The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-03-18

W. Y. Morton, VI. c. fitzgerald ant
l.. u. Millaid were impanclled thi,
afternoon as members of the corou
er's jury to investigate the case. Th,
Jury went to the hospital to take Tho
testimony of MIR. Sledee and hi,
daughter. Ii has been discovered tina,
the 3S-l0 revolver carried by Streb
belonged To MIR. s,icdac and NAV have
been stolen last Saturday night, when
Strcbl slept al the Siedgc home.
Fighting bitterly for his own life
and the safety OF his family, ] I.
Sledse. tenant ON the Nels Jensen
farm four miles northwest of Mitch
| ell. last night shot and killed Charles
| Strebel. a former employe who had
attempted to slay him and possibly
his daughter, Chloe Sledge.
The tragedy is one of the most
stirring that has ever been brought
10 The notice of the people of Nit
cheli. only by struggle, literally
to the bitter death, did Mr.. Sledge
save himself and the other members
| of his family from being murdered.
| 1t is story OF the father, weaken
ed by Two bullet wounds and the loss
OF blood struggling against verit-
able maniac.
Shortly after 10 o'clock last even
ing Mrs. Sledge and her daughter,
Chloe, We're standing over hot air
register in the dining room of their
home, preparatory to going to bed.
Mr.. Sledge was seated in the north
end of the room, with the two wo-
men near Il bed room door on the
cast side
Shoots Through Window.
J Suddenly without warning four
/ shots were fired into the room from
1 a window on the south side. One bull
! let, steel-clad and from a 32-calibre
revolver, struck the daughter close
1 10 the shoulder in the right arm,
| shattering the bone and intiictine
I a dangerous wound Two other bull
lets took effect one in Mr.. Sledge's S
] left shoulder and the other penetrat-
| ing his left groin coming out at the
| back.
The two women Immediately grab
1 bed quilts and turning out The lights
! started for he barn and hid them
! selves. Mr.. Sledee was weak from the
/ loss of blood and managed to walk
! into the kitchen He could still hear
! his unknown assistant proving
around the house and after 80 min
minutes an attempt was made TO
force the kitchen door Mr. Sledge at
| tempted to hold it, but he was weak
the floor A shot was then fred
through the door just about his head
AS Mr. Sledee struggled to his feet
Z
| rushed in. with blue bandana hand
kerchief about his head and re
volver in each hand. The father did
not hesitate, but Immediately crap
pied with the man. II was a strug-
gle for life. With coward pittec
against a man defending his life and
home. The would-be murderer at.
tempted TO shoot Mr. Sledge in the
back as they grappled, but the wea.
pom was fired in the air Round ant
round the room they tumbled, till III,
floor and walls were covered Will
blood and the furniture was wreck
age
Attempted TO Club.
Finally, the man with the masl
resorted TO using one of the gun
he carried. a big $40 calibre Col
revlover. as club on Mr. S!edge'
. head. He pounded until the weapon
was covered with blood and fnall,
lit was wrested away. He then jump
]ied through the glass. Mr. Sledg
seized the big revolver and fire,
sthree times The bullets in the gu,
.were pointed with soft nose" o
tlead Two of them went through
the walls of the house, one strikin
Sthe man and another going through
the window.
Mr.. Sledge then started for III
fnearby Miller home Here he tele
phoned TO Sheriff f. e. Owens. VIII,
secured DR. G.. s. Bobb and starte,
for the Sledge home about midnight
Upon arrival, they found Mr.. Sledg
in his house, still waiting for his as
sailant to return. Noighbors wer
about and upon their statement
that they had heard moaning in til
yard, the sheriff started TO investi
gate
With the aid OF a Hashlight. h
found Charles Strebel, employed o,
the farm during the fall by MI
Sledge, lying in a pool of blood abou
30 feet from the house. He still wor
his blue bandana mask a worn blac
velvet cap he had left in the kitchen
a shot through the left lung an
another in his hip showed how h
had met his death.
Victims Brought to City.
Mr. Sledge and his daughter, wit
Mrs. Sledge and their 12-year-ol
son, We're brought to the city abou
81 Il;
the GIRL the latter about 16 year
of age. We're taken to hospital Mis-
Sledee was put upon the cperatin