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About The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898 | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1893)
"(') 1 Lebanon Express-Extra. Lebanon Oregon Febuary 28, 1893. A SADAFFAIR. Joe Grubb Instantly Killed. Itonu Vwoa w held to kDiwer tiio ohive. The usual quiet that prevail! In our little city was sadly ehocked by the harsh report of a pistol about S o'clock Tuesday morning. Investigation dis closed that Joseph Grubb was lying dead at the front door of his saloon with his left breast pleroed with a bullet. Life was gone and he never spoke after the shot The following is the evldenoe before ooronor, given in full. J. Moesholder being called as a wit ness, testified as follows: I lire Id Lebanon, am a teamster. Yes Blr I was in the back part of the saloon when (he shooting occurred, about 8 o'clock this morning, Feb. 28, 1803. I and Mr. Carroll was then UlkiugtoMr. Grubb. I was sitting by the stove when Morgan Wassom came In the front door and asked Mr. Grubb to take a drink. Mr. Carroll was standing at the desk at tbe end of the counter, when Wassom asked Grubb who that gentleman was. Grubb told him to ask Carroll to have a di'iuk, and Grubb iulrodueed them aud told them ts shake hands, and poured out liquor. Wassom slipped outside and Carroll went back to the stove. Wassom came back in and asked me to have a drink. I and him stood there aud talked a while when be said to Grubb. "I would like to speak to you a few minutes." Grubb told bim If be wanted to talk to him he could do It there and I could go back to tbe stove. I went back to the stove. Wassom said be had heard that be had told some of the boys that be had thrown him out of the house. Grubb told him he never told them anything of tbe kind, but that he once nuked him to go out of the bouse and lie went out like a gentleman. Wus som said BUI Elkins told bim that Grubb said he bad threw him out of tlie house. Grubb told bim that If Elkins would oome and say that lie did say It, he would p n up. I didn't hear anymore of the racket until be asked Grubb to come out of the house. They bad some ' words that I didn't hear. Wassom kind of backed out of 'the door, and Grubb went around there. Wassom did not say anything but kind of pulled out his gun when Grubb came around the counter. I saw the gun when Grubb came around the oounti r, and when they went out of the door the gun weut off. He carried it In bis hand when he backed out of tbe door. , Grubb did not strike r attempt to strike him. He reached down and tried to ge the gun away from him, They areswlnglngdooreaud were opeu and they were right in the door when the shot went off. I saw the flash of the pistol. I saw Grubb and he was olose to Wassom trying to get hold of tbe pistol, when the gun Bred. IJatood out behind them. I didn't think anyone was shot. I thought they bad a fight. I did not ace Grubb fall. land the geutleman stepped out the back door. I heard someone making a noise like some one being choked. I saw Grubb ly ing there. He was outside and his head on the door step. Wassom was' 4n tbe street walking up and down (or some time, when we came back from after Dr. Lamberson he came across, started towards us, but did not weak to bim. I saw him no more that night Grubb was not angry, but asked Wassom to go out and behave himself like a gentleman. Wassom made no reply that I heard. He in vited Grubb out shortly after this. Grubb was coming around the bar when he asked Wassom to go out Wassom was standing about middle ey of the bar when Grubb came out I went to the saloon about 8 o'clock and Wassom came in about S o'clock this morning. Don't know where he had been before. He took two or three drinks while I was in there. He took drinks with me, Car roll and Grubb. I think Wassom was a little full. They did not clinch. Grubb was pretty close - to him trying to get hold of tbe pistol. I did not see Grubb attempt to get anything out of bis pocket when he went from behind the bar. He did not curse him neither did Wassom. It was about 10 or 15 minutes from this time I left by tbe back door .until I returned to tbe frontdoor. Grubb drew one or two breaths when I got back. Grubb was not drunk. Grubb was following up Wassom trying to get the revolver. Only one shot was fired. W. H. Carroll being first duly sworn testified as