The Colorado statesman., 1907-07-06
SKULL CRUSHED
POLICEMAN AT FORT COLLINS
MURDERED IN "JuNGLEs.p.
JOHN ALLEN FOUND DYING
Reward Has Been Offered for Appre.
hension of Murderers and Town
Is All Stirred up.

Fort Collins, Colo.-John Allen. one
OF the bravest police officials in the
state, was brutally murdered the night
of July 8 at 11:30 by thugs. lie was
picked up in an unconscious condition
and taken to the hospital his face
beaten to pulp and the whole side OF
his head crushed. The examination in.
dicated that he had been struck at
least a dozen times with a sandbag
or an iron bar. He died few minutes
after reaching the hospital without re
gaining consciousness. Allen was ap-
POINTED some six months ago to patrol
the 'jungles," suburb on the river
bottoms, where great deal of liquor is
sold. There have been numerous con-
victions of liquor dealers since his
installation in the "jungles" as police
man, and he had many enemies there
Allen entered a store on the day of
his death and examined some revol-
vers, remarking that he wanted to buy
q better gun than the one he had, as
man had threatened to do him up
and he wanted to protect himself.
AS soon as the report of the assault
on Allen was received, half dozea
citizens, formed a posse and began a.
search OF the Jungle" and surrounding
country. A large reward will be of
fered for tie apprehension and convic-
tion of the men who killed the officer
The city officials sent representa-
tive to the bedside of Allen to obtain
from him, if possible, a description of
the man who had threatened his life,
but the injured man was in such q con-
tlit,on that he did not regain control of
his mind, and the slightest clew to his
enemy was lost. 1t is possible that he
may have told his friends something
ebout the man who made his threats TO
do him up" and an investigation is be
ing made along this line as well as the
late hour will permit.
Allen was discovered a short dis
tance from the road leading to the
Jungle" when some men heard his
moans. The alarm was given at once.
City Marshal John Ryckman and Dep
uty Marshal Hank Whitaker were
summoned. They found Allen lying on
his face with his brains oozing ont
through his skull, which had been
Erushed. They turned him over, and
had it not been for his uniform they
would not have been able to recognize
him. People living half a block from
The place where Allen was assaulted
say that they heard no outcry nor any
disturbance, other than frecracker
shooting and the shouts of people driv-
ing along the road in the darkness
Allen had no other injuries. A short
distance from where he was assaulted
is clump of bushes. Allen, in going
down to the Jungle" took thei main
road and then turned to the left down
Il side road which passes the bushes.
II is believed that the thugs We're lying
back of the bushes, and as he passed
Ly they struck him blow that rem
dered linn unconscious. Although he
was a handy man with his gun he
did not have it even out of his pocket.
One blow struck back of his head is
believed to have been the first, render
ing him unconscious.
Allen was a most popular officer of
Fort Collins and the bitter feeling.
against the Jungle" will be intensified
when the report of his dsath is spread.
1t is likely that officers will be ap-
pointed to patrol the Jungle" to
protect the inhabitants from in
row to protect the inhabitants from in
jury at the hands of the mob. If sus-
pect is captured it is likely that he
will be hurried away to some other
POINTS, as there would be danger of vio-
lence from the mob
Allen was thirty-five years of age
ana unmarried. AS far as is known
here, he leaves no immediate relatives