The Deadly Man-Trap of Whatcom
A man is held without bail after a spring-gun trap set on his property results in a fatal shooting.
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.
N. S. Barr, one of the persons charged with setting the gun trap which killed John Ericson last week, waived examination in Justice Hardin's court today and was committed without bail to answer to the charge of murder. The matter will doubtless be investigated by the grand jury now in session. Waller Pixley, his boy companion, had a hearing and was discharged, though held in $1,000 bail to appear as a witness against Barr.
“committed without bail to answer to the charge of murder”
This case highlights the extreme legal consequences of self-help justice, a recurring theme in the history of property defense in Washington. The use of 'spring-guns' or booby traps remains illegal in modern Washington, reflecting a legal evolution that prioritizes human life over the protection of personal property.
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