follows: I live in Ban Francisco and am a commercial traveler. I was in the bouse when the fuss occurred. I went in there a good deal in the afternoon. Had business with Grubb but be did not make his appearance. I went in there about 7:30 that evening and re mained there until time of shooting. Wussom came in about 8 o'clock. I beard part of tbe conversation between him aud Or Jbb. I heard Grubb say be did nut Intend to go out of hie own bouse. Did not not bear any reply. He came around the bar soon after, not Immediately. I saw Grubb come around the bar. He tried to get near enough to get that pistol, but did not seem to be angry. Wassom was drinking aud showed it. I noticed it. Wassom walked In and I stepped up to the bar. I stood at a little desk, when Wassom asked Grubb to take a drink with him. He first excused himself Grubb did, as be had Just had a drink with me, aud then said, "I will take a drink with you."" He did take a drink. Mr. Grubb took some bitters.aud Was som took brandy. He first asked for whisky but changed to brandy. Grubb had taken two drinks' with me before Wassom came in, and both times took bitters. He was not intoxicated at all. I saw them go out toward the door. I did not see flash of pistol. 1 was ut stove when most of this thing happened. He was dead after we looked at him thoroughly. He breathed once or twice. It was about 15 minutes from tbe time I left aud returned. It was within 15 minutes after I went to stove and returned. I only saw Wassom on tbe street on the next block. When we saw Wassom I think he, Wassom, was wanting to osme back for his bat. A hat was picked up there. I was present wh en Doctor felt in his pockets but found no weapons on Grubb. I saw Grubb when he reached for Waasom's pistol then they went out doors. I heard shot and thought be had shot down at the floor. I did not see Grubb have bis hands on Wassom, but saw Grubb reach for him. Don't know if he got hands on Wassom. When he first came in I was not acquainted with Wassom but was lutioduoed to him. When he Invited us to drink and while the drinks were on the counter Wassom went outside and remained about a minute and a half or two min utes, aud while be was out there Grubb told me this man had not been In this house for alx months about; , and when Wassom returned I bad taken tbe drink, and then excused myself. Then Wassom came back and asked Mr. Moesholder to drink. I went back to stand In rear end of building. David Gentry being first duly sworn, testified as follows: I live here and do not follow any business particularly now. I saw and was with Wassom a part of last eve ning. I was at Guy & Mayer's house part of the evening. Wassom took drinks there quite a few drinks. I never saw him exhibit a pistol. I did not know he had any. I never heard him that evening mention Grubb's name, but he mentioned parties and I told him I thought I knew who he was talking about He said there was a dirty son-of-a-bitch In this town w ho bad It in for bim, but be could not down him. I told him I knew who he meant, and he inquired how I knew. I used to be at Grubb's a good deal. I knew they had a hardness some time, but I didn't know the source. I don't think Wassom mentioned bis purpose to meet Grubb that evening. I left him about 8 o'clock this morning when Mayer closed up.. , We all came down street We went on and Wassom stopped at Grubb's. He, Wassom, was full what I call full. I never knew anything about the fuss till after day light this morning, I never beard Grubb say anything much about Was som. Heard him say he respected Wassom's brother more than Wassom. Never beard bim say anything about his character. Mr. Grubb was not a quarrelsome fellow ordinarily. He did not hare that reputation. Have known bim about tws years. Worked for bim six months and got along with him all right. I saw Wassom first last evening about midnight, tit Mr. Muyer'. I was not at Grubb's any time last night between 2 aud 3 o'clock. I went home when we left Mayer's, and never knew anything about It un til this morning. I was in Grubb's the last time about midnight, and went from there to Mayer's and staid there till I went home. J. C. Mayer, being first duly sworn, testified as follows: 1 live in Lebanon and keep a saloon. I saw Morgan Wassom last evening Feb. 27. I saw him first at my place about 10 o'clock and be remained there