The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-22
RODE Is MILES
TO KILL RIVAL
Story of the Murder of Roberts
BY crunk.
JEALOUSY PROMPTED CRIME
BOTH MEN AT ONE TIME LOVED
THE SAME WOMAN.

There is a sufficient quantity Of
jealousy, a tinge of romance and sew
eraI enactments of wild and woolly
west" episodes back of the murder
charge which has been preferred
against Felix Grunk, to make his ease
one of more than usual interest. And.
added to those essential qualities for
a good story or a book which appeals
to the heart. is the possibility of legal
action 10 ascertain who is justly en-
titled to the $500 reward for the cap
ture of Crunk, who is now in the coun-
~ jail.
The interesting features in the case
did not come to light until Sheriff
Edwin Amick of Rio Blanco county,
Colorado. arrived in the city yesterday
to take his prisoner back TO Meeker'
the scene of the killing
A Woman Caused the Crime.
When Crunk is incarcerated in the
Rio Blanco county Jail he will find his
cousin, Luther Cannon, aged y, walt
ing trial as an accessory to the crime.
It was a crime, according TO the story
of Sheriff Amick, that startled that
section of western Colorado. whlch mas
long since become accustomed TO deeos
of violence and the taking of human
life in revolving manner ana under
peculiar conditions.
Crunk is a married man, and there
bv hangs the tale. The woman IN the
case, it is said, was responsible for
the taking of life in most cold-Dloodeu
way. 1t was accompanied Dy dasn
OF true western life, followed by an
exhibition of brutality seldom wit
messed.
Roberts. the man who was killed,
and Crunk. both laid siege to the heart
of the present Mrs. Crunk, the sheriff
says. For a time it was not known
which of the suitors would be looked
upon as the favored knight in the eyes
of the young Colorado woman. In the
due course of time Crunk began re-
Ceiving the most favors, and later the
young woman gave him her heart and
hand.
They left the place where they were
married. only to be followed by Rob
erts who, it seems, still loved the
woman who preferred the other man.
Crunk learned Of the action of Rob
erts and they had quarrel over the
matter Hot words ensued and threats
were made.
Found Enemy in a Saloon.
The day the tragedy occurred Rob
erts was in Meeker and Crunk dozen
or fifteen miles away. The persistency
of Roberts in following him and his
wife so enraged Crunk, It is said, that
ed the assistance of his cousin, Can
non, who. it is claimed. while he did
not actually participate in taking the
the life of Roberts, could have pre-
vented the commission of the crime by
giving a timely warning.
Accompanied by his cousin. Crunk
started on his long overland journey
to Meeker. En- route he passed an In
dian. to whom he impaired the in
formation that ne was on a mission
which would probably terminate in a
murder
When Meeker was reached it did not
take Crunk long to locate Roberts in
a saloon. To it the two men went
without any hesitation. AS they en-
tered the saloon they drew their re-
yolvers and demanded:
Killed in Cold Blood.
Hands up!'
In an instant every occupant of tn,
saloon, almost a dozen men, including
Roberts. complied with the order, a
the same time looking down into tht
barrel OF several revolvers OF a largl
caliber.
without any further words Crunl
walked over to where Roberts wa
standing and, placing his revolver be
hind Roberts ear, blew off the bacl
part of his head. With a groan whicl
could be heard ali over the room, ant
which sent a shudder through the hear
of every man who witnessed the deed
Roberts sank to the floor, and PARTIAL!
rolled under a table near which he wa
standing at the time he was shot.
Before the muscles of the dead maj
had a chance to relax, Crunk leane'
over the inanimate form and, with
deliberateness born of insane jealousy
prompted further by a spirit of revenge
fired three or four additional bullet
into the head and body of his victim.
Throughout the enactment of the ter
ribe deed, Cannon, ii is said, stOOl
near the door through which he an,
his relative entered, erect as an Indian
never once taking his revOlvers from
the range Of the men who stood facini
them.
Detected by Conductor.
When Crunk had satisfied himseI
that Roberts was dead, he walked I
tho saloon door. followed by his cousin
Together they went out into the street
ran to clump of bushes where the