Roseburg news-review., August 13, 1921, Page 1, Image 1

fTrS ALL HERE
and
ORG
iVSEW
Toiht
ITS ALL TRUE
I
In Which U Included rh Evening News and The Roteburg Review
a KEVIEW.
BOSEBCRQ, OREGON, SATIIUUV, AIGV8T 13, 1081.
VOL. X. Xo. 189, OP THE EVKXIXQ NEWS,
ran
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SHERIFF STARMER AND
TWO DEPUTIES ON WAY TO
GET ALLEGED MURDERER
May Be Woman in Case Officer Thinks This is Only Motive
For Extraordinary Desire to Get Package Containing
Ladies Wearing Apparel.
(Ily Associated Press).
CALGAKY, Cunuila, Aug.
Beyoud admitting his identity and
promising to return to Roseburg
without extradition. Dr. P.. M. Brum
fleld, arrested on a ranch 30 mile
aouth of hero, in connection with the
death ot Dennis Kusiwll, maintains n
stolid silence. Mounted police traced
him through au order he sent from
Banff to aeattle. to the express oi
tlce asking that the box Ua expressed
from Mvrtle Creek to Mrs. Norman
Whitney at Seattle on the afternoon
of July 13. ho forwarded. The box
contained women's wearing apparel
and other contents of practically no
worth. The officers quickly located
Brumtleld, who turned deathly pale
when confronted and held out his
arms for the handcuffs. Under his
mattress was found a letter in his
handwriting, purporting to come
from Dennis Russell and describing
the latter's ride with Brumfleld, tell
ing of the accident and Hrumfield's
death and how he luuaseiw cnanguu
clothes with the doctor and fled. The
tetter was not signed and was not
ready for mailing.
Sheriff Sam Starmer and Deputies
n I.U .1 I." . 1 . II 11 . 1 .1 n ol
ri-rcy Itvuu mm r i aim uubiuq
speeding on their way to Canada to
bring back Dr. K. M. Brumfleld who
was arrested there yesterday upon
tip furnished by the local sheriff's
office. Brumfield's arrest was di
rectly due to his attempt to obtaln-
the package containing women s ap
parel shipped from Myrtle Creek to
Seattle on the morning of the mur
der. His reason for wanting this
package cannot be fathomed unless
he desired to augment the clothing
It contained with additional gar
ments and escape from Canada on
board a steamer, disguised as a wom
an. Regardless of his motive for
attempting to secure the package, it
Is a fact that he wrote from Danff,
Canada, on Aug. 4 to the express of
fice at Seattle asking that the pack
axe be shipped from that office to
the Canadian town. The day before
the lotier was mailed the package
was shipped back to Myrtle Creek
and delivered to Sheriff Starmer.
When the letter was received at Se
attle, Strorlff Starmer was notified at
onc9 and he Immediately got in touch
with the officers at Banff and Cal
gary and gave them such Informa
tion as he had. together with a com
plete description of the dentist. It
Was Upon this Information that th
Capture was based.
etlnntlon Was Banff.
The clue rnnnrvtlnv thn town nf
Banff wlih the case was received
'srly in the search. When Dr. Brum
fleld vni to Myrtle Creek with the
Package he asked that it be shipped
to Banff. Canada. The agent, Mr.
Tibb.ls, informed him that the pack
age could not be shipped from that
office to Canada, and the doctor then
decided to send It to Seattle. The
Ment told the sheriff of the effort to
nip the package Into Canada but
wild not remember the name of the
V?" eleM that It had two "fa" at
nrt of tlie name. A careful
"ram of several maps fialed to ro-
me ,own or the location until
"ler a ing search a map with a
" amount of detail was located
"a the town discovered.
''anadian Cine Followed,
in spite of the fact that the evl
.'' ln, eastern Oregon.
. lfnnPT nd his deputies
S? . d,.la foo'nit out the Cans
"" although they believed It
cln. t7 10 ,he Oregon
idm. J" w" ,rom " PPr-
My a blind to throw them off the
i. n ' ,, 1 heT Persisted, however,
aiJ ' cnda with circulars
vicin J . 2 lon' MPlallr In the
Banff i "adressed from
Nor!.." '"'WW from Mrs.
