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Show JOSEPH E. WILKINS SHOT TO DEATH BY BURGLARS IN SPANISH FORK CO-OP Officers Believe Nightwatchman Was Shot With Winchester Rifle Stolen From Store He Was Watching Joseph E. Wilkins, 60, nightwatchman of the Spanish Fork Cooperative store at Spanish Fork, was found dead in the drygoods dept. of the store yesterday morning by John Hansen, manager of the organization. Wilkins had been murdered by unknown burglars who had entered the store during Tuesday night. Examination of the body showed that Mr. Wilkins had been shot in the back. The bullet had entered through the right shoulder blade, passed through the body and came out in front of the left shoulder blade. In leaving the body the bullet shattered one of the upper buttons on Wilkin's overcoat, over-coat, according to Sheriff J. D. Boyd who conducted an investigation in-vestigation immediately after he had been notified of the murder. When Mr. Hansen arrived at the store shortly after 7 o'clock yesterday, he found Mr. Wilkins lying dead in tha drygoods department of the Co-op store. He immediately notified Dr. Joseph Hughes, who examined the body and pro nounced death the result of a hemorrhage. The body wai then removed to the Anderson Undertaking establishment where is was found on closer examination that Mr. Wilkins had been shot. Sheriff J. D. Boyd, accompanied by Deputy George Davis, immediately left for the scene, as soon as notified of the new developments and the murder theory. Inspection of the store showed that the only thing missing was a 25-35 Winchester carbon rifle and five boxes of shells for the rifle. It is surmised by the officers that the burglars entered the back of the store while Mr. Wilkins was in the front, and that they took the rifle in the hardware department and loaded the same. It is believed that as the man carrying the gun came into the drygoods department he saw the night-watchman night-watchman towards tte front of the store and shot him before Wilkins had time to turn around. Although mystery surrounds the murder, as no one heard or saw anything. Sheriff J. D. Boyd is working on several clues. He is assisted in his work by Roy Larson, chief deputy sheriff of Salt Lake county, who came to Spanish Fork with several deputies shortly before noon. ' Suspicion rests heavily on three men who were seen in Provo late Tuesday afternoon and early in the evening. They were traveling in a top-less Ford touring car carrying a California Cali-fornia license plate. Provo police officers were on the look-. look-. out for the trio early in the evening when it was reported that they were attempting to sell several watches around the (streets. When last seen their car was parked on First North street between University avenue and First West street, Provo, shortly after 9 o'clock Tuesday evening. Description of the men has been telephoned throughout the state by Sheriff Boyd and Chief of Police Otto Birk, :vho suspects that the trio committed several burglaries : in Provo before leaving. Three men traveling in a car are known to have left the auto park in Spanish Fork at 3 o'clock yesterday morning, according ac-cording to information given Sheriff Boyd. Several other clues are being followed by Sheriff Boyd who is of the opinion it will be impossible for the murderer or murderers to make their get-away. i Excitement, mingled with a feeling of sorrow, spread '.throughout Spanish Fork and the rest of the southern section ! of Utah county, as soon as knowledge of the murder leaked out. ! Mr. Wilkins was a highly respected citizen of Spanish Fm-V whorp hp hnd maided throughout his life. For more than 30 years he had been tithing clerk of the Spanish Fork wards and during the past 10 years he had also been night-watchman night-watchman at the Co-op store. Surviving him are in his widow, Mrs. Araminta Wilson Wilkins, four sons and one daughter, as follows: Ralph Wilkins, Wil-kins, L. D. S. seminary teacher of Mesa, Arizona; Cleone Wilkins, an attorney of Salt Lake; Elgin Wilkins, mail carrier in Spanish Fork ; Rulon Wilkins and Mrs. Af ton Bo wen. of Provo. He is also survived by one brother and one sister, George Wilkins of Salt Lake, and Mrs. Lucy Marcuson of Spanish Fork, mother of Carl R. Marcusen of Price; and by the following half brothers and half sisters, Eugene Wilkins, Blackfoot; Mrs. Amy Madison, Payson; llcber and Loren Wilkins, Austen, Texas. |
