The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-15
HORACE vOSS SHOT
IN COLD BLOOD
Cruelty Slain by A. 7. Day
While Talking to a
Woman.
KILLING PREMEDITATED
AND C0LD-BL00DED ONE
Slayer Now in Jail, Being Ar.
rested a Few Minutes
After Tragedy.

COIu blDbucu
tated, was committed at 40 Franklin
avenue at 1;20 O'Clock Sunday after
noon, when A. 7. Day, negro coach
man, entered lodging house and shot
to death Horace Voss, the colored Jani-
tor of the Atlas block.
The trouble which precipitated the
killing was brought on by An attack
which Day made upon an old negro
named Edwards the night previous. Ed
Day of gossiping about his private af-
fairs, and when the old man resented
the accusations Day struck him several
blows with his fists. A little later
Voss came along, and, having heard of
the attack on Edwards, took Day mild
ly to task for what be considered q
brutal and altogether unnecessary abuse
of the old man.
Day and Voss quarrelled over this
matter, and it is stated that threats
were uttered by both parties. How
ever, they separated, each going his
way, and little more was thought Of
the clash between them until Sunday
forenoon, when Day reappeared in the
avenue accompanied by Joe Ware,
colored laborer, with whom he was
heard excitedly discussing the mix-up
of the night before.
This argument between Day and
Ware was kept up until the early after
noon, the two, repairing from time to
time to Il nearby saloon. Shortly after
l clock, they came back into ths
avenue, and Day was noticed to be
more excited than ever. AT this time
Voss was in the rear room of the
lodging house at No 40 talking to Mrs.
Sarah I5rber, roomer at the place.
Ware, who is known TO have been a
friend of Voss, went into the house to
talk to him, leaving Day on the out
| isde.
Shot Dead without Warning.
Suddenly, and without warning, Day
| rushed into the house, with his pistol
in his hand. and shot Voss dead. Both
Ware and Mrs. Yarber declare that the
killing was cold blooded and altogether
| uncalled for. Voss had no weapon on
him and was not looking for trouble.
As matter of fact. he was, accord
ing TO all the information it is possible
to CLEAN, doing bis best to avoid
clash with the man who was broodiug
over their trouble OF the night before
and seeking him out with the bloody
purpose which he finally put into eXecu-
ton.
The bullet from Days gun struck
Noss in the right temple and he fell
dead across trunk, beside which he
was standing at the time Day rushed
into the room on his bloody mission.
The murderer, having done his work,
walked calmly out into the avenue and
on TO Second South and finally to Main
street. He had proceeded down this
thoroughfare TO Third South when the
officers overlook and arrested him.
Ware was taken into custody d short
time afterward and locked up to he
held as witness IN the case. Mrs.
Yarber is also being held until the in
veshgation is complete.
The body of the dead man was re-
moved TO his home. 40 Franklin ave-
nue., only few. doors from the place
where he met his death. 1t was en-
balmed by Undertaken Evans and Will
he kept AT the house where it now
lies until the arrangements for the fun
eral have been made. There Will be
no inquest,
What the Murderer Says,
To Tribune reporter who saw Day
in his cell shortly after the killing,
the SLAYER of Foss had little to say
in Justification of his act His only
excuse for the act was that he feared
Voss might attack him because Of their
quarrel OF the night before and he
had determined to "beat him to it''
He stated that his purpose In going in
TO the house was TO talk over the mat
ter of their differences with Voss and
that he had no intnntion of using vio-
lenCe He was particularly anxious that
Ware, who occupied another CELL should
be told to ''stand pat on this state
ment. When Ware was seen aud told
what Day had said, he declared the
latter TO have lied outright. 'tHe
cant make mo stand for any story
like like, - said he. He followed Voss
up to kill him aud he did kill him in
cold blood. Day was never in any lam
ger from Foss. -
The murdered man was one of the
best known colored citizens of Salt
Lake. He had long been identified with
Republican politics here and was con-
sldcred a power among the colored vot-
ers Noss was also well known in fra
ternal organizations. He was a Knight
Templar and Grand Commander of tho
local lodge of colored Odd Fellows His
death will be greatly regretted by the
colorcd people of the State and the
whole intermountain region.
Mr.. Noss was n delegate to the
church Republican convention here
Monday and made two seconding
speeches.
Day will be formally charged today
with the crime of murder in the first
degree.