Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1918-11-01
MURDER ON SILETZ
CRIME CLEVERLY
CONCEALED
Special to the Leader.

HIS community WAS shocked
when it was aScertailed that
murder had bG1n committed on
Spencer Creek, about four and a
half miles above the Agency, to-
ward the Upper Farm. About
three weeks ago a homesteader
by the name Of J. ]. Werner had
disappeared from his home. He
had b. n working at the Miller
Logging camp and on Sat-, 5th
OF October he left the camp to
go home. When he got to Spen-
Ger Scott's mile from his house
it was then about s o'clock. 1t
was then dark. His nome is one
mile from Spencer Scott's, a very
lonely place. He was a widower
and lived alone. He had only
one close neighbor, Frank Brown
and his wife, whc lived one
hundred and thirty yards from
Werners. From one house to
the other is open bench land.
One week after he was seen 60
ing home, inquiry was made
about him and it was found he
was not at home ard had not
been for some time. When search
was being made for Werner, the
Brown family moved away, 60
ing out after dark. Then a
searching party was organized.
This was on The 9th. Brown
left Ca the 14th. The Brown
premises Were examined and it
was found that two or three fires
had been built near the Brown
housa and clothes and other
things We're burnt. In the house
a towel was found with some
blood spots on it. With these
clues the party started off north
west from the house and struck
a trail leading towards a den
canyon. Ike Washington, 20
ing ahead carefully looking FOL
tracks. Soon he discovered the
tracks OF a man and on a little
farther he saw tho tracks Of a
woman, both going down the
trail. Soon the tracks left th1
trail and turned off into q dark
Jungle, shaded with trees and
mdelbrush and near q big log.
Here the tracks seemed to stop.
Ike 'Y0'; d fer n,w signg. and
socn picked up = bunch of brake
that had been broken of. then
he found spall stick that had
been cut and a little later a
small bunch of dirt that had
been dug uD. Iie was then stand
ing Just ever the body. The
dirt had been tramrei down and
settled SO he made 10 impression
on it. Then he says to the other
two persons that We're with him,
(Clayton Pond and Homer Ev-
ans,) THE body must be near
this place SO the boys went
home and the next day took a
searching party to that place
and the body was found. The
body had been in the ground
nearly three weeks. The hole
in the ground was about two
feet deep. The motive for the
murder is not very clear. II
may have been for money or il
q quarrel. From where the per.
sons who carried the body left
the main trail is so feet in {
dark jungle. The parties wht
committed the murder ,videntl,
intended to cover up all traces
of the crime. bat it is said Muir
der will out"
An inquest was held and tht
verdict Of the Jury was that d.
ceased came to his death as tn
result Of a gun shot wound /,
the side, the bullet entering jus
below the heart and also b,
blows inflicted by blunt weap
on by some unknown person
From the circumstantial evi
dence found we recommend tn
authorities to investigate MI
and Mrs. Frank Brown in rela
ton to the case. The body wa
identified as being that Of j. ,
Werner. ]. S. Sneve, G. V. Olir
G. G. Pond. A. l.. Crawford, q. I
RaddSrt and ]. ]. Cason, Jury
men, +. M. Carter, Coroner.
The funeral of John J. Verne
YVES held at the NJ. r. Church
conducted by the pastor, Rev
W9lter Ross. The interrmen
took place IN the Siletz ceme
tary. Eis daughter and son-in
law. Mr.. and Mrs. r. f. Paulu
of Umatilla, Oregon, came IN ;
few days ago to have a thorough