Bullets for a Neighbor on Vashon Island

A strange story of a vendetta that culminated in an attempt at assassination was told yesterday through the visit of Ole Christofersen to Seattle to institute proceedings against George Weston, his only neighbor, under peace bonds.

The story was gathered from Christofersen. Reports had it that the two men were in a perpetual feud, their homes in close proximity at the extreme south end of Vashon Island. Their houses were near there—a sort of double house, one side occupied by Christofersen and his wife, while the other was held by Weston, a big young man. The parties had a dispute over the dissolution of a partnership, and Weston would not have anything more to do with his former friend. On one occasion Weston was heard to say: “I will kill her just as I would a crow, and as for Chris, I will shoot him as he comes along the beach.”

That was not at first alarming to the family, but Weston soon moved out of the house and took up his residence in a cabin about forty yards away. The matter was passed over without an appeal to the law.

One night last week, just after Mr. Christofersen had retired, and while the light stood on a small table in the middle of the room, a rifle report was heard from the direction of the beach. The bullet passed through the window on the opposite side of the room from the bed and buried itself in the wall just over Mr. Christofersen’s head. Three more shots were fired in rapid succession, the bullets lodging in the wall within a short distance of the first. Mrs. Christofersen, who had been undressing, jumped to the center of the room and turned down the light, fearing it made a good target for the marksman outside. As she did so another shot was heard and a bullet passed within a few inches of her body. Once more the rifle was heard, and this time a bullet struck the window. Mr. Christofersen sprang out of bed and rushed to the door, but it was too dark to distinguish objects at a distance. He heard sounds as if someone were moving away from the shore in a boat.

The next morning he found a number of footprints in the wet sand on the beach in the direction from which the shots came, and one of his boats, usually kept on the beach, had been moved. Christofersen had no proof of the identity of the would-be assassin, but owing to the scarcity of neighbors and the trouble with Weston he kept up a tight, hard thinking.

Some men from Port Blakely who had stopped overnight with Weston came to the house and warned the family that their lives were in danger. Further explanation they would not give, but in reality it was unnecessary. After this Weston, it is said, would walk up and down the beach in front of the Christofersen house and shake his fist in a wild and apparently angry manner.

One day Christofersen went out in the bay fishing quietly and peaceably, it is said, when Weston came from his house, rifle in hand, and hid behind a pile of driftwood. Mrs. Christofersen claims to have seen him do this, and she tried to warn her husband out of the danger. Weston’s aim failed, but fortunately a canoe came in sight and Weston returned to the house.

Finally, about four weeks ago, Christofersen became convinced that he should do something about putting Weston under peace bonds. He was to return on a certain night, but an accident detained him in the city. The very night he should have returned, Mrs. Christofersen is said to have seen a figure walking the beach where her husband usually put in. She then thought of the words: “As for Chris, I will shoot him as he comes along the beach.”

On January 28, Christofersen and another man went out fishing and anchored some distance from shore in sight of Weston’s cabin. They heard a whistling sound and some object passed close to Christofersen. A second later the report of a rifle was heard. Christofersen glanced up and caught sight of Weston just taking a rifle down from his shoulder. This long series of narrow escapes was too much for Christofersen to stand any longer, so he came to Seattle again and learned that he must file his complaint in King County. Yesterday he secured the warrant, with threats of death, and it is possible the case will come before a justice this week.