Pack... nT- to wnon ,l
'hi n. J" ,lr". nd although
toESX,' not. bn rete,Td br
ZZ??v.n Ete4
Asoths
c'ue. which
also went
Ul
LIXI
astray, was a letter sent by a Cana
dian-Australian steamship line in an
swer to one addressed to them by Dr.
lirumfield. This letter arrived a
few days after the murder und was
delivered to the local officers. From
the text of this letter it was evident
that Dr. Brumfleld had written to
secure reservations to Australia from
Vancouver, Canada. Dotectives were
Immediately pluced to watch the
steamships operated by this line, but
no. attempt had been made by the
dotor to Bee u re passage, as he evi
dently decided to remain in hiding
until the chase had become more
quiet.
Note Found In Bottlo.
Another small bit of evidence
bearing on the case which was sup
pressed by the officers was a note
written on typewriter and signed
by Dr. Brumfleld and dropped in the
Columbia river a few days following
the murder. The note was dated
July 16 but was not found for sev
eral days. -It was picked up on the
banks of the river by a woman, who
turned It over to the police depart
ment. The note, although having
little actual bearing on the ca3e.
shows the direction taken by the
fugitive and proves that he went dl
rectly from Roseburg to Portland.
Rousted of Ability-
It was so nt by the Portland police
to Sheriff Starmer. The signature
was taken to a local bank, where
Dr. Brumfleld was a regular cus
tomer. and the bank Identified the
signature positively. The note reads
as follows:
"Portland. Ore., July 16th, 1921.
"U'hnairM. it(ce,
Whoever discovers this bottle
will do me a great favor If they will
notify my friends that I 'as not In
Redmond at all and further I was not
the hobo that rode on the blind bag
gage as the newspapershave It. 1
am a slicker and these guys will
never get me because they are too
damned slow to catch cold. I will
be In St. Paul at the Hotel Ryan on
the 21st of July and from there I am
going to Buenos Aires.
"Cordially yours.
"R. M. BRUMFIELD."
Slgtmtnre Perfect.
So far as the suggested Itinerary'
was concerned it was sucn an open
blind the officers took no notice of
It. An effort was made to trace up
the note but this failed. The note
was written on a piece of -yellow
paper, badly stained by oil and
grease, a typewriter was used for
writing the text of the note and tbr
signature was In pencil. The signa
ture was very plain and when com
pared with the handwriting of Dr.
Brumfield left no doubt that he had
signed the note with his own hand.
To Be Well Guarded.
Dr. Brumfield will be returned to
Roseburg as quickly as possible
Deputies Percy Webb and Frank
Hopkins left the city on train No. 54
last night and were joined in Kngeni
by Sheriff Starmer, who will make
the trip with them. The prisoner
will be very carefully guarded and
every precaution will be taken to
prevent any effort of escape. He will
be carefully guarded on the way
back to Rosebnrg. It Is doubtful If
he will arrive here before the end of
next week.
May Be Woman in Case.
That there may be a woman In the
case. Is the Intimation oi tne oni
cers. who are following out that clue.
although they have announced no
definite evidence In this regard. It
Is known that the pink shirt which
was contained In the package was
purchased by a young woman, who
wa seen In the city several days
orlor to the murder. The officers
would not divulge any names bat
stated that the woman had been seen
In the doctor's office.
KTKtnlned Skirt.
On the day prior to the murder
Dr. Brumfleld wss In Burchard's
Souare store looking at the pink silk
skirt. He was informed that It was
too small for his wife, and left with
ont If. Next morning the woman
who had been seen In his office for'
merly. appeared In the store and ex-
mlnMl the skirt. While she was
looking at the skirt Dr. Brumfleld
appeared and asked for the packing t
Gives Details of His Flight
From the Scene of Murder
box. He spoke to the womau.suiiled
and nodded. She at once bought the
skirt and went out the front way,
while he took the box from the store
room and went out through the
back door. Tne skirt was next seen
when the package was opened after
being .returned from Seattle.
None of the people in the store
knew the woman, although she had
been seen here for a short time prior
to the murder. The officers are mak
ing an effort to trace her as she un
doubtedly could shed some light on
the case even If not directly impli
cated.
