White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-03-26

Observation-Disclosures
The morning on which Washburn
was found murdered was one in early
spring. The sky was gray, the sun
like silver, wreaths of mist curled
about the topmost peaks. Rain threat
ened, but snow still held on the noun
tains all around, filling the higher ra-
vines and gulches and dropping from
the walls of canyons in shroud-l1ke
drifts. Only toward the bottom OF
the pass in which lay Cougar mad 1t
shrunk away yisibly in places, leaving
the brown rocks naked and protuber-
ant and draining down to fill Raga-
muffin Gulch with a yellow, tumbling
stream in which men washed their
gold-bearing dirt.
From this gulch and the camp men
streamed to Washburns cabin, which
was well apart from the others to
the west, near where the narrow
road curyey down to the right into
an open, valley. 1t was a. miscella-
neous, dangerous-lo crew that
gathered there, miners in the major
ity, saloonkeepers, gamblers, roughs
and loafers. Held away from the
presence of death by the sheriff's or
der, the crowd surged and eddied
about between road and cabin door,
muttering to itself in many tones,
and trampling the slightly frozen
surface of the ground into semi
liquid mud.
Each member of that crowd was
armed, and all were Watchful. There
were two antagonistic elements
there, and they feared each other
about equally. Though Washburn
had been nobody's friend in particu-
lar, secretive and avaricious man,
all knew that his killing might easily
preclpitate conflict. 1t was only the
last of the long series of unpun-
ished crimes, holly resented on the
one side, and on the other either
openly or secretly condoned, that had
terrorized the camp and the surround
ing country all winter. On the issue
of law or lawlessness had the line OF
cleavage shaped itself; and the result
ant contest for the office Of Sheriff
had drawn that line more strongly.
Helme, the present sheriff, was in
side the cabin where the dead man
law. 1t was commented on that the
two assistants whom he had chosen
to help him Investigate the crime
were not his deputies nor even his
friends. Clark and Spencer had been
among the few who had dared to
state openly that Helme was an Off
Ger of the law in name only; that he
was a servant of the crooks who had
elected him. They had been fore
most in agitating for another cleo
ton, in nominating Arnett against
Helme, in securing and making pub
lie information concerning Helme's
recent heavy investments in Salt
Lake City property. 1t had hardly
been thought necessary for them to
trace probable line of connection
between Helme's sudden prosperity
and the winters reign of crime.
Presently Helme came to the door.
He was a big, square, powerful man,
more than average height, with a
hard, gray, shaver face and cold
passionless eyes. He held up his
hand for attention, and when he had
it, spoke in an ordinary conversation
al tone-cool, crisp words that car.
ried we'll:
Gentlemen, Washburn was shot
through the head with revolver at
close range. He was probably sittin
on his bunk at the time, talkin' to
his murderer. The bullet hit him
square in the middle of the forehead
and ploughed straight in. The body
lies across the bunk with the head
against the wall, and there's no blood
anywhere but under the head.
"There's cache under his bunk
where he probably kept his dust
it's empty. 1t was padlocked, but
the staple was pulled. Then there
are tracks back Of the cabin tina,
were made by the murderer. You'll
understand why that's certain when
you see 'em. And Mr.. Clark has
something here that l want him te
read to you. First / think he'd bet
ter explain where he found 1t"
Clark and Spencer had come out Of
the cabin with Helme and now stooo
on either side of him in front Of the
door. Because of the slope OF the
ground, the three could be seen plain
ly by everyone in the crowd. Clarl
was Cougars one merchant, middle
aged man, tall and slightly STOPPING
with an angular, honest face which
was just now very much perplexet
and distressed. He held up his RICH
hand, showing charred envelope ant
a fold nf writing ma nor also h1rnad IN