Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-03-08
FATAL end TO QUARREL
LARNEY TOM KILLS JEFFREY
WACHENo AT GRAND RONDE.
Indians Engage in Drunken Row Over
Ownership of Horse and
Tragedy Follows.


AS in the days when the notorious
of the Upper Yamhill and contributed
it's share to the solution of the Indian
problem, booze still plays a leading
part in thinning the ranks of the
wards of the Government on the
Grand Ronde reservation. The results
formerly brought about by red whis-
key of the fieriest and fightingest sort
are now accomplished quite as thor
oughly and effectually by overindul-
gence in the equally dangerous but
more insipid "sour wine" produced in
the neighborhood of the reservation,
as the following tale of a recent trag-
edy will abundantly prove:
Last Sunday morning, one Larney
Tom and one Jeffrey Wacheno, both
dusky sons of the forest, proceeded to
fill their copper-colored hides with sour
grape juice, procured, it is said, at a
more or less notorious ''juicery" To-
Gated near the edge of the reservation.
Ill feeling had existed between the two
men for some time, and after few
drinks had been taken, warm words
were passed between them. After
quarreling for a time, Wacheno
mounted a horse and rode away.
The next that was seen of Wacheno,
so far as is known now, was when he
rode past the home Of Frank Klekar,
who lives about two miles southeast
of the Butler store. Mr.. Klekar was
sitting by window about o'clock
in the afternoon, when he saw the
Indian riding by. A moment later he
saw Larney Tom ride by. Tom over
took Wacheno about 200 yards
from the house, and, when within a
few feet of him, drew his revolver and
fired Wacheno fell from his horse
and Tom then turned and rode back
toward Klekar's house. Klekar hast
ened to the aid of Wacheno, but upon
approaching the body glance told
him that the Indian was beyond the
reach of human help. The bullet from
the murderer's revolver, 3S-caliber,
had struck Wacheno in the spine,
killing him Instantly. Larney Tom
soon afterward mounted his horse and
left for his home on the reservation.
Mr.. Klekar telephoned to Sheriff
Grant and Coroner Chapman, and the
two officers left at once for the scene
of the murder. Arriving late in the
afternoon, jury was summoned from
among the immediate residents of the
neighborhood and an inquest was held
at 10 o'clock at night The members
of the Coroner's jury were James
Wooden, w. II. Brown, J. s. Petty
john, Irwin Hussey, Louis Pettyjohn
and Lloyd Jones. Mr.. Klekar, being the
only person who had seen the shoot
ing, was the principal witness. After
hearing his testimony and some other
evidence of less Importance, the jury
returned verdict to the effect that
Wacheno had met his death by being
murdered by Larney Tom.
Wacheno and Tom were brothers-in
law and both were members of WE'LL
known Indian families on the reser-
walton. The murdered man was about
25 years old, and unmarried.
slayer Is Captureu.
With the coming of daylight yes-
terday morning, Sheriff Grant left the
Klekar home and went over noun
tain trail to Larney Toms place on
the reservation. The roads on the
south half of the reservation are al
most impossible for teams at this sea-
son of the year, so the Sheriff decided
to go after his man on foot When he
came in sight of Toms house, he saw
the Indian going toward the home of
Frank Isaacs. AS soon as the Indian
the Sheriff, he said: well,
j ohm, you have come after me. 1 will
go with YOU" The officer and his pris-
oner then walked back over the trail
to the waiting buggy and arrived in
Dallas late yesterday afternoon.
According to Larney Toms version
of the affair, the killing was the re-
suit of a family row over a horse.
Toms wife and Wacheno were brother
and sister. Some time ago, the hus-
band and wife separated. On leaving
her husband, the wife took horse
which she claimed belonged to her.
Tom insisted that the animal belonged
to him, and a short time later went
and got II and took 1t back home. The
brother-in-law then interested him
self in the dispute and took the horse
away again. Tom soon recovered the
animal and kept it until Sunday
morning. II was this horse that Wa
cheno took when he rode away from
the wine house after the row. Tom
gave chase, and the kill
ing followed.
Larney Tom is well known In Polk
County having worked for many
farmers in the valley since his boy
hood. He is about As years old. He
does not have the appearance of a
Indian; in fact, his rep
utation has always been that Of q
good -natured. easy-golng sort Of fell
low. He offered no resistance whatever
when placed under arrest, and is con-
ducting himself quietly in the jail. He
was arraigned before Justice Hardy
Holman this morning and will be given
a preliminary hearing on Tuesday Of
next week.