Deputy Sheriff Trumble Shoots a Prisoner in Cold Blood
Source: Daily Boomerang, Laramie, WY, Feb. 20, 1890
Sentenced at Last, Trumble, the Murderer of Myley at Lusk, Gets six and one half years
Charles
Trumble, the murderer of Charles Myley, yesterday pleaded guilty to
manslaughter, at Douglas, and was sentenced to six and a half years in
the penitentiary, less the three years which he has already been
confined in jail. The Trumble case has excited a great deal of
interest in that Trumble was the first deputy sheriff appointed at the
town of Lusk when it was organized upon the approach of the
Northwestern road there three years ago. The town was then a
decidedly tough place. Subsequently another man was appointed in
Trumbles' place, but he still maintained his interest in the place.
Rumor
reached him that a young cowboy named Myley, alias Red Bill, who had
come into town for a spree knew of the existence of a gang of horse
thieves. Myley readily consented to show Trumble where the horses
were, but instead led him a wild goose chase over the country.
Trumble had been drinking heavily of absinthe and probably not entirely
accountable for his actions, but upon his return he was so enraged at
Myley that without much more provocation he shot him dead.
Lusk
was at that time in Laramie County and Trumble was brought to Cheyenne
and lodged in jail. He was tried in the summer of 1887 and
convicted of murder in the first degree. He was sentenced to be
hanged in October, but his case was taken to the Supreme Court where it
was remanded back to the lower court for rehearing. In the
meantime Converse County was formed out of the northern portion of
Laramie County, and its boundaries included the scene of the murder,
therefore it became necessary to remove Trumble to the new county seat
Douglas.