Will Get Reward.
District Attorney Ncuner today
stated that the Royal Northwest
Mounted Police would undoubtedly
get the reward for the capture of
lirumfield. The county court has
offered $1000 and Governor Olcott
will recommend an additional flOOO
to the legislature to be awarded by
the state. Although the tip that led
to the capture of the murderer was
furnished by the sheriff's office here,
the reward will go to the men mak
ing the capture.
Extradition Takes Time. '
It will probably be at least ten
days before' Brumfleld can be re
'nrned here, the officers state. They
ire making an effort, however, to
bring him bark as soon as possible.
CALOARY.'. Alberta, Aug. "12.
(Special.) Dr. R. M. Brumfleld.
Roseburg, Or., dentist, who Is wanted
'n that city on a charge of the
murder pf Dennis Russell on July
13, was arrested on a ranch about
t0 miles south of iiore today.
Dr. Brumfield, under the name of
Vormnn Whitney, was working in
'he fields behind a plow when a de
tective of the Northwest Mounted
oollce one and of the city of Cal
gary police suddenly appeared and
made the arrest.
Brumfleld had been plowing all
morning. When confronted by De-
ectlve Waugh and Inspector Rleh-
trdson, of the Calgary police, he
urned deathly pale. Then without
word, he held out his arms for the
handcuffs.
KUnulltlon ot Resisted.
I have no statement to make."
was Rrumfleld's only comment. And
'mm then on the Roseburg fugitive
nerslstently refused to discuss the
-ase. other than to say that he would
tot resist extradition to Oregon to
"aee the murder charge.
The arrest was made as the result
of a message sent bv Brumfleld to
Seattle express office In an at
eniDt to have the box of women s
Mil: undergarments which he had
ihlpped there from Myrtle Creek,
"r.. forwarded to him under the
name of .Mr. .Norman w nuney.
whom he had addressed It.
In the meantime however, the box
had been returned to Myrtle Creek
w the exnress company and then
urned over to the snerur at itose-
"urg.
1cw Ijeiuls to ArrrM.
As the result of the clews given
he police by Brumfleld's attempt
o get the package with Its nearly
mtueless contents, the Northwest
-nllce took nn the trail.
At Banff, detective Wauen. or tne
mounted police, got his first clew
o his man and from there rolloweo
he tre.ll to Calgary and thence to
he farm.
When Brumfleld was searched
in unartrtresseo letter was munn un
him. The letter evidently had been
vritten br the dentist so as to mase
it snnear as If Russell hsd been the
author. . .
It was presumed Here tnni tne
letter was to have been manea to
the police In an effort to throw them
off the trail.
nrnmfleld s intention apparenny
had been to create the impression
hnt the Roseburg dentist was tne
man who was found dead under- the
-barred wreckage or iirumiiem s
automobile on the Pacific highway
near Dlllard.
ltiiM Is Trfed by Ieiitlt.
The dentist also seemed to have
.ii.mi.ivl t.i attribute the death nf
the decapitated man to an accidental
wreck. .
Assuming the Identity of Russell.
Brumfleld wrote whst he thought
would have been Russell's explana
tion of an accident In which the
rtoehnrg dantlst had been killed
an Russell In lured slightly.
The writer declared that he hsd
Ven drinking with the dentist, who
was driving the car when an acci
dent occurred. He told of Injury to
bis head u the wreck and then of
(Continued oa page six )
Brumfield, Haggard in Ap
pearance, Described
His Journey From
Roseburg.
WILLING TO COMEBACK
Fugitive Squares Shoulders!
And Says is Ready to Re
turn to His Home Town
and Tell District At
'torney Everything.
CALGARY, Canada, Aug. 13.
(Special to Roseburg News
Review by Associated Press.)
"I am willing to waive extradi
tion and go back to Roseburg to
night. I will tell District Attor
ney Neuner everything I know,"
said Dr. R- M. Brumfield in an
interview to a special correspon
dent of the x-ortland leiegram
today. .
