Multnomah County OR Archives News.....Five Shot kill September 16, 1904 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sheron Faynor nitwittwin@hotmail.com May 23, 2008, 2:56 pm Morning Oregonian September 16, 1904 Gus Breuer Murdered At Saloon Door Police Arrest Suspect Robert Lewis,Carpenter,Is Accused Of Crime Italians Are Witnesses Saloonkeeper Is Fired Upon By Assassin, and Five Wounds Cause Instant Death- Witness Says Lewis Fired The Shots Gus Breuer,aged 42 years,proprietor of the City View saloon,located at the corner pf Clay street and Union Avenue,in East Portland,was shot to death at the rear door of his saloon at 11:50 o'clock last night. Robert Lewis,a carpenter,who rooms in a lodging house at the corner of Clay street and Union avenue,was arrested by Detectives Day and Weiner shortly afterward and charged with the crime. Five Italians were playing cards in the saloon at the time,one of whom stated that he saw Lewis shoot Breuer. A few seconds after 11:50 o'clock the Police Department was notified that Breuer had been shot.The patrol wagon,in charge of Driver Isaacs and Officer Robson,was sent at once to the scene. The wagon made a record run,and arrived at the same instant as Officer Stewart,who paces the beat where the murder occurred, and who heard the shots and went at once to the place. Officers Stewart and Robson immediately ordered the locks and allowed no one to leave the place. Breuer was dead when the officers arrived,and circumstances went to show that he was instantly killed. He was ;ying on the little platform outside the rear door of the saloon,slightly leaning to one side.He was dressed in his bar apron,exactly as when on duty.His head was lying in a pool of blood.Blood was congealed on his mustache and face,and the bosom of his white shirt was also covered with blood and showed the bullet wounds,one within a quarter of an inch to the right of the heart. Detectives Day and Weiner,who were immediately assigned to the cae by Captain Moore reached the scene within a short time and took charge fo the case. Dr.George Wilson,who had been called by Mrs. Breuer,who arrived at her husband's side within a few minutes after the crime,arrived at the same time and pronounced Breuer dea. Five Italians were in the saloon at the time. Tey are all day laborers and are named Louie Laport,John Valente,Tony DeYuro,Tony DeToni and Joe Muchenello. They were seated at a table to one side of the room playing cards.They are practically the only witnesses to the crime. Robert Lewis Is Accused DeYuro stated that he saw Robert Lewis enter the front door of the saloon about ten minutes before the crime. He asked Breuer for a drink,and Breuer refused,telling him that he was drunk already and that also he never paid his bills. According to DeYuro,Lewis then went out of the front door without any show of anger. A few minutes later Breuer went to the rear end of the spitoon,which he is in the habit of doing before he closes his place of business for the night. He took up th espittoon and went to the back door to throw out the water. As he opened the back door five shots were fired in quick succession. Breuer gave no outcry but fell instantly just outside the doorway.The five Italians sprang to their feet and ran into the center of the room,where they could see what was going on.As they did so,says DeYuro,they could see a man runing from the back door. DeYuro stated that it was Lewis,the same man who had entered the front door a few minutes before and had been refused a drink by Breuer. Joe Munchenello,another of the Italians,told a different story through an intreperter.He stated that Lewis entered the front door,was refused a drink and went out again,exactly as DeYuro told.A few minutes later, accoridng to Munchellos' story,Lewis entered the back door,wher Breuer was cleaning the spittoon,and again demanded a drink.He left the rear door opened as he entered the saloon. Breuer again refused him a drink,telling him he was drunk enough already. Lewis began to quarrel with Breuer,who took the man by he arm and attempted to push him out the back door. The,according to Munchenelo,Lewis drew a gun and shot Breuer and ran out the back door.Then,according to Munchenello,Lewis drew a gun and shot Breuer and ran out the back door,turning to the right. Either Clay street or Union avenue may be easily reached from the little yard in the rear of the saloon. The murderer could easily have gained either street and disappeared. The Italians made no effort,according to their own statements,to pursue the man who fired the shots,but instead ran to Breuer,saw he was lying on the platform at the rear of the saloon and then notified the neighborhood. Mrs.Breuer,who was at her home a block away,was immediately called and went to her husband's side. She bore up bravely under the strain of the tragedy,but almost collapsed an hour later and was ordered to her home by Dr.Wison. Lewis Affirms His Innocence As soon as the Detectives heard the story of the Italians,Detcetive Day and Officer Stewart went to the lodging house where Lewis rooms and found the man in bed.He was partly intoxicated when the officers entered the room and told him to get up and dress. He protested strongly but finally quieted down and obeyed the officers commands.Richard McGrath,a boilermaker,rooming next to Lewis,was also commanded to get up and dress,and the two men were taken to the scene of the crime. Lewis admitted that he had been in the saloon during the evening,but denied that he had either asked for a drink or had it refused him.He stated that he knew Breuer well and was his friend,he denied that he had ever had trouble with the murdered man,and said hsi credit was good in the saloon any time he wanted goods. He was taken to the side of Breuer,but never flinched when he looked at the dea man.He protested his innocence,said that he knew he had been drinking,but that he had gone to his room and to bed without any trouble with anyone. Later,while going to the station in the patrol wagon,he denied ever being in the saloon at all last night and told conflicting stories. He continued to protest his innocence untii locked up,after which he refused to talk. Revolver Is Found It is known that Lewis was in Blazier's saloon on Burnside street and also on First street,last night,in company with two other men.He was drinking heavily.He is known to many men about the neighorhood and all believe him innocent of the crime. Lewis stated last night that he never owned a revolver in his life.His room was searched,but no revolver as found,and there was nothing discovered which could be taken as damaging evidence.Lewis was unable to explain at what time he retired,and seemed not to remember anything after he crossed the river to go home. Aside from this the detectives had found no motive for the crime up to a late hour this morning.All who lnew Breuer say that he was of a kind disposition and had no enemies and that he was very popular with everyone in the nighborhood. Never Had An Enemy "I do not think my husband had an enemy in the world," said Mrs.Breuer,tearfully,"and I cannot imagine who could have committed this terrible crime." The theory of robbery was not considered by the detectives,as there were five men in the saloon at the time and the robber could have hoped to gain nothing by attacking Breuer at the rear door of the saloon. Moreover,robbery would have been an easier matter later in the night,as Breuer was preparing to go home,when he would have been alone in the saloon.Those who knew Breuer stated last night that the theory of a woman in the case was not dreamed of for a minute,as Breuer thought everything of hsi wife and was never known to consort with other women,particularly those of the half world,for whom he quite often expressed abhorrence. Coroner Finley was notified as soon as Breuer was pronounced dead,and went at once to the scene of the tragedy. He conducted an investigatiion which broght to light nothing in addition to the facts obtained by the detectives.It is probable that in inquest will be conducted today.The body was removed to Finley's undertaking establishment. The bullet which killed Breuer passed within a quarter of aninch of the heart.Another passed through the groin.it was not known at a late hour this morning whether or not there were other wounds.Every indication pointed to the fact that he was killed outright without a chance of speaking or even giving a cry. Breuer was 42 years of age and had conducted a saloon at the present location for over two years.He leaves a wife,but no children.he has a brother who also operates a saloon on the East Side. The record of Lewis,under arrest in connection with theEast Side murder,was investigated at the police station last night.It shows that the man used to be a habitual hanger on at the Lion Saloon,at the corner of Fourth and Flanders,and that he was a close companion of the notorious Lizzie Kleinsmith.Captain Bailey recognized him as the man whom he arrested on several occassions in assault and battery cases,when the captain was a patrolman on the beat taking in the Lion saloon. 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