The San Francisco call., 1910-10-16
KETCHEL KILLED;
BLOODHOUNDS
TRACK SLAYER
PugiIist Is Shot by Farmland
While Sitting at Break
fast on Ranch
Upbraided EmplOye for Abusing
Horse, but Woman Gives
Another Reason

SPRINGFIELD, No, Oct 15.-Stanley
Ketchel, middle weight champion pugil-
ist Of the world, died here tonight al
7:O5 o'clock as results of being shot
early today by Walter A Hurtz. q
farmland.
The shooting took place on the ranch
of r. p. Dickerson, friend Of Ketchel
near Conway, 40 miles east of here.
The pugilst died in the Springfield
hospital. to which he had been rushed
from Conway on special train, char
tered by Dickerson. Three physicians
were on the special
An operation was performed at the
ranch house in an unsuccessful attempt
70 locate the bullet. A p calibre rifle
bullet. the pattern which inflicted
Ketchers wound. was found on the floor
OF the room in which the shooting took
place. II is thought this may be the
bullet that killed the pugilist-
BLOoDHOUNDs AFTER SLAYER
out in the heavily wooded hills east
OF here HurtZ. Ketchers slayer, heavily
armed. is fleeing before a pack OF blood
hounds and a posse of officers and citi-
zens. Dickerson has placed price of
$4,000 on the dead body of HurtZ. The
repeating rifles. Hurtz is believed to
be a desperate man and Will be fired
upon on sight.
After shooting Ketchel. who was at
the breakfast table Hurtz rushed from
the house into the yard, turned and
went back into the room where ket-
chel lay prone upon the floor and took
his IS calibre revolver and struck him
over the head with it. Then he fed.
'Ketchel can't tell me how to run
my business" he shouted.
HurtZ is believed to be Walter Dep
ley Of Webb City, Mo.
The trouble is said to have started
when the pugilist upbraided the ranch
hand for beating a horse. The incl
dent took place yesterday. Ketchel
had come down to the ranch, which
adjoins one he recently purchased.
Hurtz thought Ketchel was going be-
yond the province of a visitor.
WOMAN GIVES A REASON
Mrs Goldie Smith. in statement
tonight assigned another cause for the
shooting.
While I was working in the house
yesterday" she said, "KetcheI insulted
me. I became angry. He was greatly
wrought up over the incident and
pleaded with me not TO say anything
10 Hurtz about our conversation. He
SAID ne WOul0 give me the DeSI team
OF horses on the farm If I would keep
quiet. ] made him no promise
When Hurtz came home / told him
what Ketehel had said to me. He was
very angry. I think that is what
caused him TO kill Ketchel."
officers believe Mrs. Smiths story.
After telling her story, Mrs. Smith
admitted that Hurtz had promised TO
meet her tonight. She took several po-
ncemen and county officials to the ap-
pointed meeting place to await the
arrival Of the slayer.
1t was Ketchels custom to sit at
meals with his face toward door lead
ing into the house. This morning his
place at the table was changed, some
say by Mrs. Smith, and the pugilist
Vss seated with his back to the door.
Suddenly Hurtz came through the
door with rifle in his hands and said
to Ketchel:
Throw up your hands"
Ketchel. not realizing the seriousness
Of the situation, smiled and started to
arise and walk toward Hurtz. Be
fore he turned completely around,
Hurtz fired The ball entered Ketchers
body below the right shoulder, coursed
upward and entered the lung. 1t was