The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-04
SECRET SERVICE
AGENT KILLED
EmplOye of Hesperus Mine,
Near Durango, Colo., Shoots
Government EmpIoye.
STORIES ARE CONFLICTING
MAY BE A PLAIN CASE OF
MURDER.

Denver. Nov. S.-WOrd reached here to-
night that Joseph Walker. United States
secret service man, was shot and instant
ly killed today by an employee of the Hes
perus mine. located several miles west of
Durango Col The shooting occurred at
the mouth of the air shaft of the mine,
and is said to have been done in self-de-
tense. The Hesperus mine is owned by
the Porter Fuel COMPANY and c. c
Dorsey. attorney for the company was
notified of the killing tonight. His re-
port Of the affair which he says is trust
worthy, clearly justifies the shooting. 1t
seems that government agents nave been
in the Durango country for several DAYS
gathering evidence to be used in the pros
ecuting OF persons indicted for fraudulent
entries on coal lands
This being Sunday no work was in prog-
rcss in the Hesperus mine, and Thomas
Mason. superintendent of the mine and
Joseph Nanderwyre. an employee were
strolling over the air shaft, isolated from.
The rest or the workings man who was
standing at the m1utn of the shaft ordered
them to halt.
The miners thought ne was Joking and
qid not obey, whereupOn, according TO
DorSeys story. the man fired the hui
lei passing close to the head of Van
dcrwyre. The alter whipped out a ro-
VolVer and returned the fire, killing the
man instantly. investigation developed
that he was Joseph Walker.
Further investigation showed that 4
rope ladder had been let down into the
enlhe and this was hauled TO the surface.
some time afterward three men, all gov
eminent agents, appeared at the mine en-
trance, being unable to make exit any
other way. Dorsey SAYS there was mo rea
son Ior the secret service men entering
nc fiespefus mine. as the title to the
property is not questioned and their act
was simple trespass.
investigation Certain.
Tho three men who were down in the
mine we're John Chapson a government
geologist; T. j. Callahan speciaI auent
ana Thomas Harper of Pagosa Springs,
GOlo., an expert on coal veins Tonight
Luelan C. Wheeler, chief of the Denver
branch of the department of +ustice of
the federal government. received a re-
port OF the affair from his men at Du-
range, but is Withholding the contents
rom the public. He intimated, however.
That he would not be willing to accent
the claim that Walker was wholly To
blame for the shooting. Wheeler said
that Walker had been in the government
service for seventeen years and while he
always went armed, he never had had TO
use weapon. He also said that Wheeler
mad been In the Durango country for ten
months on government business and was
well known to everybody, particularly the
people around the coal mines Further
more. Vanderwyve was a witness at the
grand jury hearing in this city and must
have seen and known Walker, who was
also around headquarters here constantly.
The claim that they thought Walker a
stranger, therefore, was not tenable. Both
Mason and Nanderwyve were placed I'M
der arrest. coroner's inquest will be
held on the body of Walker tomorrow.
Different Story Told.
Late tonight telephone message from
Durango contained information based on
the authority OF Thomas Harper entirely
at variance with the statement coming
from the Hesperus people, Harper was
authorities. going several miles to reach
a telephone. He stated that he and his
two companions who went into the mine
did not learn of the killing of Walker
until they came out, and that ii was not
true that they came out through the
mouth of the tunnel. but that instead they
had returned to the surface by means
OF he rope ladder by which they had de-
seconded into the mine Harper also stat
ed that four bullet wounds were found in
Walkers body.
At the Jail tonight Mason IS said to
have told that Walker fired two shots
at him and had been killed by Wander
wide in defense of Mason. Harper claims
that Walkers revolver shows but one
cartridge discharged and that this was eX-
ploded in shooting at a mark yesterday.
Harper further stated according to the
dispatch. that the Hesperus people were
notified on Friday that on that day the
mine would he inspected by government
agents for the purpose of ascertaining
whether or not the boundary lines of the
company's property had been reached.
On going in the direction of the mine on
that day. the story continues, the federal
plan until today.