Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-04
SHOOTING OF AGtNT WALKER
CHIEF WILKIE PRoNoUNcEs IT
coLD-BLooDED MURDER.
Arrest of the Culprit, Who Claims
That He Fired in Self Defense.
Rigid Inquiry.

Joseph A. Walker, secret service agent,
was killed yesterday at Durango. Col.
Chief Wtlkie OF the secret service re-
celved telegram announcing the death
of Mr.. Walker. About ten months ago, at
the request of the Department Of Justice.
Mr.. Walker was assigned TO land fraud
cases in Colorado and New Mexico. He
had been working upon these a long time.
especially on some cases near Durango.
where coal lands supposedly belonging to
the government had been fled on as axri-
cultural lands by alleged home steaders,
who promptly turned these over to coal
companies Mr.. Walker was at work on
one OF these cases when shot down
Mr.. Walker was In charge of the Denver
district OF the secret service and was re-
garded as one of the ablest and brightest
men in the service
Cold-Blooded Murder.
Chief Wilkie said this afternoon:
Late advices from Agent L. c. Wheel
err who is in charge of the land fraud in.
vestigations, with headquarters at Denver,
indicate that the killing of Joseph A.
Walker near Durango, Sunday morning,
was cold blooded murder. Walker had
gone out to the mine with three assist
anus, Agents Chapson, Harper and CAL
iaghan. His three companions had de-
scended into the mine by a rope, and
were engaged for some time in mea surin9
the coal vein, this proceeding being a nee.
essary part Of the preparation of certain
OF the cases which were coming I'D for
tr1al at the December term of court
wnen they had finished their inspection
ana were ready to return to thu surface
they found that the rope by which they
mad descended had been united and
cropped down into the shaft. They sue
e Gee o IN clambering up, the timbers in
found Walker lying dead, having been
shot on the LETT side Of the neck and in
the back on the left side with heavy
charges of shot. The body was trans
certained that two men, named William
T. Mason and Joseph vanderwieda. had
surrendered themselves to the sheriff. and
that Vanderwiede admitted having done
that he shot in self-defense
His story was that he and Mason were
out hunting near the mine; that Walker
ordered them to throw up their hands,
and that when they refused to do so fred
at them. and Vanderwiede firing in re-
turn, killed him instantly. The mine un-
der inspection. which was known as the
Hesperus. was one of the Porter Fuel
Company's properties, now owned by the
PACIFIC Railway Company. Mason Is en-
ployed by the Pacific Railway Company
and Vanderwiede Is a miner for the Por-
ter Fuel Company and an owner of q
boarding house In Durango
Agent Walker had conducted an in
vestisation which resulted in the indict-
ment Of the oficers Of the company and
Mason. who had been a witness in the
cases at Denver. was known personally
to Walker. and also knew Walker well.
The agents. who have been conducting
these land fraud investigations. including
Walker, have been threatened with bodily
harm at various times. and efforts have
been made to discourage them In heir
work. The United States attorney and
Agent Wheeler left Denver Sunday night
for Durango, and three special agents are
on the ground at Durango making a
rigid investigation OF the affair. The in
quest will probably be held Wednesday.
An Efficient Officer.
Joseph A. Walker was formerly private
secretary to Secretary Of the Navy Chan
dler under the Arthur administration. and
private secretary to Assistant Secretary
Hugh S. Thompson in the Treasury De-
:artment under Secretary Manning In
.SSS ne was appointed to the field force
# the secret Sc vice division, with head
.uarters at Denver, and for a number
f years has been in charge OF that dis
riot. He was an exceedingly efficient
officer, "a man of quiet and unoberusive
manner a total absrainer and an ofi-
ar who always succeeded In bringing his
.ases to successful conclusion without
experiencing any serious trouble.
He had had a legal training; had been
admitted to the bar. and was particu-
!arly valuable man in cases involving le-
gal complications and technical questions
He was ffty-two years of age. He leaves
a widow and one son, The Department
of Justice. the Interior Department and
he Treasury Department are eually In
terested in the punishment of the per-
sons responsible for Walkers assassina-
| ZION and are determined that their repre-
sentatives engaged upon this and similar
investigations shall receive ample protec-
ton while engaged upon their official du-
| ties