The copper era., 1911-02-17
GENTLEMAN KILLED
 IN SILVER CITY M. R. BaIIOu of the Kangas Is Shot and Killed By Sheriff
 H. J. McGFath
ACT WAS IN SELF DEFENSE
COrOner's Jury Immediately En- paneIIed ExOnerateS Officer
 Of All Blame

The Silver City Enterprie of last
 week gives the following account o
 the killing of Murdock R. Ballou
 aged 37, prominent and well knowr
 Cattleman, with a ranch and range
 on the Mangas, 25 miles west of Silver
 City:
 Murdock R. Ballon, aged 37, z
 prominent and well known cattlemar
 with ranch on the Mangas, 25 mile:
 west of Silver City, was shot and
 instantly killed Thursday evening al o'clock, near the corner of Hudson
 and Kelly streets, by Sheriff H. J
 McGrath, who was attempting tc
 arrest him and who, from the eviden-
 ce, did same in self defense. A co.
 roner's jury was summoned, by Jus.
 tice Newcomb, shortly after the de-
 plorable tragedy, and after viewing
 the remains and hearing the testi-
 mony, rendered the following verdict:
 We, the undersigned justice of peace and jury who. sat upon the inqu est held the 9th and 10th days of Feb ruary, 1911, on the body of M. R. Bal lou in precinct No. 8, of the county of Grant, find that the deceased came
 to his death by means of pistol shots fired by Sheriff H. J. McGrath in discharge of his duties and in self-de- fense and that the jury finds that he was justified in doing so, on the 9th day of February. 1911.
 w. H. Newcomb, J. F.; Jurors-E E. Goodman, Buch Smith, John E. Casey J. w. Wilson, Jesse A. Stowe and J. A. Shipley.
 The remains are being embalmed and will be shipped to his former home in Brady, Texas, for burial. The Elks' will escort the remains from Hinman's undertaking parlors to the station, Saturday afternoon at 3:3O o'clock.
 This terrible affair is the outcome of disturbance created by the de- ceased and after several unsuccessful attempts had been made by peace officers to arrest him and take his gun away from him. Ballou, who had been drinking, fastened smalknickel chain around the necks of "big" Sam Porter, a well known cowman, and ''little" Sam Porter, padlocking the chain and was having considerable out of the affair. How ever, he became too boisterous, and Night Watchman P. B. Heather ask ed him to desist and to give up his gun. This Ballou refused to do. De- putty Sheriff Dickinson was then cal led from the Airdome, but seeing the situation was becoming desperate he decided to call in Sheriff McGrath who was personally we'll known and to the deceased and who, he thought, could do more with him without creating any more trouble than was necessary than any other officer. Sheriff McGrath immediately and overlook the men as they were going up Hudson street. A short colloquy took place between the men, according to MT. McGrath's testimony, in which MT. Ballou told him that he did not care to be seen talking with him in front of "those men" and that if they would step up the side street he would talk with him. This they started to do. Me Grath all the while talking to him. Thus they proceeded up on the side street. Suddenly Ballou broke loose from McGrath, who had locked his arm and reached for his pistol.
 He had his pistol out, but McGrath waited no longer seeing his life was in eminent danger. He fired three shots, the first passing through Bal lou's left fore arm, left nipple and left auricle Of the heart. This shot undoubtedly killed him instantly. It passed clear through the body and was found in the dead mans shirt at the post mortem. The second shot passed two inches above the right nipple and through the lower border of the right upper lobe of the lung and lodged in the vertlbrae. The third shot passed two inches below head of humerus and came ont at the npper third of the right scapula. Immediately after the shooting Drs and Westlake were sum- noned and made examination of the Death must have been ins- from the nature of the 
 They are about to construct a S1,-