The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-12-03
RALPH B. FL Ter
SHOT TO uEATH
KILLED WHILE AT WORK IN OFFICE
Murdered Man Well Known Here Where
He Had Relatives. Local Bar As.
ISOLATION Takes Action.

udlues n EluCU, uIsDdFr6Q attOr-
ney, while under the influence OF
drink or drugs, is In the Multnomah
county jail, charged with the murder
of Ralph Fisher, we'll known Port
land lawyer whom he killed last Sat.
urday. The murder of Fisher is not
without local interest here as the
wife of the victim Of Fineh's mad
frenszy Is sister Of g. L. Roberts Of
Hood River and his mother a first
cousin of the mother OF X. IL. Co
show. On learning Of the tragedy,
Mr.. and Mrs. Roberts went at once TO
lend their aid and sympathy to the
grief stricken wife of Fisher, who
with tabe Of few months Is left to
mourn the loss OF devoted husband
and father.
The murder Of Fisher, who is said
to have been man of fine character
aud exemplary habits as told by the
Journal Is as follows:
"Finch murdered Ralph b. Fisher
in the latter's office, 800 Mohawk
building, at 80 O'Clock Saturday
afternoon. The assassin gave bis VIC
tim no chance for his life but shot
him to death from behind as Mr..
Fisher sat at his deck. Mr.. Fisher
never even saw the man who killed
him. Finch entered the office where
Fisher and his stenographer, Miss
Verna ii. Buckhardt, were and said
hello, Ralph AT the same instant
he reached In his hip pocket and pull.
ed out the revolver which he had pur-
chased specially for his murderous
work and fred.
The first bullet struck the lawyer
at the base OF the skull. As the NOR
tally wounded man half Irse from his
chair at the impact of the bullet,
Finch fired again, but mi ssed, the
bullet breaking the plate glass OF the
window. A third time the assassin
pulled the trigger, and Mr.. Fisher fell
to the floor stone dead, bullet
through his brain. He fell half on bis
right shoulder, his legs under the
desk and partly bent. He must have
been dead before his head reached the
fiool, and he never moved again.
1.-THE murderer hesitated only long
enough to make sure that he had COM
pleted bis work, then with the smok-
ing revolver still In his hand, left the
office and ran down the corridor to
the elevator, which he entered at the
same time as did Miss Burkhardt, the
stenogIapher who had witnessed the
crime and who, frightened almost In.
to Mysteries, had fed from the room
| with the sound OF the shots eohoing
In her ears.
"it does not appear that Finch had
any definate plan of escape other than
merely to run away from the scene of
his crime. But he got no further
tLan the head of the stairs, for Dr..
Ii. Il. Leonard, whose office is near
that of the murdered man and who
had heard the shots and the screams
of Miss Buckhardt, ran out into the
| corridor and seeing Finch running
down the hall, realized that the man
had committed some crime, and ran
after him.
Gas he laid his hand ON Finch to
hold him, the murderer reached for
his pocket to draw the revolver again.
but at this instant Cester v. Dolph ran
out OF his law Office and seized Finch's
arm. ID. Leonard and MIR. Dolph sue.
ceeded in wrestling the gun from
Finch's grasp and led him back down
the corridor toward the door of the
man whom he had slain.
1.-The police we're Immediately noti-
fled by DR.. John Davis that man
had been shot, though when be tele-
phoned, DR.. Davis did not know who
1t was. Officer Casey, Patrolman
Thorpe. Harms and Leisy and Detec-
tive Tichenor arrived within few
minutes and took charge of the mur.
derer, who was being held by DR.. X.
Kelly, DIR. W. A. Roberts and Mr..
Dolph. Finch was taken into the
room where his victim lay dead upon
the floor, his head in thickening
pool of blood, and allowed to view
his work. But he expressed no re-.
gret at what he had done, took no in
terest in the body of the man whose
vigorous and useful life he had few
minutes before snuffed out. His only
thought was for himself.
!" Send for the sheriff, send for the
sheriff, he implored, evidently fear.
ing that the wrath OF the crowd
might demand his summary punish
ment for the oowardly murder"
The motive which prompted Finch
to shoot Fisher is said to be on ac-
count of the fact that the latter who
was prosecutor for the tar association
of Portland instituted the proceedings
that caused his disbarment from prao-
ticing his profession.
The assassin's law partner, Q. III.
Piggott, who will represent Finch In
court, declares that the direct cause
of the shooting was the breaking of
faith by the dead prosecutor in an
agreement between him and Finch
concerning the prosecution of the dis.
barment proceedings against the lat
ter. Mr.. Piggott furthermore ex.
pressed the opinion that Finch was
not in his right mind and had been
, in dazed condition for sevelal days
prior to the tragedy.
At meeting of the Hood River
County Bar Association held Monday
i the following resolutions we're adopt
ed in connection with Mr.. Fishers
, tragic death.
Whereas, Mr.. Ralph b. Fisher, late
, of Portland, and worthy member Of
, the bar of this state, has become the
victim of a cowardly and vicious as
. sassin; and
Whereas; the apparent reason fol
such unprecedented and cowardly
: deed was that the deceased had the
I courage of his convictions and dared
l to stand for the right:
l Whereas, the state has been depriv
] ed of useful citizen; wife and
L child have been deprived of an affec
9 tionRte husband and father, and th'
] Bar of the State of Oregon, Of just
: conscientious and able member
Now therefore, be 1t resolved by tn
y Hood River County Bar Association
r That this association does deeply de
y plore this cowardly and unprovoke'
D assassination of an official for tn
U honest discharge of his duty;