Brutal Murder and Arson in Spangle
A prosperous bachelor farmer is found dead after a suspected robbery leads to the destruction of his home and barn.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
News of a terrible murder near Spangle reached Spokane today. The murder occurred between 9 and 10 o'clock last night, and John Wyant, a prosperous farmer, was the victim. He was shot through the head and through the heart, and his throat was cut from ear to ear. The body was then placed in the barn, covered with hay, and the building set on fire. Sheriff Pugh, who has just returned from the scene, reports that Wyant, a bachelor living on his homestead, was believed to have had a large amount of money concealed in his house. Mrs. Voile, a neighbor, heard two pistol shots, followed by the barn fire. Neighbors arrived to find the body near a wall; it was badly burned, but the nature of the wounds was confirmed. The murderer apparently ransacked the house searching for wealth and escaped on one of Wyant's horses. The county commissioners have offered a $300 reward.
“The body was then placed in the barn and covered with hay and the building set on fire.”
While Spangle remains a small rural community, the isolation of homesteaders at the turn of the century often made them targets for violent crime. This case reflects the period's obsession with 'hidden wealth' and the brutal methods used to silence witnesses in rural Washington.
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