William Withers

Death by Force

In the cold, clear light of February 5, 1903, Lane County Sheriff William Withers, a 45-year-old White male, set out for Walton, Oregon, on a mission to apprehend an escaped prisoner. The fugitive was Elliott Lyons, a known embezzler and horse thief, who was believed to be hiding at his parents' home where his wife also resided. Accompanied by a deputized posse, Withers reached the Lyons residence and, with his pistol drawn, boldly entered to demand the man's surrender.

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