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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,