Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-03-31
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
The Clayton Murder Caused by a
Scurrilous Pamphlet Issued by
the Murderer.
THE FULL PARTICULARS.

The Citizen has published several ar
ticles regarding the recent tragedy at
Clayton. Union county, in which John
r. Guyer shot and killed w. Z. Searles,
but the full particulars of the terrible
tragedy ere as follows, clipped from
the Clayton Enterprise:
Never before in its history has Clay
ton been shocked and startled as it
was Wednesday at about 12:45 o'clock.
when a perfect roar of gun reports was
heard to issue from the postoffice on
Main street. The day was a perfectly
beautiful one, and, 1t being the noon
hour, everything was as peacefully
quiet as the Sabbath, when the shoot
ing commenced. After the succession
of reports had emanated from the post
Office building, w. f. Searles was seen
to limp out of the front door and fall
just off the sidewalk, as he had re-
ceived two bullet wounds that shat
tered the bone in the right leg. Fall
ing in a sitting posture. he grasped his
pistol, a Colts As, in both hands and
fred one more shot at John Guyer, who
by this time had dispensed with his re-
volver and was entering the front of
the postoffice from behind the partition
with a Winchester in his hands. Guyer
pushed his Winchester out of the front
door twelve or fourteen inches and
fired two shots, the last taking effect
in Searles right side passing through
the liver and intestines and out
through the left side. This last was
the fatal shot. Hardly had the firing
ceased, before Mrs. Searles, who only
lived a short distance from the scene,
appeared running across the street,
and her pitiful cries and means would
A-vz d. koo " ctorA NJ
Searles was removed to his home, and
North & Charlton, but he was breath
ing his last when they arrived.
The cause of the tragedy is with
out a parallel. Evidence goes to show
that Guyer had written a pamphlet en-
titled, "Elna, or The Lady From He'll"
in which he gives a most accurate and
minute description of Mrs. Searles'
personal appearance in "Elna," the
principal character; tells of her birth
place; travels of herself and husband,
and winds up with a history of how
these people made their first appear
ance in a little border town of New
Mexico. To read the book is like wad-
ing through a sewer, being a veritable
cess-pool of slime. Mr.. Searies came
in possession of the book and went
to the postoffice with the intention of
avenging the wrong. but missed his
mark every time he fired. and was
himself killed, though he emptied his
revolver at his antagonist. Guyer was
Immediately taken in charge by the
officers and was allowed bail in the
sum of 500
wv. E. Searles, the deceased, was
born at Coldwater, Mich, August IA,
1868, and was married to Miss Ella
McKinne eleven years ago in h state
of Illinois, while he was in the employ
Of a st. Louis telephone company. He
and his wife came to Clayton five years
ago. where they nave since continu-
ously resided, and by their frugal thrift
had Just finished paying for a little
home. He was a quiet inoffensive man
who had a reputation for attending to
his W business. ard was considered
a good citizen. He leaves. besides his
wife, a mother and sister, both OF
whom reside in Michigan.
The funeral took place from the
home Thursday afternoon at 3 O'Clock.
A large crowd of people followed the
remains to the grave.
John r. Guyer has lived III Clayton
for six or eve years, where he has
been engaged in the practice of law.
He was a member of the territorial leg
islatuIe in 1899, and was appointed
postmaster at this place during the
second administration of the late Pres
ident Mckinley"