CATTLEMAN KILLS
PARTER IN HOTEL.
SEXTON BAR TRAGEDY FOL-
LOWS QUARREL OVER RANCH.
Eugene Hayes of Elgin, Kas., Puts
Three Bullets Into Brain of
Edward Hayes of Paw-
huska, Ok.
EUGENE HAYES.
Kansas Cattleman Who Killed Edward
Hayes, His Partner, in the Barroom
of the Sexton Hotel Last Night.
Following a quarrel concerning the affairs of their 40,000 acre ranch in Osage county, Oklahoma, Eugene Hayes of Elgin, Kas., a cattleman reputed to be worth half a million dollars, shot and killed his partner, Edward Hayes of Pawhuksa, Ok., in the bar of the Hotel Sexton at 7:45 o'clock last night.
Edward Hayes was shot three times, almost in the center of the forehead. He died instantly Eugene Hayes, who is held at police headquarters, says he shot in self defense.
The shooting was witnessed by Edward Lewis, and Lewis Weisenbacher, bartenders; Lee Russell, a millionaire cattleman from Ft. Worth and Lee Rogers, a Kansas City real estate dealer who is an ex-cowman.
L. C. Thompson, another Kansas City real estate man and former cattle raiser, was in the crowd, but says he did not see the shooting.
The five men entered the hotel together about 7:30 o'clock last night, and sat around a table in the front end of the saloon. About fifteen minutes later Eugene and Edward Hayes went to a table in the rear and against the wall opposite the bar.
THREE BULLETS INTO BRAIN.
Before dinner was served they began quarrelling about business affairs, but the conversation was not overheard by anyone unless it was Lee Russell, who is said to have been standing near the small table at which the partners were sitting.
Suddenly Eugene Hayes, who was facing north, leaped from his chair and running around the end of the table began firing. The first shot struck Edward Hayes in the forehead. Two more were effective, almost in the same spot.
Edward Hayes fell back in his chair, dead, and Eugene, taken in charge by a friend, walked towards the front door after placing his pistol, an automatic gun, in his hip pocket. As he rounded the glass screen at the end of the bar Patrolman Arthur Kennard arrested him.
Edward Lewis, the bartender who saw the shooting, said Edward Hayes reached towards his hip pocket first. As he did so, Lewis said, Eugene got up and pulled his pistol, and began firing as he stepped toward Edward. Edward Hayes did not succeed in getting his revolver out of his pocket. The coroner removed it, and took charge of it until an inquest is held. It was a Luger rapid fire gun, the magazine holding seven cartridges.
"I BEAT YOU TO IT."
"I beat you to it," the witness declared Eugene Hayes said as he put away his revolver.
Inspector E. P. Boyle sent Detectives Ralph Trueman and Denver D. Mitchell to the hotel as soon as he was informed of the killing. Detectives Keshlear and McGraw followed.
Deputy Coroner Harry Czarlinsky was notified, and after viewing the body had it removed to Stewart's undertaking rooms, where he performed a post mortem.
Immediately after the shooting the hotel management called Dr. A. L. Porter, who lifted the dead man out of the chair and laid him on the floor.
Eugene Hayes was taken to police headquarters by Patrolman Kennard. He gave the patrolman his pistol while on the street car.
When taken before Lieutenant James Morris to be booked for investigation Hayes was recognized by Patrolman "Jack" McCauley, who asked him what he was arrested for.
"Just killed my partner, Ed Hayes, up at the Sexton hotel.
"What for?" asked Lieutenant Morris.
QUARREL OVER RANCH AFFAIRS.
"Well, he was going to kill me if I didn't. I had to do it. That's all."
To Captain Walter Whitsett, and Norman Woodson, assistant prosecuting attorney, Hayes made no attempt to conceal anything except details of the shooting. He refused to say anything more until he could see John Hayes, former chief of police.
"He's a relative of mine, you know," he kept saying during the conversation. "I'm a ranch owner in Oklahoma," began Hayes. "I'm a pretty well known man, and John Hayes, who was formerly chief of police, is a cousin of mine, and he comes down to the Territory and hunts on my place. This man Ed Hayes is no kin of mine. I simply took him into a partnership wit me and he owes me $5,000. He didn't pay anything into the place.
At police headquarters last night the police took off of Eugene Hayes a diamond ring which is valued at $1,000. Deputy Coroner Czarlinsky took possession of a gold watch, a gold pen, $5.50 in money, and a a revolver taken from Edward Hayes. He wore a Knights of Pythias watch charm.
Ex-Chief John Hayes denied last night that he was any relative of the prisoner. "He is not even distantly related," Hayes said. "I have known him for years and have hunted on his place down in Oklahoma. I don't know why he should claim to be some relative of mine."
