The Bullet That Ended a Bully: A Seattle Man’s Deadly Stand on the Walla Walla

FATAL SHOOTING AND KILLING.

Last Wednesday afternoon, as Michael Emerick, better known as "Pat Emerick," was coming down a side hill grade on the Walla Walla river with a load of wood, a controversy arose between him and Joe Gordon, who was building a fence near the road. After many hard words on both sides, Gordon commenced to throw rocks at Emerick, who retreated, repeatedly telling Gordon to leave him alone and not to follow him.

Gordon persisted in chasing Emerick until the latter had crossed the Walla Walla. Then Emerick told Gordon not to follow him farther or he would shoot him. Gordon stooped to pick up a rock, and as he rose to throw it, Emerick fired at him with a revolver. The ball struck Gordon in the neck, and he fell dead in his tracks.

Emerick went to Milton and gave himself up to Constable Ingles. Several parties, including several of Gordon's family, witnessed the affray and killing. It is said that Gordon and Emerick have been quarreling for a couple of years, and that the dispute between them was in relation to the jumping by a third party of some land that Gordon claimed.

Gordon is reported to have, on one occasion, horse-whipped Emerick on the public highway; to have attacked him with a knife in this town, and to have bounded and goaded Emerick on all occasions, until the dormant manliness in his bosom was aroused to such a pitch that he had publicly said that he would kill Gordon the next time he attacked him. This threat had reached Gordon's ears, but he did not, it seems, believe Emerick would shoot.

Both men are said to be of rather a quarrelsome nature, particularly Gordon, who was of a very overbearing, bullying disposition. Letters from the scene of the affray state that Emerick has the sympathy of the neighborhood in this no fortunate difficulty. Emerick formerly resided in this place [Seattle], and ran a job wagon on the streets. As the constable did not seem to have any use for Emerick, he let him go the next day. Yesterday Emerick was in town after legal advice in the matter.