Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-29
GREETS KINDLY,
THEN MURDERS
His PROSECUTOR
HOLDS VICTIM RESPONSIBLE
FOR HIS DISBARMENT
BARS COUNSEL REFUSES TO AID
REINSTATEMENT
Dlsgraced Lawyers Third Shot Proves
Fatal-Stenographer Sees Assassin
Draw Revolver, but Is Speech
less from Fright

nORTLAND, Ore, Nov. 28-With the
words. Hello, Ralph" as his salu
Il tation, ]. A. Finch this afternoon
walked into the private office of Ralph
B. Fisher, chairman of the grievance
committee of the Oregon State Bar as
sociation, and, giving his victim but
time to partly turn his head, he shot
Fisher dead
Finch was suspended recently from
practicing law for having appeared in
court In an intoxicated condition and
for having forged the name and no
torial seal of his law partner to an
affidavit.
Fisher, as chairman of the grievance
committee, had prosecuted Finch.
Finch, it appears, had been seeking
to be reinstated Professionally, the pro-
vision being he be allowed to practice
as long as he committed no unprofes-
sional act.
He had sought Fishers signature to
his petition, and the prosecutor had
refused to sign the document.
This afternoon Finch went to Fishers
office in the Mohawk building and,
passing rapidly through the outer room,
entered the private office of his victim
AS he passed her desk Miss Vera
Burkhart, Fishers stenographer, no
ticed Finch draw a revolver, but the
girl was so frightened she made no out
cry.
AS Finch entered the private office he
hailed Fisher with: Hello Ralph!"
and before the attorney could turn his
head fully Finch raised his weapon
and fired three shots. Fisher was hit
twice. The first shot, it is believed,
struck him in the back of the head
and inflicted a flesh wound; the second
missed it's mark and shattered win
cow pane, and the third struck Fisher
in the right temple.
Fishers head dropped on his desk,
where a few seconds later he was found
to be dead, his. head lying in a pool
of blood.
Replaces His Weapon
Finch replaced his weapon in his hip
pocket and walked out of the office to
the elevator. Here his way was barred
by DR.. H. f. Leonard and Chester "
| Dolph, another lawyer, who with
number of other persons came running
into the hall. attracted by the belated
screams of the frightened stenographer
and the reports of the revolver.
AS DR.. Leonard grappled with Finch
the latter attempted to again draw his
revolver, but the weapon was Wrested
from his grasp by Dolph. Others also
seized the man and held him until the
arrival of the police.
Finch was taken to the police station,
where 1t is said he denies having seen
Fisher at all today and processes to
know nothing about the shooting.
Fisher was 2S years old. He was
married and had a young son. He
studied law and was admitted to the
bar at Troy, Idaho, coming to Portland
four years ago.
Mrs. Fisher is a daughter of Thomas
Kay, the woolen manufacturer of Sa-
lem, Ore. Fisher was awaiting his
wife's arrival when he was shot, and
Mrs. Fisher walked unexpectedly into
the office as the coroner was removing
the last vestige of the crime.
The unfortunate woman was over
come by the CHASTITY spectacle she be-
| held and is Frustrated.
Fisher had prosecuted several lawyers
for unprofessional conduct since he as
sumed his office, and was the lawyer
who drafted the resolution of sympa-
thy which the Bar association sent to
Mrs. F. ]. Heney.
Formerly a Reporter
Finch is 3S years old. Several years
as reporter at Albany, Ore, he
studied law in spare moments About
eight years ago he secured admittance
to the bar and located in Salem, re
moving to this city shortly atterward.
He is in partnership with G. II. Pig"
gott.
Finch was suspended from practice
on an original charge of appearing in
court while intoxicated. While the ac-
ton was pending before the supreme
court a supplemental charge was filed,
accusing him of forging his partners
name and notarial seal to a pension
claim The supreme court on the show
ing made by the Bar association sus-
pended Finch for year
Since then he and Piggott have been
circulating petitions for his reinstate-
ment.