Clad only in a dirty KhaKi
shirt, a pair of tattered overalls,
and old army boots, and with a
week's growth of hair on his
face, Dr. Brumfield, the cap
tured murderer of Dennis Rus
sell, told the complete story of
his escape from Koseourg on tne
nicrht of July 13, the ratal night,
and his experiences while work-
ins' his wav across the Canadian
continent up to the time of his
Arrest
HAD READ OF MURDER.
Beyond saying that he had
read of the murder in Portland,
Seattle and Vancouver news
Darjers during his trek across
Oreiron and Canada, Brumfield
steadfastly refused to discuss
the crime, but talked freely of
his movements from the nipht
of July 13th to August 12th,
just one month to a day after
the crime was committed.
TELLS OP ESCAPE.
This is his story:
"When night came on the
evening of July 13th, I started
from Roseburg and walked to
Oakland. 1 waited around Oak
land until train time and then
I rode on into Portland and
stayed there for several hours
"I decided to keep on going
north and rode right through to
Seattle. I stayed around there
for a dav and decided to cross
into Canada. I arrived in Van-
couver the next oay ano lay
around there for another two
davs. I then decided to go to
Alberta, so I got on a train and
rod to iMe Louise, where
again stopped for several days.
At each place I stopped I se
cured newspapers and read of
my escape.
GOES TO CALGARY,
"From Lake Louise I went to
Banff and Calgary. I applied for
work at a labor bureau here
giving the name of Norman
Whitney- Unable to get work
at hat time, I waited around
for a couple of days and was
then directed to Vaders larm at
Midnapore."
NOT DISCUSS MURDER
"Who are you supposed to
have murdered?" Dr. Brumfield
was next asked by the news
paper man.
"I do not have to tell jou
that " he replied sharply. "I
don't want to say anything
about it."
IS SHOWN LETTER.
Dr. Brumfield was next shown
a letter which was found in his
belongings when arrested. The
letter had been written by him
and he had attempted to make it
sound like it had been written
by Dennis Russell.
"Is that your handwriting?"
he was asked.
"Yes." replied Brumfield. "1
was going to send .it to District
Attorney Neuner as soon as I
made some changes.
"Are you willing to waive ex
tradition and go back to Oregon
without a light?" he was then
asked.
Brumfield suddenly squared
his shoulders and replied in a
clear voice: "J. am willing to
waive extradition and go back
to Roseburg tonight. I will tell
George Neuner. the district at
torney, everything I know. Ue-
ond that I do not care to say
anything more"
PITIFUL APPEARANCE.
Dr. Brumfield when inter
viewed in the jail here presented
a most pitiful appearance.
Although apparently in good
health he wore the haggard look
of a hunted man and shower
plainly the effects of his exper
iences during his flight from the
scene of the murder to the place
where he was captured.
He seemed relieved to know
now that he is going back to his
home town and expressed him
self .03 willing to make a clean
breast of the whole affair.
MRS. BRUMFIELD TALKS.
"It is not true," said Mrs.
Brumfield this afternoon when
Dr. Brumfield's statement was
read to her by a News-Review
representative, i urther than
denying- the statement and ex
pressing her opinion that tne
man captured is not urumneio,
she refused to discuss the mat
ter.
MESSAGE TO WIFE,
CALGARY, Aug, 13. Dr
Brumfield spent a sleepless
night and was given medical at
tention this morning, tie is ex
tremely nervous and his voice
was scarcely audible today-
"Send my love to my wile and
three children and tell them
that everything will be all
right," was all he would say this
aftarnoon.
Brumfield waived extradition
rights today and promptly
signed the waiver form.
The News-Review late this
afternoon informed Mrs. Brum
field of the doctor's message to
her and the children. She said
"I have always had the ut
most faith in my husband and 1
know everything will come out
all right. I am so glad that he
has sent that message and 1
want to thank you sincerely for
communicating it to me.
TELEGRAPHS HUSBAND
Mrs. Brumfield this afternoon
telegraphed her husband, fol
lowing the receipt of his mcs
sa:e of love. Her message was
sent in care of the chief of po
lice at Calgary, and read: "All
love and confidence, and. was
signed "Merle."
LINGERIE "LURKS DENTIST
TO UNDOING.
nr United Prsas.)
