The Point Roberts Dinner Party Murder

From a gentleman to whom an eye witness of the affair detailed the particulars, we learn the following details of a cowardly murder which occurred near the boundary line between Washington Territory and British Columbia, on Wednesday of this week. It seems that Va. Patterson, Wm. Pollock and McSweeney met at Semiahmoo, and on invitation of Mr. McSweeney, who resided at Point Roberts, the other two went home with him. In order to properly entertain his guests, McSweeney laid in a line of supplies, among which were two bottles of whiskey. On arriving at Point Roberts, McSweeney got supper for his guests. During the meal Pollock, who had sampled the whiskey quite often, became quarrelsome and picked a quarrel with Patterson. The two got to blows and Pollock got whipped, although he broke a bone in Patterson's arm during the melee. After peace was restored, Pollock again attempted to pick another quarrel and was put out of the house by McSweeney. He did not return during the evening, and the men supposed he had left for good. At breakfast time, Wednesday morning, however, he returned to the house, and asked for a drink of whiskey, saying he was very dry. McSweeney let him in, and invited him to stay to breakfast. After being seated at the table, and while McSweeney was eating the provisions, Pollock again commenced abusing old man Patterson. McSweeney, who was standing up, told him to stop his abuse, when he grasped a carving knife and plunged it twice up to the handle in McSweeney's stomach. McSweeney turned and ran, followed by Pollock, and after going two or three hundred feet, fell dead. Pollock then wiped the blood from the blade of the knife on the leg of his pants, and walked away. He was overtaken, arrested, and delivered over to the authorities at Whatcom. Patterson went over to Semiahmoo to have the broken bone in his arm set, but will return to Whatcom in time to appear against Pollock at the trial.