Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-02-18
KILLED IN A DUEL.
The Town Of Carlsbad, Eddy County,
the Scene Of a Tragedy,
GE0RGE H. RUTCHINS THE VICTIM.

George II. Hutchins, a well known
newspaper correspondent. and proprie-
tor of the Hotel Schlitz, was shot and
killed at noon today by Clabe Mer-
chant, of Black River, says a dispatch
from Carlsbad, under date of February
16. Merchant was shot first by Hutch
ins, the buiiet entering below the ribs
on the left side, and taken out near the
backbone on the right side. The affair
grew from a statement by Merchant to
the effect that Hutchins had thrown
him out of the hotel. Merchant may
recover.
The coroner's jury today found from
the evidence that Merchant entered
the hotel and walked up to the counter
in the office, saying to Hutchins:
''You are a --!" Hutchins
said: II do not want to have any
trouble with you and started out
from behind the counter, when Mer-
chant kicked him
Quick as a flash Hutchins shot, and
Merchant commenced to stagger.
Hutchins then started toward the back
door of the office, appearing to think
he had given Merchant his death
wound. but Merchant raised up and
walked after him, shooting Hutchins
in the back of the head, the bullet
coming out of the left eye. Merchant
claimed Hutchins would not give him
a room when he wanted it.
Merchant is improving and will re-
cover. The remains of Mr.. Hutchins
will be laid to rest tomorrow with Ma
sonic honors, he being a chapter men,
Der.
George II. Hutchins, the victim of
the above, was born in New York in
-S45. He went to California when
about 20, where he was employed in
the San Francisco postofice for sew
eral years, then in the Odd Fellows
bank, later in the London & San Fran
cisco bank. then became a member of
h San Francisco stock board. He
was married in 1874 to Miss Cora
Wrightman, and two children survive,
Florence and Howard. Mr.. Hutchins
was most noted as a newspaper cor
respondent, while conducting hotels
in Abilene, Sierra Blanca and Fort
Blanca and Fort Worth on the Texas
& Pacific railway. coming here from
Fort Worth in March, 1899. Since com.
ing here he has endeared himself to a
large majority of our citizens by his
whole-souled hospitality. He repre-
scented as correspondent some twenty
five papers and magazines, and the
productions of his pen in Outing and
other magazines were very enteretain-
ing. Mr.. Hutchins was a Mason and
Odd Fellow, in good standing, and
stood high in those societies.
Clabe Merchant is a gambler, hav-
ing last Saturday night Vol $1,145 at
monte. He has figured in several des-
perate encounters, among them being
the cutting and nearly killing of Hall
Herring on Black river, a few years
ago. Herring undertook to compel
Merchant to stand his share of night
guard on a bunch of cattle, and a dis
pute arose which came to blows. Then
Merchant pulled a knife and nearly fin
ished Herring. The only mar who
has eve beer known to get the best of
Merchant was Aleck Kemp, who, after
a dispute on the range here, whipped
Merchant, who Their proposed to go to
camp, get his gun and shoot it out.
Both men ran their horses to camp,
but while unrolling their bedding to
procure their revolvers were stopped
by other men.