The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-17

Murderer Is w. G. Stratham, Who
Escaped to Nevada With Posse
of Officers on His Trail.
DRUNK WHEN He FIRED
TWIN FALLS BOOMING THESE
DAYS.

Twin Fails, March 1e.-Frank Tus-
asena, an. Italian Iaborer employed by
Corey Bros, contractors on-the high
line canal, was shot and mortally
wounded by ". g. Stratham Conn
monty known as George George
during the noon hour on Tuesday at
the contractors camp on Cottonwood
creek The wounded man was brought
TO Twin Falls, where he died at :
o clock Wednesday morning. Stratham
appropriated one of the best horses in
the camp and fled He stopped at Rock
Greek long enough TO steal a saddle
and bride and then headed south. He
was tracked by Deputy Sheriff Ram
say on Wednesday to a point not far
north of the Nevada line, and it is
supposed that he is now in that state.
Sheriff Hansen is after him, and the
officers at all points in Nevada where
he is likely to appear have been nOti-
fed to watch for him.
Stratham was very troublesome when
intoxicated and had frequently been
arrested in Twin Falls. He was drunk
on the day of the crime, but sufficiently
sober to know what he was doing 1t
is customary for the foreman at the
camp TO call out "All OUT at 1 o'clock
I'm the afternoon. few minutes before
that hour, Stratham, who had been
reclining in his bunk, picked up his
revolver and announced that if the
foreman called "Au OUT at I o'clock
he would shoot him Nobody paid
much attention to the threat as Stra-
than was very bombastic when in
liquor. At / o'clock the foreman called
"AIl out" as usual. Stratham jumped
from his bunk, revolver in hand, and
walked out of the tent, declaring his
intention to shoot the foreman. TuS-
kena was standing just outside the
door, leaning against a guy rope. You
were drunk last night, you dago, said
Strathem to .Tuskena. The latter
protested that he had not been drunk.
ssDou't YOU lie to me-" shouted Stra-
than. shooting Tuskena in the left
breast Just above the heart. Tuskena
was less than three feet from the muz-
zle of the revolver and the bullet made
a frightful wound. passing through his
body and lodging under the skin be
hind the right shoulder.
Stratham deliberately walked over to
the stable: picked out the best horse
and made his escape, muttering threats
of what he would do TO the man who
attempted to stop him. Tuskena was
bundled into a wagon and driven hur-
riedIv to Twin Falls. The jOlting on
the rough road caused him intense pain
and he was barely conscious when he
reached the city Judge Smith OBJ
tanned from him an ante-mOrtem state
ment in which he said that Stratham
had killed him without the slightest
prOvOcatiOn-
Deputy Sheriff Ramsay started for
the camp, twelve miles distant. early
ON Wednesday morning and tracked
Stratham beyond Goat Springs. He
was unable TO follow the trail any fur
Their on account of the prevailing snow
storm and the fact that there are no
habitatiOns along the route Sheriff
Hansen picked up the trail yesterday
morning and is still in pursuit
Every incoming train brings home
geekers to inspect the state school lands
which are to be sold at public auction
In Twin Falls. on Monday, April 16
The sale viii be the largest and most
important ever held by the state, and
1t is predicted that more than S250,0o0
will be realized. The proceeds viii be
turned into the public school fund, and
loaned out TO school districts, the in
Ierest reverting to the fund and being
divided among the school districts
pf the state, pro rata Fourteen thou
sands acres will be sold, of which ll,0OO
are under the canal system.
State lands are WateTed for S15.50 an
acre under the Twin Falls system, and
the minimum selling price IS so an
acre putting them on a par with the
Carey act lands. Purchasers are
obliged to buy water rights within one
year from the date of purchase or go
without them. Five years time is given
I'm which to pay for the water rights.
On lands selling for S25 an acre or less.
The payments cover a period of
eighteen years. The purchaser has six
teen years in which to pay for land
that sells for more than SO an acre
Lands adjoining some of the school
sections have recently sold at a bonus
IF more than $50 an acre. As no resi-
1ence is required on school lands and
the terms Of payment are more liberal,