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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1908)
A REAL NEWSPAPER. ALKItf CONCISE, INDHPHNDENT, 8INCERU. dtfflS mmm A PAPER OF THE PEOPLE. IJY THE rEOPIiE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE. MEMBER OP ASSOCIATED IMlBSb VOL II. THE DAILY COOS BAY TIMES, MARSHFIELD, OREGON, MONDAY, MAY 11, 1908. No. 262. I isTs . GORDON IS SHOT AN Coos Bay's "Woman of Mystery" Lies Dying at -General Hospital While Assailant Is In City Jail Pending Action Of Grand Jury E. S. GORDON ARRIVED TODAY Woman Has Had Meteoric Career and Been Involved in Sen sational Escapades Very Little Known Here of Early Career or History. At the General hospital this afternoon, it uns stated that Mrs. Goidon was resting easier. Little hope is held out for her recovery. She is conscious and rational. Mrs. E. S. Gordon of North Bend, "Tho woman of mystery on Coos Bay," was shot and thought to bo fatally wounded on tho launch Bo nita, at its moorings nt the O'Kelly offices, by Holland Anderson, a bar tender, at midnight Saturday. Mrs. Gordon Is now at tho General hos pital hovering between life and deatli and Anderson is in the city jail. Tho entire affair is clouded In mystery, mystery almost as deep as that which clothes tho past of tho woman in the case. Widely differ ent tales of the shooting and the causes that lead up to it are told by Anderson and Mrs. Gordon and to tho wild rumors that have been circulated by those who were on the ground soon after tho affray thcro is no end. The strange career of Mrs. Gor don, Bertha E. Leach or whatever her name may be, for sho has borne several, adds to tho interest that naturally centers in tho tragedy. An adventuress of a strange type, her mode of living, her connection with E. S. Gordon, tho sensations attach ed to her arrest on tho charge of counterfeiting in Portland a few years ago, the denouement of a mock marriage at Vancouver in which sho was alleged to have been a figure and escapades in Marsh field and North Bend, have served to make her an extraordinary char acter. All this has occurred in the brief space of four or five years dur ing which sho has been known to Coos Bay. What marked the thirty odd years of her life previous to that, no one hero knows and on it her lips are sealed even though she has been apprised that death will probably soon close them forever. Humor has it that she is tho daugh ter of a once prominent and wealthy Spanish family of or near Oakland, Cal., but that is mere rumor. Who is E. S. Gates? When told that tho injuries she had received would probably prove fatal within the course of a com paratively few hours, she said that sho supposed that sho might just as well die now as at any other time. Tho only wish sho expressed was that she might livo to see E. S. Gor don she insists that he is her hus band and had a telegram sent to E. S. Gates of San Francisco, appraising him of her fate. Who E. S. Gates is, she did not say. Story of Shooting. But all these things are but side lights on the shooting of Saturday night. About midnight, she and An derson, who is known to most of his associates and friends as "Ma zook" boarded tho Bonita. Al though together, it was' plain to tho few who saw them board the little craft that was soon to part for North Bend, that they were estranged. Loud and nngry words confirmed the only interpretation that could bo placed upon tho actions of tho two. Suddenly a shot was fired by Ander son when about ton feet from tho woman and sho fell screaming on tho deck. Anderson sprang from tho boat and ran back to tho Pull man saloon where ho had been, em ployed. Anderson says that ho shot In self-defone, firing only whon ho saw that the woman was about to fire upon him. Mrs. Gordon says that sho had made no move to shoot, had merely threatened Anderson and that the shooting came as a surprise to her. But one shot was fired. 3S-callbre revolver was taken from Anderson. WOUNDED BY HOLLAND A 32-calIbro revolver, belonging to Mrs. Gordon, was picked up on the deck near where she fell immediately after the shooting. Whether she had the weapon in her hand or whether It fell from her clothes is not known. Anderson claiming sho had in her hand and Mrs. Gordon that it was in her pocket. Wound is Severe. Mrs. Gordon was taken at once to tho General hospital where Dr. E. Mlngus and several others worked over her for several hours. She soon regained consciousness, but as the bul let had passed through the kidney, liver and buried Itself 'in her body, the physicians felt that the end must bo near at hand and sent for Pro secuting Attorney L. A. Llljeqvlst to take her ante-mortem statement or dying declaration. No tears, no ex pressions of remorse or regret pass ed the woman's lips when told what her fate would probably be. Dis playing a nerve and cool stoicism, except as to a willingness to tell of the affray, she was marvelled at by those present. Mrs. Gordon's Statement. As near as can be gathered from those present, the gist of her ante mortem statement was as follows: "I came to Marshfleld from North Bond tills evening to meet Holland Anderson who was to accompany me to North Bend. Ho had 'rolled' (robbed) me of $75 and I wanted tho money