JOHN COLUMBO
Arizona Republican Newspaper
May 25, 1909

According to the latest reports from Globe, the coroner's jury 
which was drawn in the city to investigate the death of John 
Columbo, who was shot by Deputy Sheriff Edwards, had not yet 
reported and expected to continue in session for another day 
before there would be any probability of their arriving at a 
decision.  An endeavor was made Thursday, before the death of 
the  victim to secure a statement from him, but the Austrian 
insisted that he was going to recover and he refused to make 
any statement.  Although there is considerable difference in 
the testimony of several of the witnesses, it is generally 
agreed that the officer was not to blame and that he fired the 
fatal shot in defense of his own life. 

Deputy Sheriff Edwards had gone to the Pioneer Saloon for the 
purpose of placing under arrest Sam Wulcich, who had been 
firing a revolver at random during the progress of a fire.  
Wulcich refused to surrender his gun and the officer clubbed 
him over the head with the butt of a revolver.  At this time 
Columbo interfered and grabbed the revolver which the officer 
held in his hand. Edwards, thinking that the gun would be 
wrested from his grasp, turned it toward his assailant and 
pulled the trigger.  The shot penetrated the abdomen of 
Columbo making six incisions in the intestines. About twenty 
four hours after the shooting he died in the hospital at the 
Old Dominion.  Further testimony will probably be introduced 
relating to remarks which the wounded man made after the 
shooting.  The general opinion is, however, that the officer 
will be cleared of all blame.