The Weiser Leader (Weiser, Washington County, Idaho)
Saturday, May 21, 1887
The Killing of Snyder at Boomerang
On Friday morning last the wires brought the word that Bill Snyder, of Boomerang had been shot at that place the night previous, but did not relate any of the particulars. The Leader, with its usual enterprise, dispatched a reporter at once to the scene of the tragedy and the following facts were gleaned: At about 11 o’clock on the evening of the 12th instant a shot was heard in the street almost in front of D. S. Lamme’s store, followed by a loud cry addressed to Mr. Lamme, and saying, "Lamme, I’m shot!" Mr. Lamme was just in the act of pulling off his boots preparatory to retiring for the night, but on hearing his name called he hurried on his boots and rushed out on the veranda, when he again was called. Ae(sic) then turned and went down stairs, and after some delay reached the street where a man was lying and struck a match to see who he was, when he discovered that it was Snyder, and who seemed to be badly hurt. He then hurried away and summoned a number of men to his assistance and went back to make a further examination, when they found that the wounded man had been shot with a shot gun at a very close range, the load taking effect in the right breast, producing a frightful wound from the the effects of which he died in about fifteen minutes from the time the fatal shot was fired. The following day an inquest was held at which the foregoing facts were elicited, but no light was shed on the fact as to who committed the deed. Snyder has lived in Idaho for four of five years past and has not borne a very enviable reputation. But little regret is expressed among his former neighbors at his sudden taking off. The general impression is that had his life been different it might have been longer.