The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-05-23
MARTIN SHOT HIM
0. N. PRESTON OF FREEwATER
THE DEAD VICTIM.
Father Was Endeavoring to Force
Martin to Marry His Daughter
Was the Cause.

thursday evening Grover Martin,
dentist assistant of Milton, shot and
killed 0. N. Preston, a Freewater
farmer. The tragedy originated,
according to reports, over family
troubles, Martin having kept company
with Prestons daughter.
Last Tuesday Preston went to the
dentists office where Martin was em-
ployed and demanded that he (Martin)
marry his daughter, he being her
seducer, so it is saidss
On the evening of the tragedy Mar
Tin was at the home Of David Clark,
and Preston requested him to call
Martin out. Soon after the two men
engaged in an alteration. Martin
was on top of Preston when Clark
went to separate them. Clark gives
the following story to the East Ore
gonian:
"My daughter has been working at
Mr.. Kinks. Thursday night she
'phoned to us and said that she and
Grover Martin would drive down and
come to supper. They got here about
6 o'clock. | was out on the lawn do
ing some irrigating when my neigh
Dor, Mr.. Preston, called across, 4
wish you would tell Grover Martin to
come out moment, want to talk to
him. | called Grover out.
IA moment later I saw the two
men fighting in the road and / heard
some of the women folks scream. I
ran out to the road. Grover had Pres
ton down and was striking him some
heavy blows in the face. Preston was
very bloody and he said to me, Take
him off; take him off. said to
Grover, He's had enough. He's
'squawked. Let him up. Grover
said, Wait moment But | inter-
rupted him and said, Let him alone,
he has had enough, and then pulled
Grover off. Preston lay there, so
took hold of his arm to help him up.
AS he sat up he picked up stone, and
said, None Of that, Preston, and !
slipped my hand down his arm and
took him by the hand. He drop
ped the stone. helped him up. Just
as he got on his feet heard the report
of the pistol and Preston dropped.
said, oh Groverr Grover said,
Mr.. Clark,T had to. Mr.. West my
neighbor, came running out and and
Mr.. West and Mrs. Preston carried
him into his home. Mr.. Preston was
talking low when we carried him il
80 did not hear what he said. ("
| W. s. Banks, who helped dress the
dead man, says that his nose is badly
broken and his chest very badly
bruised. There are marks of fv,
heavy blows. Rev. H. G. Cleveland
who visited the scene early this morn
ing, picked up a loaded slingshot. /
is supposed that Mr.. Preston's nos
was broken and the other bruises mad
with the slingshot. Mr.. Preston live
about two hours.
| Friday the coroner empanneled
jury composed Of Earl A. Williams
A. M. Elan, J. v. Davis, J. +. Grad
ick, J. ID. Bennett and N. L. Manel
and they gave the following verdict:
1--WE, the jury, respectfully find tha
0. N. Preston died about 9:30 p. M
May 1s, 1905, at his residence on
mile north of Freewater, as the resul
Of pistol shot wound ON the rigl
side of tho chest close to the nipple
which was fired by Grover Marti
about 7:30 p. M, May is, 1905 nea
the home Of David Clark.
1--WE find that o. N. Preston hi
been the aggressor in this affair an
also find that the shooting was nj
committed entirely in self defense.
Saturday morning the preliminai
examination was held before JustiC
Of the Peace Miller, and Martin WI
bound over to await the action of ii
circuit court, without bail, on Il
} charge of murder.
The law firm of Peterson 81 Peterso
appeared for defendant and HALEY
, Lowell conducted the prosecution
, with the aid Of Judge kirkland I
Milton, in the absence of District A
| t..~,.ax, DIofx,a