Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-08-29
KILLED IN TEKOA
SHOOTING SCRAPE
EARNEST GARDNER. SALOON.
MAN, AFTER KILLING TWO,
Committed SUICIDE,
Trouble Started Over Game of Cards
in Saloon, When "Pat" Collins Was
Hit on Head and Died Few Hours
After-Officers of the Law Were
Investigating When Shooting Began.

After-Officers Of the Law Were
Investigating When Shooting Began
Tekoa, Wash.-Angered because tn I
city council of Tekoa had revoked the
saloon license of the Gardner brothers
following an assault on Patrick Col.
Inns with the butt of {. revolver, early
August %, by Milton Gardner, better
known as Curly" from the effects OF
which Collins died same day, his broth
er Earnest shot and killed two men
late Saturday afternoon and then
blew the top of his head off with a
bullet fired from a 5000 rifle. Gard
ner made threats before the killing
that he would get" Prosecuting At.
torney Paul Pattison. who was inves-
tigating the killing of Collins by
Curly" Gardner.
Shot While Drinking.
While on his way to the saloon
owned by the Gardner brothers Patti
son stopped at confectionery store
for soft drink and while seated at
the soda fountain the shooting &C.
Cured.
Curly" Gardner was taken to the
county Jail at Colfax. He seemed un-
concerned over the crime. He has a
wife and two children.
Collins in Road Yard.
Pat" Collins was found in the rail
road yards at 4:20 a. m. with wound
behind his ear. He died at 1882 p. m.
Prosecuting Attorney Paul Pattison
and Deputy Sheriff John Estep ar
rived at 1910 from Colfax to investi-
gate the matter. After gathering evil
dence of the death and presenting it
to Mayor Isaac S. Woods, special
meeting Of the council was called and
the saloon license revoked.
According to testimony of Charles
e. Lewis, harvest hand, of Enter
prise, Ore, who met Collins the day
before, and Tom Hooper, whose home
is east Of Spokane, trouble occurred
over a card game about l o'clock Fri
day morning in the saloon of Milford
Gardner.
Row at Poker Game.
Collins, Gardner and his bartender,
Riley Ruby, were in game of poker,
according to reports. Lewis asked
Collins to go to bed and as Collins
raised up is said to have struck Gard
ner. Gardner then clinched and ran
behind the counter, securing re-
volver and struck Collins over the
head. Gardner was arrested, placed
After leaving the council room the
marshal, deputy sheriff, prosecuting
attorney, mayor and portion of the
council, entered Gardeners place of
business.
The marshal notified Ernest Gard
ner (brother of Milford) that the IL
sence was revoked, and Ernest drew
5000 automatic rifle on Mayor
Woods.
The hammer snapped and then he
shot Deputy Sheriff John Estep
through the head, instantly killing
him.
He then shot Marshal Grant l..
Dickinson through the head.
Gardner next shot at Councilman A.
Snyder, the bullet grazing the skin
over the left eye.
He shot at Councilman Perry S.
Culp through the front window, the
bullet just grazing finger on the
right hand. He then shot himself
through the head.
Bartender Arrested.
Riley Ruby, bartender, was later ar
rested.
Grant L. Dickinson was 80 years
old, and leaves widow.
Ernest Gardner was % years old,
and leaves wife, Florence Gardner.
They had no children.
Dickinson Fires Twice.
Dickinson, who served two years as
deputy sheriff Of Whitman county
under Sheriff +. s. Ratliff, got two
shots at Gardner, but missed his mark
both times.
Estep, who is a pioneer OF Colfax.
having run a blacksmith shop there
for several years before becoming
deputy sheriff. Is survived by his wife
and several grown sons and daugh-
tiers.
Collins body was taken to Colfax.
His sister lives In Portland.
MINING MEN TO HOLD MEETING.