The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-07-08
TRAGEDY IS ENACTED
WHILE WE CELEBRATE
Dell Mcdonnell Shot to Death
BY Total Stranger.
Hot Words, a Blow, Then Leaden
Message Leaps From Deadly Pis-
toI and Another Murderer Walks
the Face of the Earth.

A shooting effray, which resulted about
% hours later in the death of Dell
Mcdonnell, a farmer living about 10
COlfax while the celebration was in
progress on the afternoon Of the Fourth
From the start the affair has been en-
veloped in mystery, the name Of the
murderer, who escaped in the confusion,
being unknown at this time. Rumor
has it that several parties witnessed the
deed and know the man who did the
shooting, but are shielding him and re
fuse to talk, ard so far the officers have
failed to secure any definite information.
The shooting occurred at the entrance
to the toilet in the New Castle saloon,
situated on the west side Of Main street
Many conflicting stories Of the tragedy
are afOat, but as nearly as can be
learned the facts are that the men met
as Mcdonnell was emerging from the
toilet, some words passing between them
as to the time he had occupied it. An
instant later Mcdonnell remarked be be
lieved he had been shot, and raising the
front of his shirt disclosed blood trick
ling from a bullet wound in the left side
of bis abdomen. He walked to another
part Of the room and sat down on a
box, afterward lying on the floor,
and shortly after the arrival Of
physician was taken in an automobile
to the hospital. Mcconnell stated that
the man vas a total stranger to him
and that he saw no weapon, from which
it is concluded the shot that proved his
undoiDg was "pOcket shot" that is,
fred from a pistol held in the pocket.
Immediately after the shooting man,
hatlesa, was seen running north on the
river bank behind the buildings, and it
II supposed he was the murderer, who
dropped out Of sight, probably jumping
to the ground from the rear door OF the
saloon, which is several feet above the
bank of the stream. His hat is in pos
session of the sheriff Search for the
murderer was begun at once by the
DI1cprS anu various CLUES NAVE Dtou lOl-
lowed, as yet without result.
In an Effort to save the life Of the
wounded man be was operated on at the
hospital, disclosing a condition that
could not be overcome, and be died at
O'Clock Tuesday afternoon. The opera
tiOn disclosed that the bullet struck the
lower rib and glanced downward and
backward.
Since the above was in type it is learned
that McConnells story OF the affray,
told at the hospital after he came out
from under the influence of the anesthetic,
is that he met his slayer in the passage
way as he left the toilet, was accused of
having occupied it longer than necessary,
which he denied, saying it was not
place a man would want to stay in longer
than necessary. This brought response
from the unknown man ending with
"You are slow g. b. anyway" The
words we're no sooner spoken than
Mcdonnell struck him in the face and
knocked him down, and as he arose the
shot was fred.
Dell Mcdonnell was the son Of ia mes
Mcconnell well known pioneer OF the
county. He was 33 years old and leaves
q wife and one child. Funeral arrange
ments will not be completed until the ar
rival OF the father, who left Indiana
Tuesday morning upon receipt of tele
gram and is expected to arrive here
Friday.
Every clue obtainable has been per-
sistently followed by the officers, but at
this writing the identity OF the man
wanted is as much a mystery as ever.
Jud Ping OF Diamond, who answers
closely to the description Of the mur.
derer, was taken into custody Wednes-
day BY the sheriff as a suspect and is
now held in the county Jail pending
Identification or developments. Three
or four Others detained on suspicion were
released.
PENALTY OF ENLIGHTENMENT