Clackamas County OR Archives Obituaries.....Maier, Chas June 1930
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Sheron Faynor nitwittwin@hotmail.com August 22, 2007, 8:46 am

Canby Heald July 24,1930
Maier's Bidy Found In The Molalla River
Funeral of Murderer held In Methodist Church Last Saturdday
The dead body of Chas. Maier, who shot and killed Andrew nelson last week and 
then blew off the top of his head with the same gun used in the crime, was 
found floating in the Molalla River shortly after noon Friday by Sheriff Mass 
and his deputy, Vicot Thompson.
Maier soon after the murder walked to the bank of the river about one mile 
below where the crime was committed, placed the muzzle od the 30-30 rifle in 
his mouth and blew off the top of his head. the dead man and his gun tumbled 
in the river and sank in a deep hole. Searching parties had passed over the 
ground where he discharged the gun for the last time but observed nothing out 
of the ordinary. The swift current had washed the body down stream a hundred 
feet to where the water was shallow, and it was here the oficers made the 
discovery.Clell Mitts, 14 year old son of  Mr. and Mrs. Geo Mitts of Canby, 
went into the deep water above where the body was found and recovered the 
rifle. it contained two loaded shelld.
Coroner Holman took charge of the body and it was interred in Zion cemetary 
Saturday afternon. the funeral was held in the Methodist church, conducted by 
Rev. T.H.Downs.
it was agreat relie to campers at Island Park when the infromation reached the 
camp that Maier had been found. From MOnday eveing until Friday noon 
camopers.particularly women and children, were very much disturbed over the 
thought of an insanely mad man running at large and armed with a rifle.But 
Maier during that time was harmless. Beyond all question of doubt he committed 
suicide within a few minutes after he committedthe murder which sent his 
negihbor to the grave.
Mrs. Maier claims to have heard the report of a gun as she was running ot give 
the alarm, and the sound seemed muffled. This was perhaps due to the fact that 
the end ofg the barrel was in his mouth when he pulled the trigger.
His victim, Andrew nelson, was buried in Zion cemetary Sunday afternoon and 
his funeral was also conducted by Rev.Downs, in the Mthodist church.
While Maier wen tinto eternity a murderer and suicide, he will not have to 
answer for some of the things he was accused of . He did not scare women and 
children working in a hop yard near Mt. Angel two or three hours subsequent to 
the crime; he did not steal a boat on the Willamette river and leave it on the 
opposite side. He was not seen near MOnitor by a traveling salesman who 
reognized him from the picture printed in the Oreogn Journal, something that 
his most intimate acquaintances were unable to do;nor did he stel his 
beighbor's berries or Milk Frank Hilton's cows for self maintence while a 
fugitive. But he had enough to answer for in the hereafter.

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