The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-07-08
WATER FIGHT
RESULTS in DEATH
Joe Koury, Killed With
Shovel After Quar-
rel at Headgate
SLAYER IS in JAIL

slayer of Joe Koury, a Syrian and an
ex-soldier recently discharged from
the United States army, lies in tho
county jail pending his arraignment
and trial.
Joe Koury, who with his brother
| Elias, leased farm one and one
half miles east of Blackfoot near the
Barnard place, was killed with a
shovel early Monday morning, after
he had disagreed with Grover about
who should use water from the irri-
cation canal that furnishes the
neighborhood, the Corbet sluogh.
So far as is known there We're no
witnesses.
Immediately after the killing
Grover called Sheriff Simmons by
telephone and turned himself over
upon the sheriff's arrival. A coron-
er's inquest was called at once and
commenced it's hearings before noon.
Quarrel About Allowance
Apparently each party considered
the water as belonging to his own
fields Monday morning. Grover had
been named by the users of this
water as sort of referee, local
watermaster. The Koury brothers
thought they would have the full
stream for their land for a couple
of days commencing Sunday evening
when they did in fact have the flow
open and running to their land.
According to Elias Koury, his
brother Joe went out early Monday
morning before breakfast to see if
the water was going right. After
some time Elias thought perhaps Joe
had found something that needed
attention, so he ate his breakfast and
went out to relieve his brother. Not
finding him at the headgate he fol.
lowed down the ditch until he came
upon Grover and Sheriff Simmons
standing over the prostrate body Of
his brother.
Didn't Mean to Kill
William D. Grover is a young man
of twenty-six years, father of three
children. His story, according to
those who visited him at the jail, is
that he struck Koury in self defense
after lodging two blows aimed at
himself by the little Syrian. He al
leges that he himself was to use the
water, which runs thru his land in
a canal, and that young Koury was
determined to open the gate and let
1t flow on his side. He demonstrated
and finally took hold of Koury to
move him away from the gate, at
which, he says, Koury struck at him
several times with shovel and he
struck back, knocking his assialant
into the ditch. When he quickly
dragged the body out of the water
he saw that the boy was dead and
called Sheriff Simmons.
All Well Known
The Koury brothers have been in
Blackfoot and vicinity for three or
four years and are we'll known.
William Grover is also well known
farmer of this locality. So far as
has been related they had not had
any previous trouble about the
water rights.
Joe Koury arrived home from
France about May 80. He served
with the famous 32d division, spent
eighteen days in the great Argonne
fight, went to Coblenz with his regi-
ment and came home from there
He served for ten months on active
duty in France. Before the war Joe
had saved his money and accumu-
lated two pieces of nice real estate
here. He had quite a difficulty in
getting into the army at the first; he
tried to enlist, but was turned down.
his brother says, he had his
draft number placed near the head
of the list so he could go at once
waiting. He was about
twenty-five years old.