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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2018)
4A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL MAY 2, 2018 O PINION Offbeat Oregon History: "Unwritten law" and murder By Finn JD John Working together to be our best C o t t a g e Grove has always been a special place to me. I got to know one of my close friends while hav- ing dinner at the Axe and Fiddle. By Ned Hickson The public library nhickson@cgsentinel.com was the fi rst place I spoke at following the publication of my fi rst book back in 2013. During my 20 years at The Siuslaw News in Florence, I’ve come to know several members of The Sentinel newsroom staff, including Finn John, Matt Treder, Jon Stinnett and others — all before our two newspapers became part of the same news company family several years ago. That being said, you’ll notice my name has been added to the staff box on page 4 as the managing editor. I’m glad to say I can add current editor Caitlyn May to the list of Sentinel folks I’ve come to know and, in this case, am looking forward to working with in the weeks and months ahead. Cottage Grove’s historic district and diverse mix of both urban and rural com- munities create a broad tapestry of expe- riences, perspectives and opportunities for those who live here, as well as the journalists who chronicle it. Ultimately, a newspaper is a refl ec- tion of its community, serving as both a rearview mirror to the past and a look at who we are today — and both of which are necessary for looking ahead as an in- formed and united community. Without question, The Sentinel has seen changes over the past year. Some of those changes have come as a result of Caitlyn’s goal, as editor, of providing more relevant and timely coverage of news and events. This can be particularly challenging when faced with the limita- tions of a weekly publication and a small staff. Those changes have also helped usher The Sentinel toward a more traditional newsroom structure that utilizes a manag- ing editor, which has become a standard among newspapers, both large and small. Through a recent survey, as well as your letters, emails, phone calls and con- versations during the past several weeks, we’ve had a chance to hear what many of you like and dislike about the changes. Some appreciate the longer, more in- depth series examining the impacts of state or national issues on the local level; others feel our scope has broadened too much. Some readers think we lean too far left, others too far right — and some feel we try too hard to straddle the middle with- out taking a stance. Ultimately, our objective is to serve you in the best way we can by providing the kind of news, information and cov- erage that offers something for each of you — whether it be local politics, sports, business news, the arts, and coverage of special events, organizations or individ- uals within the six communities The Sen- tinel has come to serve over the last year. Like many small newspapers, we are also working to utilize our online pres- ence through The Sentinel website and social media page to close that time gap and improve the relevancy of the news and information we provide. This is par- ticularly true of breaking news situations that involve public safety, as well as im- portant information that can’t wait for several days to see print. Continuing to achieve these goals takes trust, communication and a strong work- ing relationship with our readers — areas that will continue to be an important fo- cus for us, and my primary focus as man- aging editor. Though I remain editor at The Siu- slaw News in Florence, I will be in Cot- tage Grove every Wednesday, all day, so please feel free to stop in; my door is al- ways open. I also welcome you to call or email me any time with questions, com- plaints, suggestions or concerns. In addition, Caitlyn and I will be host- ing a free Press Release Writing Work- shop at the Cottage Grove Public Library on Wednesday, May 16, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. I encourage anyone involved in a non-profi t group, community organiza- tion or local club who wants to learn the ins and outs of writing press releases (and who doesn’t!) to attend this free work- shop. As a small newspaper with limited staff, press releases are an important tool in assuring information about your orga- nization or event gets into the community. As I mentioned at the beginning, Cot- tage Grove has always been a special place to me. This makes it just one more reason to feel that way. I hope to see you May 16, or any time. Ned Hickson Managing Editor 541-902-3520 For The Sentinel Alfred Lester Belding may have intended to try to claim the protec- tion of the “Unwritten Law” when he made his plans for revenge. But, reviewing the historical record, it seems more likely he didn’t give a single thought to anything beyond the four murders he had planned. It would have been a long shot anyway. The “Unwritten Law” was a social convention that “allowed” a man to murder another man if he sincerely believed the victim had been intimate with his wife, or had adulterously “ruined” a close female relative. It didn’t have much to say about murdering mothers-in-law, fa- thers-in-law, and/or the wife herself. Belding and his wife, Sylvia Maude, had been married for sev- en years — long enough to pro- duce one son, Eddie, now 6. Their marriage had been, to use a euphe- mism of the day, a stormy one, and by July 11, 1902, everyone knew it was over. Sylvia, after at least fi ve years of everyone in her family urg- ing her to do so, was fi nally suing him for divorce; moreover, she had been seen with another man, George “Gyp” Woodward. Belding was convinced that they were having an affair, cuckolding him. He himself had been carrying on an adulterous affair with a younger woman named Cora Dawson for a number of years, but that, of course, was different. So, Gyp Woodward had to die. And Sylvia had to die, because if Belding couldn’t have her, nobody could. And her mother and father, who had urged her to leave him and then taken her in when she fi nally had — they had to die, as accesso- ries to the crime of home-wrecking. And now, as the evening of July 11 wore on, it looked like Belding was going to get his chance. He had learned that Gyp Woodward had come over to the in-laws’ house for a visit. All four of them were there. The only way it could be bet- ter would be if her brother and sis- ter were in the house too, but one couldn’t be too picky. Four was enough. So after bracing himself up with a generous measure of liquor, he armed himself with a pair of re- volvers, which he “borrowed” from his employer — he worked as a bartender at a saloon at 14th and Marshall. He didn’t