The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1917-10-04
M|N0T DRAYMAN SHOT
BY ELMER CR0WELL
Young Virginian Shoots to Death
Samuel DazeII, Employed by Reed
Transfer Co. in Saturday Eve.
ming Quarrel


shot and almost instantly killed by e.
c. Crowell, aged Il years, in the barn
owned by j. B. Reed Transfer Co., at
liz Third street southwest, at GAS
o'clock Saturday evening, following a
quarrel.
Crowell walked to the police station
and gave himself up. He has been
held at the city Jail since the killing,
awaiting his preliminary hearing.
Samuel Dazell, the victim, had been
employed by the Reed Transfer Co.
during the past four years. He leaves
a wife and two little children. Mrs.
Dazell is a niece of Mrs. J. 3. Reed.
The Dazells occupied apartments in
the new Smart block.
Crowell, who will undoubtedly be
held charged with murder, is young
man who has resided in this vicinity
for several years, attending the Minot
Normal school for two years. For the
past three months he was employed as
driver of the parcel post wagon Of the
Minot postoffice, but the day before
the shooting his time was up as he
had resigned. Crowell was driving
with his successor, II. M. Wier, along
West Central avenue near the New
York store about 4:9O o'clock Satur-
day afternoon, spending the day in
showing the new man the route about
the city. Crowell and Wier, who were
riding in the tWo-wheeled enclosed
parcel post cart, evidently got into
the way OF Dazell, who was driving a
dray. He shouted to them to get out
Of the way, threatening to run over
them, Wier says, and then proceeded
to run into the cart, tipping it over,
and catering parcel post packages
broken. Weir says that as Dazell
dashed past them, he called Crowell
an ugly name and struck at them with
the end of the lines. Weir says that
Dazell had room to drive around.
CroWell told Weir that he intended
to see an officer and have a warrant
sworn out for Dazelrs arrest but there
was some delay in locating an officer
and by that time, Dazell had driven
away. Crowell did not say anything
more about the incident that after
noon except to remark that he guessed
he wouldn't dare to drive to the barn
that night, where both men kept the
horses, as Dazell would be laying"
for him. When Crowell and Weir ar
rived at the barn, Dazell was there
putting up his horses. CrOwell asked
Dazell if he intended paying for the
damage to the cart and the men ex-
changed hot words, following with a
fist fight. But few blows had been
exchanged, hen Crowell pulled a .32
revolver and began firing. He fired
three shots, all of them taking effect.
Weir says that the men were about
six feet apart when Crowell fired three
time in quick succession. Weir says
that Crowell did not advance close to
the man on firing the third shot, but
stood about the same distance away
while firing all three shots. Weir did
not know that Crowell had the gun
until he pulled it out of his pocket and
began firing. Crowell did not appear
to be excited. Crowell left the barn
Immediately after the shooting and
walked to the police station.
The injured man was picked up and
carried into the J. B. Reed home and
DR.. j. R. Pence, the coroner, was called
immediately Mr.. DaZell was found by
the doctor lying on the bed, uncOn
scious and breathing unevenly anC
/ ma very extreme state of shock. The
pupils of the eyes were dialated as is
often the case at death. The man was
given stimulant and his heart bea
slightly. The doctor ,ocated one bulle
hole in the left groin and another il
the lower part of the abdomen. Tht
man was taken to the hospital at once
but had died before reaching thu
place. The body was taken at once tt
Van Fleets morgue. After death,
third bullet wound was found in th'
left shoulder, which had fractured th'
humerus bone Of the left arm. Nom
of the bullets had come out of tn
body. The wound in the abdomen wa
probably the one which caused death
The body of the deceased was takel
to the old home, Drayton, N. D., o.
Monday, by the father, VIM. Dazell,
we'll known Drayton blacksmith, VIII
arrived Sunday An uncle, who ais
arrived from Drayton, accompanie
the remains home, as did also tn
wife and children of the deceased. TIL
funeral was held at Drayton. MI
Dazell had always been regarded as
steady, Industrious young man, an
the terrible affair is generally regre
ted.
Elmer C. Crowell is Virginian b
birth and he comes from very RI
spectable family. A letter which h
had received from his mother but
day or two before the shooting, az
monished the young man to lead
good life and to hurry and come hom
Crowell had been drawn for the sele
tive draft and undoubtedly would hav
been called soon to go to the front H
is young man of pleasing appearance
attended church regularly and thos
who know him best can hardly believ
that he could have taken the life of
fellow man without some good caus
When Crowell bought the gun, b
also purchased five cartridges, thel
being five chambers in the revo!ve
!, Crowell came from the Hatfiel
McCcy feud section OF Virginia an