back. I sent word to the Pullman Bar and told him that he had to pay back tho $75 he had stolen from me and must come to North Bend. We went to the boat together. I made threats against him in order to make him do the right thing, but I did not make any move to injure or kill him. When on the deck of the Bonita and about ten feet from me, he suddenly pulled out u revolver and shot. I don't know what made him do it as at the time I did not make move to wards him." In addition to this, she told of her acquaintance with Anderson and some details of how she alleged he had robbed and beaten her but the details of her statements in this connection are not obtainable. Grand Jury Acts. Her declarations concerning the shooting were taken by a steno grapher with Deputy District Attor ney Llljeqvlst questioning her, but Mr. Llljeqvlst would not give any information concerning it until after it has been presented to tho grand jury or courts. The grand jury will take it up today at Coquille. Very shortly after the shooting, Marshal J. W. Carter and Night Watchman Walter Condron found Anderson at tho Pullman bar and placed him under arrest. Ho was taken to the city jail where he re mains pending the preliminary hear ing. Tho full moment of tho situation had scarcely dawned upon Anderson late yesterday when seen by a Times reporter. IIo appeared sort of dazed by what had happened and told the story as follows: Anderson's Story. "I don't know just how it hap pened tho only clear recollection I have of tho shooting is that I thought sho was going to kill mo and I pull ed the revolver which I always car ry and shot. I turned and fled, fear ing my shot went astray and that sho might still got mo. "I had been told by several that Mrs. Gordon had threatened to kill me, but I did not beliove it as I did not know of any reason why she should want to harm me. I barely knew her and knew practically no thing about hor. My acquaintance dates from about a week ago when an order came in from the dock for two lemonades with 'sticks' In them. I made the drinks took thom out. ANDERSON HERE i:. s. Gordon reaches WOMAN'S BEDSIDE. E. S. Gordon, whom Mrs. Gor don claims to be her husband, unexpectedly arrived in Miirsh lield on tho steamship Alliance from Portland this morning. He was not aware of tho shoot ing of Saturday night until ap praised of it nt North Bend when Tom James, who knew him, told him of it. Ho immediately went to tho General hospital where he was long In conference with tho dy ing woman. What transpired is not known. Sho had expressed a hope to live to seo him. Mr. Gordon could not be readied by a Times represen tative today nnd whether ho could shed any light on the un usual affair or wished to make any statement concerning the matter could not he ascertained. Two women took them. One was Mrs. Gordon to whom I was intro duced. Tho next time I saw her was when on May Gth, another fellow and myself happened down around the city hall and saw her in Jail. She wanted to get out and go home. The jailer told her that sho probably would be allowed to go in the after noon. I later learned that she had been arrested for intoxication. That afternoon, I got on a boat for North Bend. Mrs. Gordon camo out and got aboard. She was still under the influence of liquor. She owed me $5 for drinks and Francis Gatens, who runs one of the O'Kelly boats, $5 for boat hire. She announced that she was going to pay us and after u search of her person found only a $10 bill. We took it, Gatens and I dividing tho money. When wo got to North Bend, sho seemed more under tho Influence of liquor than when we started. I thought she might get into trouble and offered to see that she got home all right. She agreed and we started for her home. En route, she kept insisting that we go to a restaurant and get some thing to eat or that I take her to a telephone ofllce so that she could telephone to Portland. On account of her condition, I wouldn't permit her to do either. On reaching her homo, we went around to tho back door and she opened it. Then I left her, she just stepping inside when I turned away. "I didn't seo her again until last night. I was called to the back door of the Pullman saloon. As I reach ed It, a woman pushed a gun in my face and said ' , I am going to kill you.' I was surprised but began to parley for time. 'Come with me or I'll kill you here, she said. 'Let me change my clothes and I'll go with you, said I. 'No come as you are.' She still held the gun in my face and there was nothing for me to do but go. We went over to the boat and got aboard, she con stantly holding tho gun on mo. Aboard the boat, sho stepped over to speak to someone. Sho suddenly stopped talking and made a move ment as thought she was going to shoot, I grabbed my gun and shot and fled. "I nearly always carry a gun and have had this one for sometime. I regret it very much and realize the awful position It puts mo in, but I couldn't help It." Anderson is about twenty-eight or thirty years old. IIo has been in and around Marshfleld for a year or two, coming from Coquille where ho has a couple of brothers. Defendant in Suit. Marshal J, W. Carter Saturday served notice on Mrs. Gordon of a civil action begun at San Francisco for $G00. The