wilson would COM
NIT some rash act went into the house
and secreted himself, while Wilson
stalked around the yard with shotgun
in his hand to find Nash and even up
the SCORE OF disagreement between
them. A man by the name of Nc.
Names, and member of the threshing
crew, sought to pacify Wilson and en-
deavor TO have him lay down his gun
and at distance of 40 feet spoke to
Wilson, walking toward him at the
same time. Wilson threatened to shoot
him if he came any closer, but Nc
Names not believing that Wilson was
serious kept advancing TO urge him to
!; lay down the gun. Wilson again
threatened to shoot him if he came any
closer. McMames, still urging him to
lay down the gun, walked toward
) Wilson. When within about ten feet
OF him Wilson put the gun to his
shoulder and fired, killing McMames
} instantly. The shot entered his head
: just above the eye and tore away half
of the skull, permitting the brains to
run out on the ground.
There we're six or seven of the thresh-
ers standing in the immediate vicinity
when the shooting occurred and when
l they went forward to detain Wilson
from getting away he faced the crowd
and warned them that the first man
who attempted to stop him would be
shot dead. None of the men were
armed and as it meant sure death to
interrupt his progress the men were un-
able to move a hand to arrest him.
| los ofFt ho
distance and secured more cartridges
y and then started ON a run for the river
8 near by. He went into the brush and
q was lOet to view. He was seen later in
: the evening running in an easterly
r direction. Sheriff King arrived from
. Redfeld little after dark and with a
n Nposse of armed men went to hunt the
s fugitive, each man being instructed to
shoot the murderer on sight. All day
S Sunday the search was kept up tut no
= trace of Wilson was found until late in
g the afternoon when his gun WAS found
r in a clump of bushes, evidently throw
9 ing it awav to mako better time. The
o sheriff offered re ward of SlOO for his
), capture.
4 A telegram was received at Ashton
early this morning that the murderer
n had been apprehended at Webster, and
e the officials feel pretty sure that they
s have the right man as the man under
d arrest answers exactly to the descrip-
d tion of the murderer.
:, McMames, the murdered man, lived
IS near Worthwhile, in Spink county, and
IS had q wife ard child. and was also a
l. member of the Modern Woodmen.
e Wilson, the murderer, was from
It Georgia, and it was said that he often
); bossted that he came from country
e where they used a gun to settle dis
e pute rather than their fists.