The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1919-03-29
SUNDAY FIGHT
ENDS IN DEATH
STRUGGLE NEAR CLIFFORD HAS
TRAGIC ENDING-BoDY OF
GILLILAND HERE
c. M. Hatch Faces Charge of First
Degree Murder-TO Be Tried
During May Jury Term

JOhn vi. Gllllland IN 1lgnt near
Clifford Sunday afternoon, will face
trial for first degree murder during
the jury term in May. Information
charging him with the crime was
filed by Prosecuting Attorney o.
w. Noble Wednesday. The prisoner,
who is 38 years Of age and has
wife and four children at Bissell,
seemed calm and undisturbed on the
night of his arrest. He remarked
several times that if he had wanted
to kill Gilliland, he could have done
so with shot from the loaded re-
volver and that he only wanted to
fix him $50 he couldn't go home
and get rifle to get my wife and
me too."
The fight, which ended so tragi-
cally, took place in the road north
of Bissell, not far from the home
of H. T. Reynolds, former county
commissioner. About three o'clock
in the afternoon, according to wit
nesses, Hatch, who was accompanied
by his dog, a great Dane, which he
had recently pr. chased, met Gill;
land in the road where he was in
conversation with Reynolds. Cecil
and Herman, neighbors, We're sitting
in their buggy and Hatch came up
to talk to them. The dog walked
over toward Gilliland and looked at
him and Gilliland told Hatch that he
knew the dog was purchased to eat
him and said he had been told so by
honest men.
Hatch denied this, and with some
remark about knowing what to do
with "man-eating dogs" witnesses
state that Gilliland fired three shots
at the animal with long-barreled
Smith and Wesson revolver, the
third shot killing him.
~ will make you pay for this if
you are worth it," said Hatch, ac-
cording to those standing nearby.
Gilliland replied that he was worth
it and Hatch demanded that he put
his gun aside. Gilliland dropped
his gun and the fight began. By
standers did not interfere because
they thought their lives in danger
if shooting should commence. Mr..
Reynolds had gone into the house
when the battle began; the Huffman
boys had driven towards home, and
Michael Moore, who was milking
cows across the road about twenty
rods away, was the only witness to
the close Of the struggle.
1t is said the fight lasted ten or
fifteen minutes, and Moore saw
Hatch standing over the PROSTATE
body of Gilliland, striking him with
dark object held in his hand
Hatch left Gilliland groaning in the
middle of the road and went to the
home of H. T. Reynolds, where he
washed the blood from his face and
from the revolver. He returned and
looked at Gilliland before going to
his home, where he remained until
J. E. Walkers, deputy sheriff from
Hunters, placed him under arrest
and took him to Clifford to meet
Sheriff w. H. Graham of Colville
on Monday. Hatch said he did not
know until the next morning that
Gilliland had died.
AL Fobes, Moore, Reynolds and
William Cameron found Gilliland
dead in the middle of the road at
about 4:30 that afternoon. He had
received a number of hard blows on
the head, one Of which had resulted
in an ugly, deep scalp wound. Pros
ecuting Attorney Noble, Sheriff W..
H. Graham, Cornor J. C. Rigg and
Miss Ethel Foley, county steno-
grapher arrived Monday afternoon
and an inquest was held A post
mortem took place Tuesday. The
body was taken to the McCord un-
dertaking. parlors in Colville, await
ing advice from a brother L. j..
Gilliland of Kansas City, Missouri.
Mr.. Gilliland arrived last night to
make arrangements for shipping the
body east.
s. A. Oens of. Clifford, who has
lived near Gilliland for twenty
years, was in Colville Thursday. The
Oens and Gilliland families drove
from the Black Hills to Clifford to-
gether in 1899, as pioneers in that
district. Mr.. Oens said that he al
ways had found. I Gilliland a quiet
and peaceful man during their many
years Of friendship. Gilliland was
sixty years of age.
The trouble between Hatch and
Gilliland had covered period Of
years. In July, 1917. a charge OF