action was begun on an old claim. Mrs. Gordon laughed whon tho notice was read to hor. E. S. Gordon. E. S. Gordon's connection with tho woman in tho case Is naturally brought up again by tho develop ments, Gordon who Is nbout sixty years old now camo to Coos Bay in 1890 or 1891. He appeared to bo a man of considerable money and was a contractor. Ho bought somo prop erty horo and soon aftorwards orect ed the building on Front street, near 0," now known as tho Garfield hptel block. Soon afterwards, ho loft. Nothing was heard of him for years but suddenly lu 1903, ho appeared hero again. Tho woman who was shot Saturday night was with him and the public understood that they were man and wife. After a short stay hero, he began to invest In North Bend property and soon nfter wards had tho block on Sherman avenue in North Bend, now partly occupied by the North Bend club, erected. Again he and the woman went away. Soon afterwards, tho San Francisco papers contained sen sational stories of E. S. Gordon hav ing charged a woman thero with forging his name to checks or notes. Following the charge, came the de claration from Gordon that ho had never married lidr and that she was not his wife. She maintained that she was. The Mysterious Wedding. The hearing dragged and soon afterwards came the announcement that E. S. Gordon and Bertha E. Leach were married by a minister in Vancouver. It came as a surprise and Gordon's declaration that ho was not the E. S. Gordon who had mar ried Bertha E. Leach at Vancouver caused a sensation, but was not a surprise. Finally the minister who had married the couple at Vancouver was called in as a witness. Ho tes tified that the E. S. Gordon ho had married was not the E. S. Gordon of Coos Bay and San Francisco. Time sped on and again E. S. Gor don and the woman in the case ap peared on Coos Bay. Their career here was rather stormy and when the announcement came that Bertha Leach-Gordon had obtained a divorce from E. S. Gordon at Oregon City, it was no surprise. About the same time, Gordon became Involved In trouble with North Bend men and left this section. Along about this time, came news from Portland that Mrs. E. S. Gor don or Bertha Leach had been ar rested there on the charge of for gery, United States secret service men finding plates and paraphernalia for making bogus coins In her pos session. Sensational stories of her connection with bad money men fol lowed but at the trial, she was ac quitted. Afterwards, she returned to North Bend and has been residing there practically continuously. GUN WAS FEHRY"S. According to authentic statements today, the gun used by "Mnzook" Anderson in shooting Mrs. Gordon Saturday night belongs to Mr. Fer ry of Herron and Ferry, proprietors of the Pullman Bar. Owing to the state officials, who will prosecute Anderson for the offense, having In structed all who are in any way In connected with the affair to keep silent until they tell their stories to the grand jury, which will probably take up the case today at Coquille, the details of It cannot be learned. It Is understood, however, that Mr. Ferry states that ho took tho gun to the Pullman Bar Saturday, it to bo kept there as a safeguard against troublo or holdups. As Anderson stated that the gun he used was his own and that he always carried, tho story about tho gun being Ferry's varies with it. It was a 38-callbre weapon. While tho grand jury will hoar the evidence in tho case today, It 13 not likely that an indictment will bo re turned for a few days until Mrs. Gordon's condition is known. The charge In tho Indictment will na turally be different if sho dies than if she should recover. Owing to the likelihood of any early action by the grand jury, An derson will probably not be arraign ed before a justice of the peace. TOM COOK DIES AT NORTH BEND TODAY. Well-Known Mini Succumbs Suddenly at Mercy Hospital to Pneumonia. Came From Napa, Cal. Tom Cook, a well-known North Bend man and proprietor of Cook's saloon, died at Mercy hospital this morning of pneumonia. Ho had been ill about ten days. First It was thought that his Illness was but n severo case of the grip but pnou monla developed and his condition becamo critical two days ago. Mr. Cook camo to Coos Bay from Napa, Cal., about four years ago. Ho was unmarried and about 33 years old. His relatives at Napa have been telegraphed concerning his death and no funoral arrangements will bo mado until they aro heard from. Men's Rehearsal. Tho raon of tho Messiah Chorus will meet at 8 o'clock this evening at tho studio of Elmer A. Todd for a rehearsal. SERIES OF TORNADOES WIPE n t rr rn nii aiinsas m u i n UU DLVtHHL U LH1U H Ui GOVERNMENT II ON CASE United Stales Deputy Marshal Said to Have Visited Mrs- Gordon Saturday. Coupled with the Gordon-Anderson shooting affair of Saturday night, other matters havo developed which may havo considerable bearing on tho case, but which aro likewise shrouded in mystery. Tho latter story all hinges around tho fact that United States secret servico men havo had Mrs. Gordon under sur veillance for sometimo and that Sat urday, a deputy United States mar shal visited her and had a long con ference with tho woman. Who the deputy marshal is, what his mission was, and what was dev