REPORT OF DEPUTY ELLSWORTH LILLARD

RE: SHOOTING OF SHERIFF W. J. DUNLAP

MAY 20, 1923

I had arrested a man for being drunk and had taken him to the County Jail. In the meantime, a call had come from Harrisburg to the effect that a car had been stolen. The Sheriff came back from Murphy’s Garage where he had his car stored and informed me that the stolen car was on it’s way to Albany by the Pacific Highway and invited me to go along.

I mounted my motorcycle and took the lead, the Sheriff, his wife, and Geraldine followed in the Sheriff’s car. Near the McFarland School House, on the Pacific Highway, I passed a car with two men in it which I recognized as being the stolen car from the license plates.

I immediately stopped my motorcycle and turned around and observed the Sheriff pulling over on the side of the road on which the stolen car was being driven, and stopped directly in front of them. I rode back and reached the car about the same time the Sheriff came walking up from the other side.

I asked the two men who were in the car where they had gotten the car. They made no reply. I said, “We know where you got the car” then the Sheriff said to them “You are under arrest”. I said to the Sheriff “You had better take the lead and I will follow back to town”.

The Sheriff replied that his wife could drive his car and he would ride back in the stolen car. The Sheriff then got into the stolen car and sat down in the rear seat, and directed the driver to proceed. I followed with my motorcycle.

We were driving about 20 to 25 miles per hour, I, about 30 to 100 feet behind. When about opposite the old fair ground, about 1 mile south of the city limits, I heard a shot in the car in front of me and saw the Sheriff come out of the left hand side of the car, head first, with the car door open. He hit the pavement on his back and shoulder. I immediately stopped my motorcycle and came to a dead stop directly opposite him. He jumped to his feet. I opened the side car door on my motorcycle and the Sheriff exclaimed “They shot me!” I said, “How bad are you hit?” He said he didn’t think very bad, and indicated with his hand the place where the bullet went in.

He immediately got in the side car and I proceeded, overtaking the stolen automobile at about 11th Street, and when within about 60 feet of the car, we both began to shoot, and continued firing until reaching 9th Street, when the driver of the stolen car turned shortly to the left and as he did so, fired at us with a revolver from his right hand, holding the steering wheel with his left, and at the same instant I fired. The car never righted itself, but proceeded on to the left, running against a wood pile.

I stopped my motorcycle, both of us got out and both of the men started to run. I fired once more but found my gun empty. I did not see the Sheriff anymore until I saw him at the hospital. I ran after them and Johnson dodged out of sight. I followed Parker, loading my gun as I ran with 3 extra shells which I had in my pocket, and as I ran I fired at Parker, the last shot I am sure, took effect as I saw him sink at the report of my gun.

I knew that my gun was empty and I ran back around the block, some bystanders saying that Mr. Brown had a rifle, and stopping at Mr. Brown’s house, I got his 303 Savage rifle, went back to where bystanders reported Parker being in the Salvage toilet. I commanded him three times to come out but received no response. I then fired a shot thru the door, low down, and immediately thereafter Parker called out that he would give himself up, and came out with his hands up. I was shooting a 30 Luger which held 9 shells and I had it full.

Some bystanders were: Charlie Dow, Fred Anderson, W. E. Venable