Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-06-09
STRANGER rs CLUBBED TO
DEATH WHILE ASLEEP.
BURIED in THE CREEK BED
w. A. McMichael, of Leland, Makes
Gruesome Discovery While
Walking Track.

Complete details of the finding of
X the body of the unknown victim who
was murdered Wednesday night or
Thursday show one of the most cold
y blooded crimes which has occurred In
southern Oregon In a number of
years.
d The body was found by W. A. Nc
Michael, young man of Leland.
McMichael, when he found the body,
& notified Deputy Ellis and others at
Leland, and the deputy Immediately
sent the word to Sheriff R. J.Smith
and Coroner F. d. Stricken IN Grants
Pass.
At the coroner's inquest McMichael
testified that he was walking along
the Southern Pacific tracks about
four miles beyond Leland, when he
noticed an abandoned camp fire, or
rather the remains Of camp fire, and
also traces of blood He investigat-
ed and quickly realized that a trage-
dy of some kind had occurred. Nc
Michaels said the heap of dead en-
bers and ashes showed burned blan-
ket, and that signs of scuffle were
In evidence. Blood stains were on the
ground in addition to the pool of
blood. Leading from the camp to
the bank of Wolf creek, about 20 or
30 feet distant, was a newly made
trail showing where some object had
been dragged. Michael went to
the waters edge and there saw an OBJ
ject which proved to be the body OF
a man under quilt, the quilt being
weighted around the edges with
stones. The body rested in the water
face downward.
When the coroner and sheriff ar
rived on the scene they found that
the man had been beaten in a fearful
manner. His head was mashed In
both jaws broken, eyes mashed In
nose broken and his back bruised
and beaten with heavy instrument
OF some kind.
The officers then searched the
camp and found in the fire in addi
ton to the burned blanket, a pair o.
~ spectacles. The victims shoes were
discovered in the bushes so fee
away. The shoes were later identi
fled by r. l.. Coe Of Grants Pass as
pair he had week before sold to
man answering the description of thu
dead stranger.
Lying near the camp was a club
which undoubtedly was the bludgeol
with which the murderer used to sla,
his victim. This club Is now In tn
sheriff's office. 1t Is a heavy sea
soned limb from bull pine tree, ant
is about five feet long and s or i
inches in circumference. 1t Is blood
stained, but the heavy end had bee
put in the fire and most of the bloo
burned away The murderer in othe
ways attempted to conceal the crime
but his work was crude; and no doub
also he was in a hurry to flee fror
the scene.
The victim wore overalls over
dark suit Of clothes. He wore
black sateen shirt and blue neckti'
The middle finger of the left han
had been amputated some years us'
L. e. Thompson signalman for tn
Southern Pacific at Leland, testifle
that the day before the body wa
found that he saw the victim In con
many with another man; that the OIL
err fellow was a man who would weig
over 200 pounds, about five feet, l
inches in height; wore a red cord'
roy vest, dark trousers, turned up
the heels, dark coat, had sandy hal
smooth round face and was abot
s5 years old, and was an Americai
This man the officers are now searcl
ing for, and have notified other o
ficers up and down the Southern P'
cific.
supposltlon Of the officers is th'