, 1906-04-17
ONE NEGRO SHOOTS ANOTHER AT
NOON AFTER QUARREL OVER
RETURN OF TWENTY
FIVE CENTS.
Dead Man Had Borrowed Sum From
Other for Purpose of Buying
Brandy to Be Taken as Medicine
Slayer Was Principal Witness for
State in Prosecution of Henry
Clay for Murder of Gerber.

George McCloud, the principal wit
ness in the trial of Henry Clay here
for the murder of George Gerber more
than a year ago, the negro to whom
Clay told of IAN easy mark in Lar
annie" if he would come and help "do
the job" shot and instantly killed an
other negro at loon yesterday, on the
main street of Hanna, and was imme-
diately placed under arrest by Deputy
Sheriff Ed McAtee, who was so quickly
on the ground that McCloud, had he
so desired, could not have gotten
away. The details of the killing
reached Laramie last night and were
impaired to a representative of The
Republican by a gentleman who was
in Hanna at the time and talked with
eye witnesses of the killing.
Quarreled Over a Quarter.
McCloud and his victim, Henry Ma
son, are both miners employed in the
mines there. Mason has been i'll most
all winter and had been able to work
only at intervals. His finances had
run to a low ebb, and to buy some
brandy he needed as medicine he Dor
'rowed % cents from McCloud. 1t was
over the return of this sum that tile
men quarreled yesterday, the shooting
resulting. Just what threats, if any,
Mason made against McCloud is not
known. McCloud told Mason that if
the money was not repaid he would
kill him.
Secured Two Guns.
According to the story of the eye
witness as related to the Laramie
gentleman, McCloud went into a near
by house and came out with a shotgun.
Finding the gun empty, he put it to
one side and went into another house,
knowing the owner of the house a
a loaded gun and that he was in the
mines, and when he returned he was
armed with a Winchester rifle. The
two met in the street, and just as
Mason made a grab for the muZZle of
the gun McCloud fired, the muzzle
being but a few inches from the 9th
er's side. The ball entered the man
on the right side, ranging slightly up
ward, penetrating the heart and COM
| lIlS OII ulIIel lle ICll II 4idooh lSi
without a groan and was dead in
stantly.
Sheriff on the Scene.
Sheriff McAtee was quickly on the
scene and took charge of the slayer
of Mason. The man as soon as he had
fired the shot asked nee to take
the gun from him and made no at
tempt to use it again. He did not
conceal the fact that he had killed the
man, but he protested that Mason had
threatened him and that it was Ma
sons life or his own. Coroner Ben
nett was notified of the killing and
arrived at Hanna from Rawlins on
train No. 6 last night. 1t is probable
that he held an inquest today, although
The Republicans informant left for
home on a later train, arriving here
after midnight.
Was Good Witness in Laramie.
McCloud was one of the strongest
witnesses for the state in the prose
cution of Henry Clay for the Gerber
murder. He told of Clay approaching
him and intimating that he knew of
some easy money in this city and
asked McCloud to join him in the raid,
The latter refused and later appeared
against the accused. He has borne a
good reputation in Hanna and some
sympathy was expressed for him in
his trouble. How far he can &c
toward establishing a self-defense plea
was not made manifest yesterday. The
negro population of Hanna was divid.
ed in its friendship for the two men
and while McCloud has many friends
the dead man, too, has many, and it ia
difficult to analyze the sentiment OF
the community.