Fatal Trap Set for Burglars Results in Arrests
Two men are in custody for murder after their booby-trapped cabin killed an intruder in Whatcom County.
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.
Newton H. Barr and Walter E. Pixley, of Whatcom, were arrested today for the murder of John Erickson. The two men had rigged a lethal trap in their cabin near Squalicum Creek, which killed Erickson when he attempted to enter the property on Tuesday night. Barr admitted to setting the mechanism, claiming it was intended to alert them to intruders, though he denied that any previous burglaries had actually taken place. They are currently being held without bail pending a preliminary hearing.
“Barr denies that the cabin had been entered by burglars, but says others in the vicinity had been broken into.”
This case highlights the extreme measures taken during periods of perceived lawlessness. The incident serves as a grim precursor to modern debates regarding the legal limits of property defense and 'castle doctrine' laws.
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