eloped cannot bo discovered, author ities, who know, refusing to discu&s the matter other than admitting that thero has been a deputy United States marshal on Coos Bay within the last few days and that ho did have a conference with Mrs. Gordon. Naturally, many conjectures havo been made on tho possible interest United States secret servico men have in the case. Investigate Counterfeiting. According to unsubstantiated statements, there havo been many counterfeit $5 gold pieces placed in circulation around Coos Bay during recent months. No arrests havo been made here for such an offense, and It Is naturally presumed that, if bogus coins wero in circulation hero, that government men havo been working on tho case. Whether or not Mrs. Gordon's ac quittal in Portland on the counter feiting charge was satisfactory to tho government official Is not known and this perhaps may explain tho visit of tho deputy United States marshal. Owner of Building That Col lapsed Explains His Connec tion With It. Marshfleld, Ore., May 9, 08. Editor Coos Bay Times: I regret that it becomes necessary for mo to refer to tho unfortunate collapse of tho building that was be ing built for mo at tho corner of Broadway and Washington streets, but feel It my duty in answer to a report that has been circulated to the effect that I changed tho specifi cations In a way that had a tendency to weaken the structure. This re port is absolutely untrue. I let the contract for tho building to bo com pleted according to certain specifica tions furnished by tho contractor and had no power to chango tho building In any particular. Thero was absolutely no changes mado In tho plan or specifications that would In any way affect tho building. I know nothing myself about tho construction of a building but havo to depend entirely on tho j judgment and honesty of tho con tractor. I considered Mr. Cayou an honest and capable man and paid but little nttentlon to tho work, being out of town tho most of tho time during construction of tho building. I havo no opinion to oxpress public ly at this time as to tho causo of tho collapse of tho building. I know absolutely that I am not to blamo in any pnrtlcular as I am prepared to prove, whon tho proper tlmo comes, that every foot of material provided for In this building was approved not only by the contractor but by othor architects and contractors who aro exports of wido experience. I think ono Is almost dostltuto of fair noss or charity who will form and oxpross an opinion on tho basis of rumors nnd street-talk without first gottlng tho facts from somo reliable sorrco, I. H. SMITH. 10 Severe Storms Sweep Over Southwestern Counties Near Woodard. SEVERAL KILLED AND MANY HURT. Villages Struck are Off Rail road and Details of Disaster Are Not Obtainable. (By Associated Press.) WOODWARD, Okla., May 11. A succession of tornadoes swept over a district lying twenty-five miles south west, south and southeast of Wood ward last night. Seven small isolated villages oft tho railroad, and without telegraphic communication, aro re ported to havo been destroyed. Many were Injured and several aro reported killed. The tornado covered four counties and traversed 75 miles. Tho towns damaged include Grand, Arnett, Vici, Mutual, Collis, Little Robe, Cestos, Nashville. Some of tho towns mentioned are reported prac tically wiped out and tho others greatly damaged. Marshfield Victor in Good Game Sunday May Play Here Next Week. Marshfleld won from North Bend yesterday afternoon on tho North Bend grounds by a score of G to 3. The game was one of tho best that has been seen on tho North Bend grounds In a long time, both teams playing good, snappy ball. Tho weather was a little chilly but a good work out previous to tho regular game got tho players in good condi tion. Gaffney pitched for Marshfleld with Lyons and Bryan playing be hind tho bat. Wilson and Fielder, was North Bend's battery. Gaffney hold down North Bend to about threo clean hits while tho Marshfifld ag gregation found Wilson for seven clean hits. Thero wero a few errors but none of them wero very expen sive, Thero was a fairly good turnout despite tho Bandon excursion - GRAND JURY' RETURNS TWO MORE INDICTMENTS AGAINST NORTH REND MAX OTHER DOINGS IN COURT AT CO QUILLE. COQUILLE, Ore, May 11. Tho grand jury mado another report to Judge Hamilton In tho circuit court Saturday night. Two moro bills wero returned against J. C. Wilcox, tho North Bend danco hall proprietor. Permitting gambling and selling liquor to a minor are tho now char ges. Other truo bills wero also re turned but as tho parties aro not In custody, tho Indlctmonts aro not given out. Judgo Hamilton reversed the deci sion of tho lower court In tho caso of Clias, II. Bruschko vs. Eugone O'Connell for a real estato commis sion. Tho lowor court decided In Bruschko's favor. Tho Jury In tho enso of Contractor Small vs. tho Coos Bay, Roseburg and Eastern Railway decided In favor cf tho defendant. Tho suit was tho out growth of allogod breach of contract covering puymont for grading and altorlng the railway lino. NEWS, seo Goodrum's nd. We are now prepared to storo your goods. Bay Side Paint Co., North Bend. DEFEAT NORTH BEND 6 TO 3 t n a 1 1 I 9 nil ID I l 0 I A B SULSJ uflLJUA ON CRARGES