The Meeker herald., 1907-08-24

| telling OF the killing oil rpm Mcl'oW-
ell by Clarence Mathes, ut the Ma
thes ranch on Blacks gnlch, and re-
questing the presence OF the coroner |
and sheriff. Sheriff Ellison, Coroner |
and Town Marshal Montgomery re-
sponded ut once. Mr.. Gentry Went |
along to see what legal action, if any, |
would be necessary to take. The |
district attorney made n full inyesti- |
cation of The deplorable tragedy and
from him The HERALD gathers the |
following facts:
| Mcdowell had gone to the home of
Jesse Bassett, his stepfather. on Fri |
day morning, in company with Grant
Fletcher, and drew il Winchester on |
Bassett threatening to kill him, and |
Bassett came to town and made II
complaint against Mcdowell, charg-
| ing him with an assault with intent
to kill.
| On Saturday morning Mcdowell
stopped at the | V ! ranch and drew
gun on one Homer Maxim COM
manding Maxim to come, go with
him to the Mathes ranch and help
him clean up the entire bunch. How
ever, Maxim got out of going; but
Mcdowell went to the Mathes ranch
up Blacks gulch, II distance of eight
or nine miles, on horseback, and on
reaching there Clarence Mathes was
out ut the barn in company with some
of his little nephews and nieces, and
Mcdowell rode up with his revolver
| in hand and told Mathes he had come
to kill him, and as Mathes ran into
the barn door Mcdowell fired three
shots ut him, none taking effect, eX-
cept that one went through Mathes
coat sleeve. Mathes remained in the
barn for some time and thinking Me
| Dowell had gone started to come out
of the barn, when Mcdowell caught
hold of him with revolver in one
hand, and led Mathes down to the
house, telling him that he was II de
stroying angel and that he must die,
but he would give him II chance to
wash and shave himself, as he wanted
him to die clean. When they got to
the door Mathes went in ahead of
| Mcdowell and on getting inside the
house reached for his Winchester,
which was hanging to the right of the
door, turned and fired three shots at
Mcdowell, two of which took effect,
one penetrating the arm and one GO
ing through the neck cutting the Jug
lar vein, causing instant death.
These are substantially the facts in |
the case as given before the coroners |
jury, which was composed of the fol-
lowing citizens: c. f. Brown, w. b.
Hamper, Clay Montgomery, Homer
Maxim. J. w. Shepard and A. G. Ell |
lison.
A verdict was brought in COM
pletely exonerating Clarence Mathes
from blame in the tragedy.
There was no doubt in the minds of
the officials and others that Mellow
ell was temporarily insane at and
previous to the ill-fated happening |
and that he did not kill Clarence and
the entire Mathes family was only |
otherwise.
Ephriam Mcdowell was IL young
man just past % years of age, and
leaves mother (Mrs Jesse Bassett
of lower White), two sisters and two
younger brothers to grieve over his
untimeIy taking Off all of whom have
the sympathy of the community.
Clarence Mathes is one of the best |
young men in the White River valley, |
and he and his people are equally ell
titled to the sympathy of all on ac-
count of this regretablc but unavod-
able affair.
The remains were brought to town
and services held ut the Methodist
church Monday forenoon. Inter
ment took place in Highland ceme-
terry under direction of Undertaken
Holloway.