PORTLAND. Aug. 13. Dr.
Samuel Kohs, exiert criminal
psychologist, declares that the
yearning of Dr. Brumfield for
feminine underwear proved the
alleged murderer' undoirfg
This sort of desire, he declares,
(Continued on page six,)
PORT OF UMPQUA RECALL
. ELECTION FAILS; COMMIS
SIONERS ARE RETAINED
Vote of Precincts Outside of Reedsport Fails Completely
Overcome Solid Support of Reedsport Voters-
League Will
The first recall election ever pat
tern pled In Douglaa county talld
last night, when the combined votes
of the precincts outside or neeuaport
failed to overcome the solid support
of the Reedsport voters for Commis
sioners J. U. Browne and Joseph
Duller and Jheso two men were re
tained In office by a large majority.
Reedsport went practically unani
mous for Its candidates, while the
outside precincts went as strong for
thvlr men. The returns, completed
shortly before midnight last nlght.
were as follows: J. U. urowne, ts;
Joseph Rutler, 692: J. P. Christie.
68: John Henderer. 385. The pre
cincts in which the vote was taken
were Reedsport. Gardiner, Ash.
Scottaburg and Elkton. The big vot-
ng was done In Reedsport and oar-
diner, whore there was an Intense
and bitter fight.
The following table gives the vote
by precincts, the smaller precincts
being grouped Into one total:
Cnndldnte-
Reedi
Oarrtl- Out
port.
.6211
.626
. 17
. 25
lier, side.
R Tlrowne .
33
53
113
107
23
14
228
256
Joseph Rutler .
P. Christie .
John Henduror
GARDINER, Or., Aug. 13. (Spe
cial to the News-Review). For the
past three weeks the Port of limp-
qua has been tne sceno ot one oi ine
bitterest and hardest fought recnll
elections ever stnged In the state of
Oregon. On neither side has quarter
been asked or given. Character and
motives have been assailed, old
frlondnhins snnnned In twain, fam
ilies divided and estranged, and the
charges and counlor-charges have
thundered and echoed over this hlth'
erto aulet and peace-loving commun
liy until the din or battle rings in
the cars of the most remote home-
steniVer In this spnrsely settled dls
trict.
History of Fight.
The Port of Umpqua Is sltnsted In
western Douglns county and in
eludes thn city of Reedsport, Its
metropolis, nnd the smnller towns of
Gnrdlner, Seottslmrg nnd Elkton. as
well as the settlers along the river
bottoms of th I'lnpoiia and Smith
rivers. At the beginning of tn
Tmpiiua bond fight." as It Is locally
known, the poM cnmmlsilnners were
all residents of the Reedsport pre
clnct. About the middle cf April the
port commission proposed to build
suction drcdgti to Improve thn con
dltlons of navigation, etc., and on
April 30th. 1921. passed a 1250.000
bond ordinance reciting that purpose
nnd declurln nn emergency anil
gave a Porllnnd firm (Rnlph
Srhneeloek ft To.) sn option contract
for the purchase of the bond". Ar
er this action was tnken. snd before
the bonds were printed and dellv
ered. a tnvtmvers' league was linsM'v
organized consisting of about 200
"embers enH retflents onlpn' of In
eitv of Reedsport and a suit was
Sle-1 enlnlnln the s-le o' the henrf
bv J. N. Jteit.tin of Feott'hin-g F. F
Wells of Flkton. and Fred Asen
belmer of Cnr'ttmr. fnr and on be
half of the other taxpayers.
Ilonil Sale Slopf-d.
Refore Ihe port could ret the
bonds printed and Into the hands of
the purcbsseri Ihe Inl'incllon sol'
was served and the sale stopped. In
the felt H1d Ihe tnxnnvers alles-e
that the real purpose of th bom'
was to fill lh townslte o'
neednort with a suet Inn dredge nm'
n otherwise benefit that eltv snd
that the emergen" was attached fnr
he sole purpose of barring the vot
ers from Invoking the referendum
tt Is further alleged tn-f the port
lld s secret meeilne. snld Ihe bond
at private sale without nnv ilveril
Ing at a price e than the law al
Inws. and hnf the mrt did nut enm-
ply with the Taw In other particu
lars The port enmnilflnners file,'
a mrllnn to strike nnt Pin nf th'
cnmntalnt on the rrnnnd that the
port Is a legls'-'tlve hndv snd Its r"-
ttns not w.bleef to review bv the
enn'ts. This tnnttnn l s'l't pending
Referendum f-'Mct snd Itelceted.