till I left, a little before 3 in the morn ing. He had not drank anything much till about 12 o'clock, but took a good many drinkB after then. He took only two or three drinks from ten till twelve o'clock. He probably took fif teen or twenty drinks after 12 o'olock up to the time he left brandy. I nev er saw him exhibit his pistol. Didn't kosw be bad one In saloon. When we started home Gentry, Wassom and I Wassom wanted us to go to take a drink at Grubb's. I said "No," because be aud Grubb had had trouble. "I don't waut to be with you." He said "I will go in and set them up, and act the man, aud we will all go home," and I said "I think you have enough anyway, and you had better go home now," and he said "All right, oome on and let us go," and when we started I stepped between him and Gentry. When I stepped between the two I saw his p'stol In his outside coat pocket. Saw the handle and I sup posed it was a pistol. When we got to Grubb's door he said "Come on in." I said "No, let us go on," and he pull ed away from us aud went In the house aud Gentry and I weutoc to Gentry's house. When Gentry went in the house be stum Med over a chair, and I topped on the outside about 20 min utes to see whether Gentry would come-' back. During the time I was standing there I heard tbe pistol shot. After I left there I came up to Front St, tod walked up this way, and met Wassom 00 mlng across the street by Bill Reed's. He said "Who are you? I am awful sick," I told him who I was, tad 1 asked him if he wanted me to go home with him, and he eald yea. While we were walking home he told me he bad gotten into trouble with Grubb. He said "I think I have hurt him pretty bad." and several times he would stop, sit down and rest awhile, aud I left him at his front gate, and I told bim he was at home now, and to go on and go to bed. He walked into tbe house, and that was the last time I saw him. I did not ask him how he bad hurt Grubb. He said "We got in to trouble, and we got into a hell of a shooting scrape," and he (bought be had hurt Grubb pretty bad. Whek we left him at Grubb's door he said "I am going into Grubb's anyway. I heard him talking to Gentry that eve ning but he talks so much anyway I didn't know what he bad said. I came back up here and met Wassom. After I had gone home with Gentry and walked back with Wassom, when I came back Bice told me Wassom had shot and killed Grubb. Wassom set ed like he was pretty full when I was taking bim home. I did not see pistol or handle then. Wussom nver asked me to go across the way and see some fun he only asked me to go over and take a drink. I knew they had had trouble several months before. Mr. Wassom at times drank considerable. He had no hat on when I met him at Reed's, and took him home. He said he had lost his hat. The following is tbe report of the ex amining physician: J, J. A. Lamberson, dp hereby certi fy that I am a practicing physiciam and surgeon of Lebanon. Oregon. I have this day made a careful exami nation of the body uf A. W. Grubb, deceased, and find that his death was caused by a gun or pistol wound, said wound being located 2J incnes to the left of the sternum or breast l one, 2 " iuches to the right of left nipple; said wound penetrating the interior of the chest or trunk of body to the depth of 7J iuches, severing the ascending aorta thereby causing instant death from in ternal hemorrhage, , J. A. Lamukbson. ' After hearing the above evidenee the Jury rendered the following ver diot: . . We the Jury empanelled and swori by the Coroner of Linn oounty Or., to enquire in to the cause of the death of A. W. Grubb find that he came to his aeatn Dy a pistol shot tired by the hands of one M. Wassom, on the 28th. day of February at 3 o'clock of the morning of said day. P.M.Smith, G. W. Ortoon, Joa. Mayhb, J. C. BiLYnn, . . - 8. H, Myrrh, D. Andrkwh. At 8 o'clock preliminary trial was held before Justice Elson. The'etrte was represented by J, R. Wyatt and the defendant by J. K. Weatherford and 8. M. Garland. The defendant' waived examination and was sent to the Grand Jury. Constable Mor gan took Wassom to Albany this eve ning. One witness for the stall were required to give bonds In SI00 lot their appearance before the Grand jury. The deceased was 88 years of age, and leaves a wife and two nhiiiin.? I He will be buried to-morrow at 10 J o'olock at the Masonic oewetery,