The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-07-13
A HORRIBLE MURDER
A YOUNG AND INNOCENT GIRL SHOT
TO DEATH BY A DISCARDED
LOVER.
BRU7ALACT OF A HUMAN FlENO
The Murderer, One Frank MussIeman, Ar
rested After long Search apd 10 Now
Lodged in Jail-crime iAbso.
iuteiy Unprovokey

luteIy OUpTOvONcN
The most shocking and cold bloodet
murder of which there is any record II
Okanogan county was committed last FRI
day evening about $50 o'clock at the
east side of the Okanogan river, some two
and one-half miles south OF Orpville, when
without provocatiOn, OF a word OF warn.
ing, Frank MIssieman, M. man man y years o.
sister of Mrs Doyle, aged ~.
The cause of the murder vas the re-
fusal of the victim to encourage the al
vances of the murderer who has been 6
persistent suiter for several years, anC
who made a proposal of marriage ano
was refused some two OF three years ago
victim were residents of Douglas. North
Dakota, and as neighbors. the families
were quite intimate 1T was at Doug las
that Mussleman showed attention to the
young girl. She refused him because she
said she could not love him, and discon-
tinued going with him Miss Harmesor
came out to visit her sister. Mrs. Doyle
Harmeson, last fall, and had intended re-
turning to her home in North Dakota
Saturday. On Thursday, June 2S, Mussle;
he had had business in Kalespel and from
there he went to Spokane. While in Spo-
kane he decided, according to his story
to go out and look for land, and being
near Orovile concluded to come here ano
visit George Harmeson, brother OF the
dea dgirl, and was a guest in the Har-
meson household.
sleman at any time during his visit. Fri
day afternoon about $3.50 o'clock he arriv-
ed at the Doyle home Miss Harmesor
turn until O'Clock. Mussleman remained
at the Doyles for supper, and besides Mr.
and Mrs. Doyle. Miss Hermeson and
Mufs1ean DoyIe r naralytic tkie and her daughter
Miss Eldora Doyle. were present at sup
per.
After supper Mrs Doyle MIXED and
separated the cream and took the milk to
feed a hog at pen some LOO feet north
rof the house. While there she was Joined by
Miss Harmeson. Mussleman had announc-
ed that it was his intention to leave In
the morning, and when he left the house
and walked down the hill toward where
the women We're standing. NJ Doyle ad-
he joined the women Mrs. Doyle remark
ed that they had two pigs but one of them
had died. and so she was feeding the re-
ed over to scratch the pigs back when she
around saw her sister failing to the
ground. She started toward the murderer % e,
Frank Mussleman, you have killed Opal
He pointed the pistol at her. She fell back
and Mussleman, crossed small creek thai
passes through the premises and headed
toward the public road. Mrs. Doyle shout.
ed to her husband, who at once followed
the retreating murderer. Upon overtakine
Opal. and the murderer replied, 'Yol
know why" He then turned the gun up.
on Doyle, who was unarmed. and Doyle
returned to his home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. Whistler, who live
near the Doyle place, heard the shot ant
screams, and were on the spot few min.
utes after the shooting. Dr.. Elmer was
tunate % g girl iva was beyond ali earthly assist.
ance, and must have died almost in
stantly. The bullet had entered the lef
side of the neck about an inch back of thu
through the lobe of the ear. The body wa!
taken to the Barnes undertaking parlors.
The news of the shooting spread rapid!
ment. A posse left at once in search o.
the murderer, and a large number O.
people were out securing the hills ant
The victim Of the dastardly and cow
and innocent young girl, who has made
friends with all with whom she has com'
in contact during her residence near Orc
ville She was a constant attendant at tn,
Methodist church. She had told her siste
of the proposal made her by Mussleman
when she was much younger, but de
clared that she could not endure his pres
ence. At her home she Stunned him. ant
would not even consented to have bid hin
good bye on the occasion of Musseman
visit to the Doyle house had not her sis
ter urged her to do so She had intended
going back to her Dakota home on Satur
day morning, but learning that MusslemaI
lexpected to leave the same morning sh'
changed her plans.
Frank Mussleman, the murdrer is
traction engineer, and, so far as known
Ibore good character. There can be M
doubt but that he planned the crime h.
committed. coming to Oroville for tina
purpose in case the girl still refused hi
attentions. He was quite nervous in tn
house. as Mrs. Doyle states that she no
ticed him put his hand into his side Goa
pocket several times during supper II
house to where the two women wer
standing with murder in his heart for h
fired the fatal shot without exchanging
WORD with his victim.
guards. led T by Mars Marshal wilson. ae coverin S
the valley and hill country adjacent t
Orovile was barren of results. Saturda
a tense feeling of expectancy prevailed Il
town, where a sentiment of reprisal ha
been aroused by. the murder that bode
danger to the criminal in case of appre
Estate of war prevailed as auto loads O
larmed men arrived and departed On
lparty of guards arrived and reported tina
a trail leading up over the mountain eas
lof town had been struck but lost in tn
dense underground Of hill and canyon.
the afternoon wave of intense excite
Inent was created DN q report coming 1rOf
IMolson over the telephone that the hunte
land haunted man had killed two deputie
land then shot himself. This report was S
Intangible that 1t soon lost credence.
Saturday evening Sheriff Ward, VIII
had been delayed in his arrival by a
Iauto trip to Wenatchee on official bus
mess. appeared on the scene and too
Icharge of the man hunt. He tolled off
large number of deputies in squads Of tw
land placed them on guard for the Nigh
at bridges: along the railroads, at publ
lroad crossings and other vantage position
in the hopes of apprehendng the murder
Ter during the night, as the officer figure
THAT he would attempt to make his get
Iaway. If still In the valley under cover
darkness.
/ BY what would seem the irony of fat
Geo. Harmeson. brother of the mu
dered girl. aged 2s years. and Delos Bel
LACED 25 years were selected to stan
guard on the railroad at point near tt
Ellis-F Forde Orchard Tracts. where the HI
siphon crosses the valley, south Of ar
lalmost in sight of the scene Of the blood
/, murder The early part Of the night VIZ
uneventful. After midnight Mr.. Marmesc
laid down along the railroad track to tai
a nap. while Bell stood guard. About
o'clock Bell noticed n man coming alor
, the track from the north and from Il
direction of the DOYLE place. where Il
, murder was committed. When the me
approached Bell hailed him. inuuiring
. to who he was and where he was goin
The man gave an evasive answer, sayir
that he was a working man Just goir
down the road a short distance. b
thought the stranger might he n workms