The taxpayer filed a referendum
to
Continue Fight.
petition on the ordinance but the
port commissioners rejected 11 on tne
ground that the emergency claust
barred the referendum, ana retusea
to call an election.
The taxpayers then started the cir
culation ot recall petitions, charging
that the commissioners "had pro
moted the Issuance ot a I250.-O0O
bond issuo without giving the voters
chance to express their will, and
were promoting the expenditure ot
the taxpayers' money for projects of
little benefit to the district at large -
and further charging "extravagance
and waste of the taxpayers' money."
On July 15th petitions wore filed de
manding the recall of Commission
ers W. P. Hoed. J. R. Browne and J.
It. Sutler. Within the five days al
lowed by law W. P. Reed presented
ha .niinlV nLnrlf nf I )(M 1 17 1 (1 II MlintV
with evidence that he had resigned
on July 12th, and then an election
was-called for August l:th to decide
the- fate -of Commissioners Browne
and Rutler. The taxpayers nomi
nated John J. Henderer of Elkton.
and J. P. Christie ot Gardiner; to run
on their recall ticket.
Taxpayers Publish a Nowspaiier.
As the only newspaper In this dis
trict was the Umpqua Courier, pub
lished at Reedsport, the taxpayers
publlshod a weekly newspaper at
Gardiner to give their side of the
story. This paper was called "The
Port Umpqua Hell Buoy," ana its
avowed purposo was "to warn the
people of the reefs of public extrava
gance In port affulrs." In addition
to the publicity given through these
two papers, each side had Its cause
championed through the district.
and J. II. Hawkins of Reedsport. at
torney for the port, and A. K. Peck
of Marshflcld, attorney for the tax
payers, have debated, harangued.
charged and counter-charged wher
ever their respective constituents
wore strong enough to guarantee
them a dignified entrance and exit.
A. K. Pock had the temerity to ap
pear at Reedsport and wits hooted
down by cries of "Mob him," and
"Throw hi in out," but he was safely
escorted from the city under the pro
tecting wing nf some of the Kast
Gardiner taxpayers.
Hitter ('hnrges Made.
Ili sides charging waste and ex
travagance, the taxpayers hotly con
tended that the dredge project was a
selflxh scheme to fill the townslte of
Reedsport and that the attitude of
the commissioners In not referring
the bond Issue to a vote wss despotlo
and tyrnnnlcal. The Reedaport fac
tion as hotly counter-charged that
the taxpayers' move was a scheme
to block progress and development
nf the harbor and was backnd by
the Southern Pacific. Cooa Ray In
terests, and the timber barons.
Until Hides Rally Forres.
The Reedsport precinct has about
half of the voters of the district and
mildly supported the commlpaloTver
amT defeated the recall move. The
rally cry of Reedsport was, "They
ihall not stop our march of pro
gress." The taxpayers" league rai
led its forces In the other towns
mil precinris with the cry of "No
taxation without representation."
Will Klectlnn Kettle Controversy?
Whether this election will settle
the "I'mpnua bond fight," Is also
nntly controverted. The Reedsport
'ac-iim says a victory for them will
prove the people are with them snd
a defeat will end the matter. The
taxnRyers say the bond Issue wss Il
legal and should hare been referred
to vole, that the election will set
tle nothing, and regardless of the
result they will not be content until
the highest court In the Isnd de
clares the commission ran avoid the
referendum by the eniergencv clause.
Tene. situation Itectmies Amunlnz.
Ai the date of election neared th
feeling arose to a fever pitch and so--lal
as well ss dlplomstlc Intercourse
between the adfolnlng towns of
rtedport and Cardlner wss cotn
nlelely severed. Anonymous and
threatening letters were passed and
dark references to the Ku Ring Klan
.
wtr frequent. On the foggy morn
(Continued on page (.)