The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-16
KETGHBLL Is DEAD,
SLAYER ESCAPES
Champion Boxer Victim OF
Farmhand's Wrath.
RIFLE BULLET ENTERS LUNG
Former MIddIe-Meight Champion
Host of Missouri Ranch Owner
and Oners sighting Remark About
workman - woman Arrested in
Connection with the Case.

Springfield. Mo-. Oct i6.-Stanley
Ketchell. worlds champion middle
weight pugilist. who had been The guest
Of r. p. Dickerson in this city for the
past five weeks, was shot and fatally
wounded at the raueh house OF Mr.
Dickerson. FIVE miles north of Conway
Mo, at $50 o'clock this morning. He
died tonight.
His assailant escaped.
Ketchen was brought 10 a hospital here
/ late this afternoon.
He was shot by Walter A Hurtz. a
farm hand employed on the ranch. As
/ far as can be learned. the assault on the
champion was unprovoked, and there is
much feeling against Hurtz. for whom
/ a search is being made by a heavily
/ armed posse of Webster County officers
and citizens.
/ Before retiring last night Ketchell told
Supt Charles Bailey, OF the ranch, that
/ Hurtz had remarked TO him earlier In
/ the evening that he would net run Dick
erson's disk harrow for so a/week.
Ketchell told him that he had no quar-
rel with Hurtz. kat the latter merely
! remarked 10 him that be was not get
ting enough money for his labor. and as
far As running a disk harrow was con-
cerned. ne would not do IL at any price
Ketchen was seated at the breakfast
/ table in the kitchen Of the ranch house
/ AT $50 this morning Hurtz walked in
through the rear door Of the Kitchen
I and approached the table where the
/ prize fighter was seated.
Shot Down in Cold Blood.
/ Throw up your hands" commanded
Hurtz. Ketchell started to get up from
/ the table. after replying that he would
not do as he had been commanded. As
/ he arose from his chair he turned his
/ back slightly toward HurtZ. The farm
hand, who carried - target rife in his
hand. aimed at Eetchell and fired The
bullet entered Ketchelrs body just below
/ the right shoulder. The bullet ranged
upward about three inches and lodged
/ in the right arm.
| KetcheI was carried into bedroom and
DR. 0. c. Benage arrived shortly after
o'clock. 4 message was sent TO R. P.
Dickerson in Springfield who arranged
with the Frisco officials for a special
train TO take him and surgeons TO Con-
/ way.
The train pulled out OF the Mill street
! passenger station of the Frisco shortly
after 10 O'clock, carrying Mr.. Dickerson,
4 surgeons, nurses, and newspaper men.
! AT the county seat six deputy sheriffs
headed by Sheriff c. B. shiel, boarded
the train and took up the pursuit OF
Hurtz as soon as the party arrived at
/ tbs Dickerson ranch.
| The train was given the right Of way
over the Frisco and made mile a
minute.
Sherifr Fields. OF Webster County. ar
rested GAdie Smith. a woman who was
with Waller A. Hurtz, alias Walter Dip
ley, and has her In this city charged with
being an accessory to the murder
The woman is said to have made a
! statement to the sheriff that Ketchell
made improper advances TO her and that
she told Hurtz, and this. according TO
/ her statement, is the cause of the killiSg
The wonnan's connection with the crime
is in the fact that she changed KetcheIrs s
place at the table. telling him before
breakfast this morning 10 sit or the
other side Of the table, with his back to
the door, from where the shot was fred,
instead of facing the door, as usual. The
woman first declared that she and Hurtz.
or DIpley, were married, but later said
that they were not, and had only been
| together about a month, having met at
the home Of her father. Andrew Bright.
in Taney County. She said her home is
at Coffeyville. Kan.
No trace of Ketchelrs murderer can be
found, although almost the entire pop
ulation of Webster County, together with
bloodhounds from this city. are securing
the country for him.