Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1901-08-07
MANIAC DID DEADLY WORK
Moscow's EXCITING SUNDAY.
William Steffen Shot DR.. w. w. Wat
kins With Fatal Results-Offcer
Cool Seriously Misunderstanding
Reached His Mothers House.


Sunday morning William Steffen,
while apparently insane, shot and in
| stantly killed DR.. w. W. Watkins, a
moment later shot George v. Creigh-
ton in the right arm, and just few
minutes afterwards shot and seriously
wounded Deputy Sheriff w. e. Cool,
who was endeavoring to arrest him.
| He then started to ride 20 his moth
er's place, mile east of the city, when
he was halted by Sheriff Collins. Stef-
, fen shot at the officer four times, and
' finally escaped on foot, the sheriff
shooting Steffen's horse. Steffen ran
! to his mothers house in which he took
refuge, and for two hours held a
! crowd of more than so men armed with
rifles at bay. Finally the crowd made
rush on the house, and on entering
found Steffen's dead body lying on the
floor in an upstairs room. He had been
shot in the left leg below the knee,
the bones of the leg being broken. The
wound had been inflicted while Stef-
fen was down stairs, and he had then
crawled to the flight above, where he
had been shot through the left breast,
inflicting an almost instantly fatal
wound.
1 From all that can be learned, the
shooting was entirely unprovoked. The
shooting of DR.. Watkins was witnessed
by a number Of ladies'. Mrs. w. A.
Simpson, who saw the shooting, states
that about $3.50 she noticed Dr. Wat
kins driving down First street towards
the business part Of town. He had just
crossed Jefferson street when Steffen
rode rapidly up that street and called
out, Hello, Doctor!" in a. loud voice.
DR.. Watkins pulled up hts horse and
began to speak to Steffen, when the
latter presented short revolver and
shot, the muzzle of the gun being al
most against the doctors body. The
doctor gave piercing scream and Stef-
fen shot again, the doctors body lurch.
ing forward, and the buggy horse start
ing at gallop down the street. The
heard by number of people and the
horse was seen running down First
street, and was stopped near the cor
ner Of that street and Main. 1t was
found that the doctor was dead, the
first shot having penetrated the body
back of the left nipple and pierced the
heart. The second shot entered the
right temple and lodged in the brain.
AS Watkins horse ran down the
street Steffen wheeled his horse, rode
back to Second street, and then rode
east on that street. A block further
east Steffen passed George, v. Creigh-
ton, and shot at him once, the bullet
striking the right arm above the elbow
and passing directly through the arm.
Steffen then raced his horse out along
Second street for another block and
then turned into Third and continued
east on that street to the city limits,
threatening the houses along the street
with his revolver.
BY this time Deputy Sheriff Cool had
been notified, and started up Third
street in pursuit. Just after passing
the High school building, Cool and
Steffen met, and the latter shot the
officer twice. the first bullet striking
the left shoulder, and it is thought
lodged under the shoulder blade. AS
Cool was falling Steffen shot again,
the bullet striking the right hip.
Just beyond the courthouse square
Steffen was accosted by Sheriff Joseph
Collins, and running fight ensued,
Steffen shooting at the officer four
times, missing him, while Collins took
several shots at Steffen, with equal lack
of success. The sheriff's last shot
struck Steffen's horse in the hind leg,
breaking the bones. Steffen then de-
serted his horse. and ran to his moth
er's house, which was within a quarter
| OF a mile.
The house in which Steffen had TAX
en- refuge. was quickly surrounded
while Sheriff Collins sent in for rifles
and more men. Within an hour there
were at least fifty men about the place,
all armed with rifles, and an attempt
was made to advance in n body. Stef-
fen then began shooting, the bullets
passing within close proximity to the
heads of many Of the sheriff's posse.
Although the posse was driven back
to distance Of four or five hundred
yards, for time Steffen continued his
fusillade, which was replied to by many
Of the posse and it is thought that at
least 200 shots were fired at the house.
After time, no further firing being
observed from the house, a part of the
posse were formed into a charging
party, and the house was rushed, Stef-
fen's dead body being found in the
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