The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-02-26

Defepding the United States
p0st0sfice safe against two Ian
dts NJ . o'clock Thursday morn
Ing. Joseph A. Paschich, psst-
master. deputy sheriff and mer-
chant NJ Cumberland. coal min
ing town six miles nogthesst -
Enumclaw, was murieued, but
= not before he hsc fired five slssts
at the gunmsn who put . bulJet
thru his heart.
Sheriff John Siringer, Of King
county who personally headed q
posse In a search for the two ham
dts, believes they drove into seattla
In an automobile Bioodhounds
traced the murderer and his compan.
ion from the scene Of the shooting 10
the main highway leading to Seattle
a quarter OF mile ,aoay. and there
the dogs lost the scent
According TO Mrs. Paschich, she
and her husband were aroused at 3
O'Clock Thursday morning by tho
breaking OF two panes Of glasr.
Dressing himself hastily. Paschich
seized a pistol and crept from his
room. on the basement floor Of the
.postoffice store building. In which he.
and Mrs. Paschsch lived. and stsrtet
'upA slight grade to the front ssreet
lcyei. Il
FA1.u1S DEAD Ar Ftss =
DOORWAY Or HOME
As Poecfch rounded corner 81
the building. ono OF the bandits. esi-|
dentiy on watch. shot him thru the
heart. Altho mor1atiy wounded.
Paschich emptied his gun al the
bandit. firing five shots. ali qf which
went Wild. Paschich staggered down
the incline and fell dead Just at The
doorway OF his home.
Frightened by the shooting. the
murderer's companion, working at 4
safe in the rear OF the store, where
$500 and a quantity Of postage
stamps were kept. dropped his esfe-I
cracking tools and fled. Pani<>.
stricken by the revolver duel. Mira.
Paschich covered In her room until
she heard the murderer and his ouun.
panion flee. IN she asccndcd 70
u: doorway 70 find her husband
lying dead.
SAYS THERE WE'RE
ONI.Y TWO BANDITS
That there were not more than TO
bandits Is the story OF Mrs. A. ".
LaviL, whe lives block distant ff&t4fi
the Paschich home.
Mrs Davis heard the shooting and
a few moments later heard two. men
run past her home and down the
road leading to the main highway.
Sheriff stringer, u. s. Postoffice
Inspector James Fitzgerald and 4
squad OF deputy sheriffs dashed into
Cumberland several hours after the
and made thoro search Of
the little mining town to ascertain
whether any OF It's residents we're
A tally os tho resi1onfn
showed nobody missing.
Mrs. Paschich, widow Of the u,o,r.
dered postmaster. told sijerfff
Suinger that she had noted the pres
ence of several strangers few days
before the tragedy. 9
BELIEVES BANDITS
ARE IN SEATTLE
Descriptions Of the strangers have
sccn sent broadcast and search Of
mining towns and VII.
ages Is being made. Altho convinced
hat the murderer and his com.
panion escaped in an AUTOMOBILES and
probably dashed into Seattle or vicin-
~, Sheriff Stringcr and posses are
searching the territory around Cum
,erland with bloodhounds.
Paschich was ~ years old. Besides
lis widow he liz survived by a
brother. John, OF Cumberland; a slr-
.er In Seattle: another sister In
sunnyside and a brother living on
'anch near Cumberland. The couple
rad no children.
Paschlch's body was taken to an
snumclaw undertaking cstablieh-
nent Thursday afternoon.
Sheriff Stringer and Postoffice In.
pector Fitzgerald are convinced that
he murderer and his pal expected 20
low the postofficc safe and escape
With the payrors OF two coal mines.
III they expected to make clean
Ip they would have been disappoint-
a." Sheriff Stringer said. "as tho
nine employees were paid off several
lays ago. Tho safe contained not 4
more than sao6' and about $l00 IA
'ostase stamps"