Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-08-29
CARDNERBR0S.K KILL
EARNEST AND MILTON GARDNER
KILL TEKOA OFFICERS
LIVED HERE YEARS AGO
Deputy Sheriff and Marshal Killed
and Murderer Turns Gun on Self.
Brother Held on Murder Charge.

From Tekoa, Washington comes the
news of killing in which two for
mer Grangeville boys are the instiga.
tors. One now occupies suicide g
grave and the other is being held on
the charge of murder. The two men
who have INDUCED in carnival of
death are Earnest and Milford Gard
ner. They will be recalled by citizens
of this town as having lived here with
their parents years ago, their father
conducting blacksmith shop in the
city that time. Earnest was a wait
er and worked as such in the old Jersey
house. When here they were rather
wild but not considered in the light
of dangerous. The story of the tragedy
is best told by the following dispatch
from the scene of the killing:
Tekoa, WASH, Aug, 24.-Angered
because the city council of Tekoa had
revoked the saloon license of the Gard
ner brothers following an assault on
Patrick Collins with the butt of revol-
yer Friday night by Milton Gardner
better known as "Curley,' from the
effects of which Collins died today,
his brother Earnest shot and killed
two men at $40 this afternoon and
then blew the top of his head off with
a bullet fired from a 5000 rifle. Gard
ner made threats before killing that he
would "get" Prosecuting Attorney p.
Pattson, who was investigating the
killing of Collins by "Curley" Gardner.
A drink of lemonade saved the life of
Pattison.
Shot While Drinking.
While on his way to the saloon owned
by the Gardner Brothers Pattson stoop-
ed at confectionery store for soft
drink and while seated at the soda foun-
tain the shooting occurred.
"Curley' Gardner was taken to the
county Jail at Colfax tonight by Sheriff
Carter and Deputy Sheriff Cole, ac-
companied by Deputy Prosecuting At
COTHey t. IL. ctOtier' ne seeIIeu uhCou-
cerned over the crime. He has a wife
and two children.
Collins in Road Yard.
"Pat' Collins was found in @. ~
Il. & N. yards at AGO this morning by
Il. II. McTavish, ear inspector, with a
wound behind his ear. He was seen at
3 o'clock at the depot by call boy and
and was taken to the city hall shortly
after and treated by DR.. J. A. Nelson
He died at 1882 p. m. Coroner L. l.
Bruning held the inquest tonight.
Prosecuting Attorney Paul Pattison
and Deputy Sheriff John Estep arrived
on train No. II at 1910 from Colfax to
investigate the matter After gathering
evidence of the death and presenting
it to Mayor Isaac s. Woods, a special
meeting of the council was called and
the saloon license revoked.
According to the testimony of c. Z
Lewis, harvest hand, of Enterprise
Oregon, who met Collins the day be
fore, and Tom Hooper, whose home is
east of Spokane, trouble occurred ovel
card game about | clock this morn
ing in the saloon of Milford Gardner.
Row at Poker Game.
Collins, Gardner and his barten
der, Riley Ruby, were in game of pok
err, according to reports. Lewis asked
Collins to go to bed and as Collins rails
ed up it is said to have struck Gardner
Gardner then clnched and ran benin,
the counter, secured revolver ane
struck Collins over the head. Gardner
was arrested placed in Jail and bonds
placed at $4,000.
The council ordered the marshal G
l.. Dickinson, to close the place of bust
ness at once.
After leaving the council room tn,
attorney, mayor and portion of tn,