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CHEBOYGAN,VOaurJteX.MURDERER OF SHERIFF PURPLE IS ALIVE YET IN PETOSKEYHOSPITALJoseph Grosskopf, the Harbor Springs farmer who shot and killed Sheriff Purple at Harbor Springs last Wednesday, and was shot six times himself by the sheriff, is not dead yet, although it has been reported upon several occasions that he was dying in the Petoskey hospital. The sheriff carried a 25 gauge automatic revolver which put six very small holes through the farmer but it looks now as though none of them would be fatal, and Grosskopf would live to stand trial for his crime. Grosskopf says the sheriff shot first but young Pailthorp who was with the sheriff and the only witness to the awful crime says the farmer went into the house and got his gun and came right out and levelled it at the sheriff and let drive.| According to Edwin Pailthorp who accompanied Sheriff Purple to the Grosskopf fawn as assistant of his father, G, J, Pailthorp who was the leg*al attorney for the client who was seeking redress. Pailthorp claims that Grosskopf opened fire first, the shot entering the sheriff’s abdomen. Sheriff Purple then fired hitting Gross-koph six times with a small automatic 25” two bullets hitting him in the chest, two in the right shoulder,, one in the hand and one in the back of the neck. It is reported that after being hit the six times. Grosskopf shot the sheriff in the head, having }to reload his gun to do so as it was a singel barrel shot gun that he used.! Pailthorp claims to have tried to persuade Sheriff Purple to leave the •premises as Grosskopf had threatened to shoot and Pailthorp making his escape heard the shots. Starting’ to return, he alleges Grosskopf fired a shot at him but he had taken refuge behind a tree. He than ran to the Wequetonsing Golf Club, secured help and returned to the farm to find the sheriff dead and Grosskopf badly wounded.This is Grosskopf’s confession obtained next day after the shooting but which he has since changed in several respects.I was on barn floor cleaning up stuff. Young Pailthoi’p said he wanted to see the bill of sale. I went to the house to get'it. Pailthorpe went to the house with me, then came out doors and sat on box.Pailthorp read it over; said if I didn’t pay the money to Purple he would take my team. I said the team is the only thing I have to make a living with. I started to walk into the house. Pailthorp said if I didn’t pay the money he would shoot me.I said, don’t shoot for* a little money.Pailthorp then said to Purple, shoot, and Purple shot me through the left thumb. Then Purple kept shooting at me. I backed lip and got my gun which was hanging on the wall. While I was reaching for my gun Purple shot me in my neck, that was Purple’s fourth shot. I fell on the floor and while I was down Purple shot me in the stomach.He had no more shells in his gun, and then he started to reload. Then I shot while I was lying on the floor— shot him in the stomaeh-^then I got up while he was reloading, and ran out of the front door and on the way out I picked up anoher shell from the table.When I got out doors I fell down then I got up and started on again, but fell down. When I fell down then the gun went off. I pulled the trigger but I don’t know whether I hit ,him then or not. Then I got up again and fell but got up and tried to go to the barn—fell down.Again bleeding and could not get up, I laid there until someone picked me up. Young* Jim Starr spoke to me first and John Kneisley and Jim Starr picked me up. They got me into a car —I think Mr Judd drove the car and drove me to Petoskey.I saw Pailthorp when we got down to the golf grounds. He Was white and scared of me. That was the first I saw of Pailthorp after he told Purple to shoot me.Signed, Joe F. Grosskopf.”
Newspaper Details
Cheboygan Democrat
Cheboygan, Michigan, US
Thu, Sep 13, 1923
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Kevin W.
USA 07 Apr 2023
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