The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1909-06-24
Frank Armstrong is Shot
Down by VIM. Westmoreland

y
Tuesday evening about seven o'clock,
VIM. Westmoreland shot and killed
Frank Armstrong The two shots from
the gun sounded loud and clear in the
quiet evening air and in few
minutes IL was generally known ever
Guymon that a tragedy had been en-
acted
The facts are few and simple and the
Democrat will endeavor to report them
as clearly as possible, yet without pre-
judce or coloring OF any kind.
On Tuesday evening the city marshal
noticing that Frank Armstrong was in
t1xicated, told him to take his dray
wagon and team and hurry on home.
For some reason Armstrong stopped at
Westmoreland's home, two blocks west
OF the First National Bank, .and went
into the yard Whether he went di-
rectly to the back door or not, no eye
witness can tell, but at any rate, in
snort time he stepped upon the back
porch and was probably at the door,
about to open the screen and enter,
when Westmoreland, who was un-
dressed and had been in bed, fred two
shots through the screen with an auto
matte shot gun. The two shots took
effect just below the lower ribs on the
left side, tearing open big wound /,
being fired so close together they took
effect in almost the same place. Arm
strong cried out so as to be heard sever
al blocks, "Oh-oh-oh % and as the
first witnesses ran up was falling to
his knees and down onto the porch
loor. He was never conscious after
this, and although Doctors Langston
and Hayes did all possible, he died in
about twenty minutes.
Westmoreland went cody back to
bed, and answering phone call from
Billy Bell gave him permission to come
up and come in. Marshal Farr and
Deputy Sheriff Lemon were on the
scene in few r'inutes and placed Mr.
Westmoreland under formal arrest ,and
since then he has been carefully
guarded at his home, being unable, be
cause of his illness, to be removed tt
the county Jail.
Such are the facts of the killing
As to what led up to it nobody knows
4 few days ago Westmoreland wa
heard to say that Armstrong had no
only failed to pay him for wha
whisky he had bought from him, bu
would come to his house on pretens,
Of visiting and "swipe" it, and tha
the next time he showed up there he,
shoot him. Armstrong very hkel.
stopped with the idea of getting liquo
and Westmoreland made good hi
threat.
Just how much Of liquor join
Westmoreland' home was, just no,
guilty he is and just what the justif
cations are, this paper does not aim t
discuss. The man must stand trial b.
II jury OF his peers and they only, ma
decide what punishment, If any, shal
. be meted out
One of the most pitiful sights tina
one could witness, was the arrival @
Mr.. Armstrong; wife on the scene
? She seemed for moment to hard
: realize what had occurred and whe
she did begin to realize the awfu
, truth, she begin to cry out for pei
mission to see the man that did tn
killing, She said that she had neve
seen him, but had heard of him, tina
he had wrecked her husbands life an,
her happiness by selling him whisk
and now had murdered him. Ma
God have mercy on this good woma
and her children. May he give com
fort to the aching hearts of a lovin
father and mother, who, no matte
what their son may have done, sti
loved and cherished him.
1t is To be hoped that this awful oc
currence may to some extent chec
the traffic in liquor, which seems {
have been going on in spite of despei
ate efforts to stamp bit out and ma
: this gl"om which has been cast owe
many homes and the whole town q
Guyman only result i'm better things :
Guymen npmOcrat