The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-07-14
MR. DURFEE HAS
NARROW ESCAPE.
PART OF EAR TORN OFF BY A
CHARGE OF 6ucK-sHoT.
ATTACKED BY ANGRY NEGRO.
Mr.. Durfee Returned the Fire and Hit
His Assailant in Each Arm
Ellis is Now In the
County Jail.

| -
the scene of shooting affray about
four o'clock Saturday afternoon in
which Clarence Durfee, son of w. A..
Durfee, well known Mahaska mine
operator, and manager of the mines,
came near losing his life, and in
which colored miner, ]. f. Ellis,re-
ceived two bad flesh wounds and had
an equally narrow escape. Ellis shot
Durfee while the latter was engaged
in paying off the miners on the semi
monthly pay day. Durfee fired three
shots at his assailant, two Of the
balls taking effect in the anatomy of
the negro. Ellis was arrested about
eight o'clock by Sheriff Ed Valentine
and Deputy Nick Moore, who were
summoned to the place soon after the
shooting, and the man is now lodged
in Jail. Durfee came to this city for
medical attention, as part of his ear
had been shot away.
Saturday afternoon was the regular
pay day at the mines. Manager Dur
fee was engaged in paying off the
employees of the company and the
store building was crowded at the
time. 1t appears the man Ellis had
been disturbing element in the Dur
fee camp and his services had been
dispensed with. He had secured en-
ployment at Bolton, so it is said, but
had returned to Durfee to get what
was coming to him. He appeared at
the pay Office in the afternoon while
the other miners were receiving their
pay and asked settlement. Coal
companies have a rule that If a man
shall leave their employ while he is
occupying one of the company
houses, he shall not receive the
amount of wages due until ne has
vacated the companys property. Mr.
Durfee refused settlement with the
negro on the ground that he had not
left the companys property. Ellis
demanded his money in terms more
forceful than elegant and left the
company offices in a great rage, swear
ing that he would collect the money
coming to him. He went away for O.
time and secured shot gun. Re-
turning to the Office of the coal com.
pany he entered the room, and just
what occurred is not clear at this
time, but the affair ended in Ellis de.
liberately leveling the shot gun at
| Durfee and pulling the trigger. The
| charge went just to the side of Dur
fees head. 1t filed his face with pow
der and some shot and took off the
| upper part of the left ear. 1t was a
very cose call for the mans life.
Durfee drew gun, a thirty-eight-cal-
ibre revolver, and quickly returned
the fire. He fired three shots at the
negro and two of them took effect.
the left arm, passing through the BIZ
ceps; the other ball entered the right
elbow joint and lodged there. The
colored man escaped from the build
ing before Durfee could fire more
shots. Durfee was covered with the
blood that was streaming from his
wounded ear and it was thought that
he was more severely hurt than was
actually the case. Great confusion
prevailed in the store for time.
The county officers were telephon-
ed for in this city. The negro had es.
capped, so it was reported, and Sheriff
Valentine and Deputy Moore were en-
route to the scene of trouble as soon
as possible after the word war re-
ceived by them. They had crossed
the Des Moines river at Eveland but
a short distance when they met Dur.
fee coming to Oskaloosa TO secure
the services of a physician for mis-
wounds. He stopped and told the of
ficers that the man had left Durfee
in nOrtheasterly course. Durfee
later heard of the fellow near the
Eveland bridge and by means of the
rural phone he intercepted the sher
if and his deputy and told them. that
the man was on the other side OF
them. The officers retraced their
steps and caught up with the fellow
just as he was about to leave the
read at the Tom Wilson corner and
cut across to the doctor at Bolton, sc
he informed them later When &C
costed the negro gave the name OF
Ellyson and said that he had hurt
his arm while fishing on the river
The arrest was made, however, ant
the man was searched and made tt
get into the rig. He was landed
safely in the Mahaska Jail about nine
thirty o'clock. The flesh wound i!
not at all serious, but the wound il
the arm is a bad one and is very pain
full.
The officers feel that they were
very fortunate in catching the negro
as they did. They expected that the.
would get him later, but thought h,
: would be in hiding until nightfal
and then make an effort to escape
Durfee is not badly hurt but Their,
Q is no denying the fact that he had
a very close call for his life.
n An information has been filed i
!. Squire Kendig's court charging Eli
a with the crime of assault with inten
o to commit murder. The defendan