The Arizona sentinel., 1901-01-09
MATT. DE VANE MURDERED
SHOT DOWN WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY
As a Peace Officer.-But Recently
 Appointed Under Sheriff.

] Last night about o'clock Under Sheriff NJ. B. De Vane was shot through the body by a hobo, and died at 10:05.
 The circumstances leading up to the murder are about as follows: About o'clock last evening three men, of the tough hobo type, went into Frank Doyle's tailoring establishment and offered to sell to the proprietor ten quart-bottles of whisky, at 9 cents 8 bottle. Mir. Doyle sized up the men, and concluding as matter of course that the liquor had been stolen, bought the ten bottles, and shortly afterward went in search of an officer. By the time he had found Officer Harry McPhaul the hobos had disappeared, and McPhaul, accompanied by Frank Doyle went in the direction the men had taken and made search for them in the vicinity of the round house, but without avail. In the meantime Mr. Moretti, of the firm of Gilroy & Moretti, discovered that case of whisky had been stolen from the front part of their saloon while his partner, who was alone attending to the wants of customers, was for afew moments in the back room. Both remembered seeing three tongh-loOking hobos sitting on the beer kegs in front of the saloon good part of the after noon. The conclusion was reached at once that these men had awaited the opportunity and taken the goods. Moret- ti then went up the street as far as The Ruby, where he found Matt DeVane, and calling him out, told him the cir cumstances, and the two proceeded south on Main street to the Sanguinetti corner, where they saw, on the opposite corner in front of the old blacksmith shop, three men whom MT. Moritti re- cognized as the ones he had noticed in front of his saloon during the after noon. Uuder Sheriff DeVane and MT. Morretti at once went over to the men and the officer said to them: "Boys, what are you doing here?" No satis- factory reply being given, Officer De- Vane said, Boys, you had better come along with me-" MT. Moretti, having suggested that the fellows be searched. Mir. DeVane said "All right, we'll search them" at the same time starting towards the men, when one of the hobos, said, ''I'm a s-of a b-if you'll search me-" and simultaneously pulling a re- volver from his inside coat pocket and fired twice rapidly at the officer. Under Sheriff DeVane fell, and the three hobos ran, after firing two more shots, and disappeared in the darkness. The wounded officer fired one shot, but with out effect. The discharge of the guns soon attracted large crowd, and when the facts were known there was deter mined talk of lynching if the guilty parties could be found and identified. In very few moments the streets were thronged with excited men discussing the terrible affair. In less than ten minutes posses were down in the rail road yards searching through box cars, and every possible place in the city where it was thought the men might be in hiding, but without success.
 In the meantime Under Sheriff De- Vane had been helped to his feet and assisted across the street where for a brief spell he rested in front of San guinetti's store. He was then assisted to Dr. Cotter's drug store where he re- ceived the attention of Dr. Cotter and Dr. Appejohn and all that was possible was done, but Matt DeVane was beyond mortal aid. He had received death wound, and only lived little more than an hour. The charge had entered the body and passed through the liver and clear through the body. He was conscious, suffering intense pain, beg ging the while for the doctors to put him out of his misery. Death relieved his suffering at 10:05.
 Hundreds of men searched the s. P. yards and box cars were combed thor oughly last night and this morning by Sheriff Livingston and posses, and four teen men were in the jail this morning as result. They were con fronted this morning by Frank Doyle and MT. Paul Moretti, who recognized three of the prisoners as the guilty ones.