The Woodward Bulletin – May 10, 1907
Word has been received in Woodward Friday night that a man named Tom Strobe had been killed by W.E. Scott, and Coroner Pierson went out Saturday morning to hold an inquest.
The coroner empaneled a jury consisting of George M. Cruson, L.B. Coombs, F.I. Pike, C.R. Clark, Henry G. Schmidt, and J.A. Epley, and heard the evidence in the case which was substantially as follows:
Strobe and Tom Irvin had been to town and the former had taken on a big load of bad whiskey, so that he was in a very quarrelsome mood.
When they reached Irvin’s home Stobe became angered and attacked Irvin first with a knife and after woods [sic] with a club, but was induced to go on home.
He next appeared at the home of Mr. Scott. No one was at home but Mrs. Scott and Strobe staggered against the door causing it to open. Mrs. Scott asked what was the matter and Strobe replied by asking for Scott. Being told that he was out in the field, said he would go home and get a gun.
As soon as he had gone Mrs. Scott took her child and went out to where her husband, and W. B. Matthis and Clarance DeLate who were going through to Beaver county, were hunting and told them what Strobe had said.
They returned to the house and as they neared the barn saw Strobe peering in at the window. He had a pistol in his hands. The party remained behind the barn till Strobe left when they went into the house. De Late went accross [sic] the road to catch a horse, and while he was out Strobe returned, apparently unarmed. Scott said if he has not got his gun let him in and we will overpower him and tie him till he sobers up. Matthis stepped to the door to open it, when he saw Strobe draw his gun. Scott shoved a charge of buckshot into the barrel of his gun, a winchester pump gun, and stepped to one side to cover the door when Strobe saw him and fired. Scott then fired the charge of buckshot, and continued to shoot till the gun was empty. Strobe walked about 50 feet and fell dead.
The jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide.
Mr. Scott is a man of good standing in his community, and while the shooting is deplorable, it was in no sense his fault.