know it, but the wheelguns — a Colt and a Smith & Wesson — weren’t fully loaded; there were only nine shells between the two guns, a fact that would quite possibly save at least one life that night. Then he headed over to Sylvia’s parents’ house, on the corner of Fifth and Flanders. Out on the porch Belding found his son, young Eddie. He paused for a few minutes to talk to the boy, then gave him a kiss goodnight and told him to go inside to bed. Just then, Gyp Woodward stepped into the doorway. Belding lifted the Colt and let him have it. One shot, right through the head. The curtain had gone up. Belding stepped past Eddie and over the dead body of his “rival” and stepped into the house. Startled by the noise of the shot, Sylvia now stepped into the hall, met his eyes. The Colt bellowed again, and Sylvia Maude McCroskey Belding died in her tracks. The murderer now started down the hall, knowing his in-laws were both still alive and in the house somewhere. He found his mother- in-law, Deborah McCroskey, fi rst. Again he fi red one fatal shot. Belding was obviously quite a good shot when his victim was standing there waiting to be mur- dered. But his skills weren’t nearly as good when his victim was shoot- ing back, as his next victim, Lem- uel McCroskey, was. Lemuel had had plenty of notice as to what was going on, and he’d gotten his own pistol out. When Belding found him, he was charging, fi ring as he came. Luckily for Belding, Lemuel wasn’t a very good shot; none of his bullets touched their mark. Belding had better luck; of the three shots he fi red, all three hit. The fi rst one nicked his neck; the second one infl icted a minor fl esh wound in his arm; and then the older man clinched with him. Belding got one more shot in, and this one did the trick — it would have been fatal had it not been defl ected by the old man’s pocket watch. As it was, it put Lemuel out of commission for the night. Knowing the house was now empty of targets that could shoot back, Belding now turned and opened fi re on little Eddie, who was apparently still on the porch. “Pa fi red three times at me,” Ed- die testifi ed at the subsequent trial. “Once at my right foot and then at my left, but the third time it did not come near me. I was across the street.” Leaving one of the now-emp- ty pistols lying on the fl oor where he had dropped it wrestling with Lemuel, Belding now strolled lei- surely across the street to the Lake Charles Saloon, throwing the other pistol down in the street as he did. Then he telephoned the police to let them know what he’d done, ordered a drink, and waited for the cops to arrive. At trial, Belding’s attorney didn’t have much to go on; but he tried to argue his client had been tempo- rarily insane, driven thence by the sad news that his wife was moving on and his happy home was lost and gone. This proved to be a real- ly tough sell. For one thing, when Belding had learned that his fourth victim — Lemuel McCroskey — was still alive, he’d become visi- bly enraged. That didn’t strike the jurors as consistent with a claim that the crime had been done in hot blood during a temporary bout of rage-induced insanity. It was, how- ever, very consistent with the pros- ecution’s claim that Belding was a cold-blooded monster who had tan- trums when he didn’t get what he wanted. Another blow came from a po- lice detective, who testifi ed to hav- ing seen Belding smoking in opium dens several times. Opium was legal in 1902, but in mainstream Portland society, indulging in it was regard- ed in much the same way injecting methamphetamine is viewed today: Please see OFFBEAT PG. A9 C ottage G rove S entinel (541) 942-3325 Administration Jenna Bartlett, Group Publisher Gary Manly, General Manager ................................................. Ext. 207 gmanly@cgsentinel.com Jakelen Eckstine, Marketing Specialist .................................... Ext. 213 jeckstine@cgsentinel.com Jana Stelle, Marketing Specialist .............................................. Ext. 203 jsteele@cgsentinel.com Editorial Ned Hickson, Managing Editor.........................................541-902-3520 nhickson@cgsentinel.com Caitlyn May, Editor. ................................................................. Ext. 212 cmay@cgsentinel.com Zach Silva, Sports Editor .......................................................... Ext. 204 zsilva@cgsentinel.com Customer Service Mandi Jacobs, Offi ce Manager ................................................ Ext. 200 Legals, Classifi eds .......................................... Ext. 200 mjacobs@cgsentinel.com Production Ron Annis, Production Supervisor ............................................. Ext.215 graphics@cgsentinel.com (USP 133880) Subscription Mail Rates in Lane and Portions of Douglas Counties: Ten Weeks..............................................................................................$9.50 One year ............................................................................................. $37.65 e-Edition year ...................................................................................... $35.00 Rates in all other areas of United States: Ten Weeks $11.70; one year, $46.35, e-Edition $43.00. In foreign countries, postage extra. No subscription for less than Ten Weeks. Subscription rates are subject to change upon 30 days’ notice. All subscritptions must be paid prior to beginning the subscription and are non-refundable. Periodicals postage paid at Cottage Grove, Oregon. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424. 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To avoid transcription errors, the Sentinel would prefer editorial and news content be sent electronically via email or electronic media. Hand written submissions will be accepted, but we may need to call to verify spelling, which could delay the publishing of the submission. The Sentinel reserves the right not to print letters that may contain libelous content. MAY 1-MAY 14 South Valley Farmers' Market will open on Thursday, May 3 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the corner of Main St. and 7th. The American Legion will host bingo on Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 826 W. Main St. Proceeds ( 50 cents per card) sup- port local veterans' programs. Sustainable Cottage Grove will host its First Friday Potluck this Friday, May 4 at the Healing Matrix at 632 E. Main St. For more information, call (541) 543-5735. Coast Fork Feed Company's 2018 May Fair is set for Satur- day, May 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 106 S. 6th St. Features local farmers, crafts, interactive exhibits and Celtic music. Do you have an event, lecture or gathering you want people to know about? Send details to cmay@cgsentinel.com.