Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1883 — THE COLORADO TRAGEDY. [ARTICLE]

THE COLORADO TRAGEDY.

Massacre of Commissioners in Grand County. - ! V* Particular* of the 'Bloody Bn. •• AOUBIGPr ■*«*• .> _ ■ mm m \ w r * [Denver Telegram.] From a multitude of conflicting report! constantly being ieoetred Oonceraing' the Grand county tragedy, it to difficult to get the real facta in the case. Texas Charley tells the following story of the fight, which to deemed ‘authentic: Day, Wbtber and Dean left Mrs. Young's boarding-Ifouse for town, and when about twenty-live paoes from the house were pass* tog-a lot qf pineeCknd rooks, Webber walking thirty* steps behind Dean and Dav. Four masked men jumped out from behind the rooks and pines and shot Webber in the back, just above the hips, the ball passing through Ub body. Webber aried: "I am shot,” and ran toward Day and Dean, and fell before them. The leader of the masked party (Mills) then sprang on Dean, knocking him down, and began pounding him over Hie head with his gun. Day drew his Revolver and shot Mills behind the ear, -the powder from the pistol burning his hair. Mills fell on top of Dean. As soon as Day was shot the man ran back toward Mrs YooHg’s'ide-house, and some masked men , came up behind him. Day shot at him, and it to belieVed wounded him. A shot from behind 'struck Day and the ball passed through his heart He ran fifteen steps and fell dead the path. Webber was uncon scions after failing, and at 11:80 the Bame nightyvfgAdying. His last words were: “Four feotoSt water on my wounds ” Webberto andMSy’b bodies were taken to Webber® ransTon Frazer’s farm, from whence Day’s bwtownß taken to the springs, where it will bo buried. Mills will be buried, at Grand Lake. Dean to at Grind Lake alive at last aocotmta. Coffin, Martin and William Redmon, Supposed to be of the attacking party, have so far eluded arrest The trouble that led to the shooting was the result "of an old feud, dating back to 1859, whenjthe obunty was created by act of the Legislature and the Beat located at Hot Sulphur At the election held In 1880, the people by a vote changed the county shat to Grand Lake The matter was taken to the Diqtricf Court and then to the Supwrfae Court Meanwhile the hatred existing Jjetween the two factions was growing WS intensity, culminating yesterday in the bloody work. Grand oounty has three. Commissioners—Barney Day, R. G. Mills, and R P. Webber—a majority whom. Day and MilM were of declaring the voter®illegal that Created Grand Lake the county beat and removing the records back to the 'Storings. The Commissioners had a regular meeting at Grand Lake. Just what was done to not positively known, but it is reported they decided to. declare- the office of County Treasured vacant because of his refusal to file a saupactory bond During the meeting DaywWebber and Clerk Dean stopped at Mrs Young s boarding-house, a quarter of a mile arogtnd the end of a small lake. The road leatofeg from Mm Young’s to town is ' througfiwSthicket of small pines It was while pxSMrag this point that the officials were slMgclSfewn in the manner described J. G.yMiUs, one of the Commissioners killed WaS? a man of unenviable reputation He came to this State from Mississippi, a fugitive From justice, having, in company ’’’with onjfe O. & Lee, shot and killed W. £L Hill Ballard The affair occurred ©bfc 1, 1875, in Holmes county. Mills was fora time local editor of the Cheyenne Leader J leaving that paper in 1879 and going directly/into Grand county, and became identified with the North Park Miner. He was a bojd writer, and bore the reputation of beinjra whole-souled fellow. He was a native, of Vermont S. P. Webber was a young and energetic lawyew who was for five .years Assistant Btate’g3Lttorney for the State of, Illinois, at Chicago. He was a man generally well liked, find preferred the law to violence In the secernent of any question, although he was by ho means a coward Barney Day was an old'-timer in Colorado, having been one of the first to come overland to Denver about twenty years ago. He emigrated to Middle Park In 1875, and has lived there almost continuously ever since. He hap a large number of warm personal friends, and leaves a wife and one child T. J. Dean was a native of Michigan He entered the army at the breaking out of the war, and distinguished himself for bravery and abUtty, and was breveted Colonel. He was afterward wounded and taken prisoner, and was f oir a long time one of the unfortunates whqWere confined In Libby prison He was disabled from.hia wounds, losing one eye apd being otherwise seriously hurt Upon getting out of prison he came to Colorado, afrjd has been here since He went to Park tolß7l or 187& He to about 55 years Jot age was for a long time Superintendent of Public Schools of Clepr Creekicounty, and afterward held the position ox County Judge of Grand county.