East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-05-19

Freewater. May 9.-(Special.)--
Last night at o'clock Grover Martin.
of Milton. shot and killed o. N. Pres
ton, near Freewater.
1t has been current rumor for some
time that Grover Marlin, who has
been paying attention to a daughter
of the man he killed, had gotten the
girl into trouble. Last night Martin
drove to the home of David Clark,
across the road from the home of o.
n. Preston.
He had been out riding with Miss
Myra Clark and had brought her from
Mr.. Kinks, where she had been work
ing. Last Tuesday Mr.. Preston came
in from his farm and it is said went
up to DR.. Futon's office. where Gro
yer Martin is employed, and demand
ed that Grover Martin marry his
daughter, since she was about to be-
come a mother, he being her seducer.
It is said that Martin promised to
marry her within a few days. When
Mr. Preston saw him out driving last
night with Miss Myra. Clark. he walk
ed down the road a few rods and cali
ed across to David Clark, who was
irrigating in front of his house.
"I wish you would send Grover
Martin out, l want to speak to him a
moment"
This morning Mr.. Clark was seen
and told the following story of the
crime to the East Oregonian today:
la, -
Mr.. Kinks. Last night she 'phoned
to us and said that she and Grover
Martin would drive down and come
to supper. They got here about
O'Clock. I was out on the lawn doing
some irrigating when my neighbor-
Mr.. Preston, called across, 4 wish you
would tell Grover Martin to come out
moment want to talk to him.
called Grover out.
"a moment later saw the two men
fighting in the road and heard some
of the women folks scream. ran out
to the road. Grover. had Preston
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 1 said to
o
"squawked." Let him up Grover
said, Wait a moment But 1 inter-
rupted him and said, Let him alone,
he has had enough and then 1 pulled
Grover off. Preston lay there, so I
took hold of his arm to help him up.
AS he sat up he picked up a stone,
and 1 said, None of that Preston
and 1 slipped my hand down his arm
and took him by the hand.
He dropped the stone. 1 helped
him up, Just as he got on his feet
heard the report of the pistol and
Preston dropped. 1 said. oh Grover
Grover said, "Mr. Clark, had to-
Mr.. West, my neighbor came run
ming out and 1 and Mr.. West and
Mrs. Preston carried him into his
home. Mr.. Preston was talking lew
when we carried him in, so 1 did not
hear what he said.'
Mr.. Clark went to the scene of the
tragedy and described how the two
men struggled and fell.
The rocks all around are spattered
with blood.
W. S. Banks who helped dress the
dead man, says that his nose is badly
broken and his chest very much
bruised. There are marks of five
heavy blows. Rev. H. C. Cleveland,
who visited the scene early this morn
ing, picked up loaded slug-shot. It
is supposed that Mr.. Preston's nose
was broken and the other bruises
made with the slug-shot.
Mr.. Preston lived about two hours,
dying at Q o'clock. There is a good
deal OF Indignation expressed by the
neighbors, as Mr.. Preston was trying
to save his daughter from shame by
having Grover Martin marry her.