The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-08-08
MANIAC DID DEADLY work.
Moscow's EXCITING SUNDAY

William SteYen shot DR.. w. w. Wat
kins With Fatal Results-Ofncer
Cool Seriously. wounded--Fusitive
Reached His Mothers House.
Moscow. Idaho, Aug. 5.-About s: 80
Sunday morning William Stefeen,
while apparently insane. shot and In
stantly killed DR.. W. w. Watkins,
moment later shot Georgs 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. a 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. Steflen ran
to his mothers house in which he took
refuge. and for two hours held q
crowd Of more than 50 men armed with
rifles at bay. Finally the crowd made
a rush on the house. and on entering
found Stehen's dead body lying on the
floor In m 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, whore he
had been shot through the left breast,
inhicting an almost instantly fatal
wound.
From all that can be learned, the
shooting was entirely unprovoked. The
shooting Of DR.. Watkins was witnessed
by number of ladies'. Mrs. w. A.
Simpson. who saw the shooting, states
that about $3.50 she noticed DIR. 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 loud voice.
DR.. Watkins pulled up his horse and
began to speak to Steifer, when the
latter presented a 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 a gallop down the street. The
shots and the doctors scream were
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. It 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 " 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,
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 buildins, Cool and
Steffen met, and the latter shot the
oficer twice. the first bullet striking
the left shoulder. and 1t h thought
lodged under the shoulder blade. Az
Cool was falling Stefien 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 ofncer four
times. missing him. while Collins took
several shots ut Ste4en, with equal lack
Of success. The sheriffs 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
o: mile.
The house in which Steflen had taxi
en- refuge, was quickly surrounded
while Sheriff Collins sent in for rides
and more men. Within an hour there
were at least nifty men about the place,
all armed with rides. and an attempt
was made to advance in body. Stef-
fen then began shooting. the bullets
passing within close proximity to the
heads Of many Of the sheriaf's posse.
Although the posse was driven back
to a distance of four or Ave hundred
yards. for time Steffen continued his
fusillade. which was replied to by many
Of the posse and 1t Is thought that at
least 200 shots were fred at the house. +
After time. no further firing being |
observed from the house, part Of the
posse were formed into q charging