Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-11-10
Alleged Mossi Fired volley When He
Pound Men Sitting in Shack on
His Premises.
HAS BEEN BOTHERED BY
BY THIEVES, 1T is STATED
Gun Found in His Possession Of Same
Gauge as That From Which Shots
Were Fired.
[uNlrrp rnrss 1nAsrp WINS

Portland, Or, Nov. 10.--Joseph Mos
81, a prosperous farmer, owning 1000
acres Of bottom land north about $780,
900, in the vicinity of Troutdale, was
arrested early yesterday morning as a
suspect in the murder of an unidentified
tramp who was shot and killed shortly
before midnight Saturday.
Victor Accord, a farm hand en-
ployed by Mossi, and John O'Brien, a
ramp, are held at the county Jail as wit
nesses. The slain man has not been
identified.
O'Brien told Sheriff Word that three
members of a party of tramps started
from Portland Friday, walking along
the line of the O.-W. R. & N. track to
the vicinity Of Troutdale, and half a
mile from the town they came to an
abandoned shack, where ther decided
to camp.
There is a fireplace in the hut and
while the others sat before the fire
which they had built, O'Brien says he
went to sleep in an alcove which had
been used for the purposes of pantry
and in which there is small window.
Shot Fired at Close Range.
Beside the fireplpce, which is in the
center Of one side of the room, is a
small window. At this window, 0 'Bfien
asserts, the murderer appeared, raised
his gun and fired, the buckshot landing
all within an area Of two feet about the
vicinity of the heart of the unidentified
man. Some are also supposed to have
struck the other occupant Of the seat.
The injured man started to run away
He broke through the pantry and jump.
ed out Of the small window, breaking
the glass clear to the edges The other
man followed, both running ovei
o 'Brien, who says he started up when
he heard the shot. AS soon as they had
passed, o'Brien jumped through the
window and followed.
The injured man ran 20 feet to {
brush pile, tripped over it and fell, re
covered himself, ran 80 feet farther
and collapsed, dying almost Immediate
| ly, says o'Brien. Deputy Coroner Millel
and Deputy Sheriff Grafton, who
brought the body back to Portland, con
sidered it remarkable that a man 81
badly wounded should have moved a
all. He said seven grains of shot pene
trated tho heart.
o'Brien Gives Alarm
Barefooted and clothed only in hi
underwear, 0'Brien ran TO Troutdal
and aroused the authorities. Sheriff
Word and Deputies Curtis, Aldrich
Beckman, Rogers and Grafton hurrie,
to the locality.
Mossi, whose house is across the rail
way track from the shack where tn
shooting occurred, denies all connection
with the crime In the house, newl
cleaned, was found IN automatic shot
nin Of the calibre of the shell wit
which the killing was done The empt
shell was found between the shack an
the house, Shells of the same calibr
were found in the house
Supporting Mossi in his denial, AC
cordi said that they ate supper abou
$3.50 O'Clock and won't TO bed about
O'Clock, Their stories vary slightly
but both contend thai they were aslee
in bed when the shooting occurred
Mossi is said TO have uttered threat
against tramps who steal his vegett
blcs, fruits and kitchen utensils.