The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-06-27
D|EO BY HIS own HAND
Concluded from first page.)

stage Ethel threw a hammer out Oh one
of the windows to which was at
tached his collar upon which the fol-
lowing touchingly pathetic and loving
message to his wife had been written
hastily with an indelible pencile:
Dear. Sweet Wife: Sorry l have
to leave you. | will not stand be
tween you and saving you. l was
not here to bless a good wife. May
you live in peace when l am gone.
Garland is here to help you. He is
good boy | have seen you all, so fare
YOU we'll; l will never finch at death.
known l can't get away. Some one
nut up this job 1t will break some
ones heart when / lie cold in death
God demands my body and soul. They
have a right to it when | am dead;
it's poison to them while l am living.
can't write much more, so God take
care of you. my loving wife and son.
! love you.
Then a muffled shot was heard, the
building collapsed, the smoking ruins
throwing out fitful CLEANS over the
awed crowd, for the destruction OF
the home marked the flight of the
shirt of a brave, If misguided. man.
and all present felt that solemnity
that comes to men when soul leaves
this mortal clay and passes on To
that mysterious bourn from which no
traveller returns.
Saturday the partially cremated
body OF Ethel was found in the ashes,
togther with the remnants OF re-
vover and a watch, identified as be-
longing to the deceased. A bullet hole
through the skull was a silent witness
Of the means taken by the Gagged man
to cheat the flames. Sunday an in
quest was held at Anglin near the
scene OF the tragedy. The jury took
much testimony, and carefully exam
ined into the facts of the case Among
other things brought out in the eX-
animation Of witnesses was the fact
that Ethel has been at home since the
4th OF March. A verdict was rend
cred justifying the action OF the Of
ficars rcsorting to fire to save life,
il being felt that Ethel would not give
up SO long as he had the power to
resist.
The saddest feature of this unfor-
tunate Occuranee was the shooting OF
Charles Gale Mr.. Gale has conducted
a shooting gallery in Oroville for sew
eral months. He is a quiet, steady
well-liked member of the community
always closely attending to business.
He has a wife and two small children
He was called upon to accompany the
sheriff. When he reached the grounds
and after the shooting Inside the house
whore he escaped injury, he was post
Cd behind a stump about 100 yards
from the house in which Ethel was
concealed. Early in the morning he
peeked over the stump, from whera
he had been shooting, when Ethel fired
al him. The bullet struck Gale in the
lett corner of the right eve, passing
out near the right temple. His COM
panions thought he was killed, and as
the body was in very exposed po-
sition nc one dared to go near him
It is said that during the day, when
Featherkile was in the house on the
occasion OF one of his several trips
to the premises. Ethel gave him a
handkerchief and requested him IL
place ii over the face of the man he
supposed he had killed to keep of
the flies This statement has not been
verified, but if true shows that Ethel
was not entirely lost to all humane
feeling. Anyhow, it was finally ascer-
tanned that Gale was still living, but
after he was shot He was brought to
Oroville, and Saturday DR.. Elmer re-
moved the damaged eye. 1t was :.
fearful wound, and al the time OF
dressing it the doctor had little hopes
of a recovery. Gale lost the sight oil
his LEFT eye several years ago, hence
if he does recover, ne will be totally
blind AT last accounts he was rest
. ,G
final recovery are favorable.
After the affair is over and 4 shock
ing and bloody incident of the past
what strikes The average man as the
most remarkable feature about the oc-
currence was the distorted rumors
that filtered out of the hills and trick
led into Oroyille, keeping the popula-
ton stirred up to the highest state
Of eXcitment No rational and con.
nected report came in during the
seige One had to corner and inter
view by careful questioning the bearer
of news from the scene OF strife, and
even then only disconnected and
questionable information could be Sc
cured When news arrived that Gale
was killed, II was accompanied with
the statement that both Ward and
Johnston were missing and supposed
to be dead. Later an excited individ-
nal started the report that six men had
been killed. lGXaggeration seemed to
be in the air, and the more horrible
the returns the quicker it passed from
mouth to mouth, losing none OF its
lurld color by repetition II Ethel
had managed to hold out through the
night rumor would have had half the
population of this part of the county
on the slab.
Even IN the face OF the horrible
features OF the attempted arrest and
results therefrom occasional flashes
OF grim humor We're observable. The
news OF the cornering of Ethel like a
raj in cage, and the fight he was
putting up, spread like wildfire, and
armed men rushed to the scene in
automobiles, rigs and on horse back,
moved by curiosity, and that fiendish
weakness OF mankind to be in at the
killing. MIR. McGinty, living several
miles south Of town, states that among
the men trailing hastily along the
road, headed for the conflict. a lad
about IL years OF age, mounted bear
back, carrying a gun and highly ex-
cited, showed UP, and asked If the
shooting he had heard about was on
Pine creek, and wanted to be directed
on the right way. When told the real
locality OF the trouble he remarked
that something would happen when
he cot on tho ground and dachad a,ya,,