The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-05-25
GOVERNOR CHAMBERLAIN
WOULD BRING CRIMINALS
TO JUSTICE.
Offers Big Reward for Lake Coun-
ty Murderer-State Will Pay
$2500-For Slayers of
Sheep $500 Apiece Is
Pledged from the
State.

Salem, May 20.-A reward of
So, 500 has been offered by Cover
nor Chamberlain tor the arrest and
conviction of the murderer of
Greed Conn, Of Lake county, who
was killed near Silver Lake two
months and half ago. :.
A reward of $500 has been Of
fered for the conviction of each Of
the men who participated in the
killing of $500 hundred sheep in
Lake county on April %.
This offer of reward is made
without express authority of law
but the governor feels confident
that if convictions should be secur.
ed and the rewards earned, the leg
islature would not hesitate to ap-
propriate money for the purpose.
Secretary of st ,te Dunbar and State
Treasurer Moore joined with the
governor in promising to lend their
aid in securing the appropriation if
the rewards should be earned.
With a view to suppressing law
lessness in Lake county, Governor
Chamberlain has had copies of the
offer of reward printed and has sent
them to be posted in different sec
tions Of that county. He has also
written letters to the sheriff and dis
trict attorney, urging them to
do all in their power to apprehend
the outlaws and prevent repetition
of the crime.
| The governor was induced to take
this acllon by lett.rs received from
prominent citizens of Lake county.
In these letters it was stated that
the men who killed the sheep threat
ened the life of any person who
tries to apprehend them or who Of
fers a reward for their conviction,
and for that reason men living in
that vicinity dare not take steps to
bring the criminals to justice. They
appealed to the governor to take
some actioo in behalf of law-abidine
people who live in constant terror
10 land where they have labored
for years to build their homes.
The governor considers it i'm.
practicable to send militiamen to
Lake county, for the desperadoes
operate in region very thinly set
tied and where it would be impossi
BILE for militiamen to capture 6
criminal familiar with every mile
OF the whoie country. The Cover
nor's hope is that this offer of re
ward will induce come person whe
has or may secure information tt
divuige the same to the end that tn,
criminals may be taken into custo
dy.
The reward would be paid to any
person giving the Information, ever
though he be an accomp plice wht
confessed.
Governor Chamberlain's letter tt
District Attorney to L. F. Conn, ,
brother of the murdered man, is a
follows:
ALTHOUGH I have been unofficial
ly advised that a condition of law
lsssness prevails in Lake county,
have believed and still believe tha
the local authorities, aided b,
the citizens of the county, ought t
find a remedy for existing evils.
have believed and still believe tha
the rigid enforcement of the law b,
local authorities will speedily pu
an end to acts of vandalism an
lawlesness. This opinion is con
6rmed by the tact that no officis
appeal has been made TO me for ez
ecutive interference.
am just in receipt, however, {
a complaint from reputable cit
zens near the place where acts {
lawlessness have been INDUCED j
who believe that greater effor
ought to be made for the apprshel
] sion of those who have been guilt
of the destruction Of property an
!, other acts of violence. From tn
\ source l learn that deadlines ha'
been established by the lawless 6
ement of the community, and Il
owners of sheep are warned by the
that if they cross the same the
. must incur the penalty of death
well as the loss Of propert
q q Threats are made that persons wi
=. undertake to discover the identi
of those who have been engaged
the destruction of property of t