In 1920 Yuma County, north of Wray,
Floyd E. Galbreath is
26,
Mary W. Galbreath
24 Wife,
Ruth H. Galbreath
4 Daughter,
M. June Galbreath
3 Daughter,
Robert B. Galbreath
1 Son,
Blossom A. Chambers
19 Hired Man, and
Charles E. Swartz 22 Partner.
July 1947 "One of the most heinous crimes ever to occur in this county was perpetrated early
Sunday morning when “Cliff” Gurley, 44, well known carpenter and painter of this city, was brutally beaten
to death by J. C. Smith, 19, and Lorraine Keenan 21, and Charles Schwartz, who lives southeast of Wray,
was also severely beaten. Smith and Keenan were taken into custody by Night Marshal Hy Christensen about
4 a. m. Sunday when they brought Gurley and Chas. Schwartz to town seeking a doctor for Gurley,
and were immediately turned over to Sheriff Bruce Wilson.
At a coroner’s inquest conducted Monday by
District Attorney Wm. B. Paynter of Brush, assisted by Deputy Dist. Atty. Webb D. Martin of Yuma,
the following story of the crime was given in testimony by J. C. Smith and Lorraine Keenan:
J. C. Smith, Cliff Gurley, James Bruniek, Jr., and Chas Reed drove to Haigler in the Bruniek car
about 11 o’clock Saturday evening and on the return trip, near Laird, Smith and Gurley engaged in
an argument which ended in a fight which was stopped by Bruniek. The group came on back to Wray and
Bruniek took the other members of the party to their homes. He took Smith to the A1 Nietz home
in southwest Wray about 1:30 Sunday morning. There Smith met Keenan.
Keenan, driving a borrowed car, and Smith left the Nietz home and at the intersection of Main and
4th streets near the Don Houtz drugstore they met Gurley who asked them to take him to Shady Rest
to get some cigarettes. After Gurley had gotten into the car Keenan drove east of town,
at Smith’s request, headed for the Chas. Schwartz farm home 3 miles east and 2 miles south of town.
Smith got into the back seat of the car with Gurley. Gurley asked to be let out of the car but was
refused. The car traveled the old cemetery road and from the top of the cemetery hill to the Schwartz
place Smith fought Gurley. When the car arrived at the Schwartz place Keenan sounded the horn and
Charles Schwartz came out of the house. Keenan told Schwartz to get in the car
and when he complied Smith grabbed Schwartz around the neck and pulled him from the front seat
to the back seat. The car started back to Wray and shortly after Smith demanded that Keenan stop
the car. Keenan then got out and opened the back door and pulled Gurley out of the car and beat him
severely, then dragged him around to the opposite side of the car and left him lying at the side
of the road.
Keenan then got hack into the car and drove the car on toward Wray. The car traveled about
one-fourth of a mile when they stopped again and this time both Smith and Keenan beat Schwartz.
They then loaded Schwartz into the car and went back and picked up Gurley and drove into town
to the A1 Nietz home. Smith asked Nietz if Gurley was dead and Nietz informed him that he had
better hunt a doctor quickly. Smith and Keenan then drove down town and contacted
Night Marshal Hy Christensen who immediately placed Smith, Keenan and Schwartz in custody,
called a doctor and Sheriff Bruce Wilson.
Schwartz was released as soon as his part in the affair was learned. Gurley had been
dead about an hour before he was examined, the doctor stated. The coronor’s jury was composed
of the following members: George Webster, Sally Haun, George Glaser, Clyde Goodman,
James Funk and Don Muller. The verdict of the jury was “After considering the situation we have
decided this man met death by severe beating on the head causing heavy hemorrhage and basal
fracture.”
As we go to press no information has been filed with the clerk of the district court as to
the nature of the charges which will be made against Smith and Keenan. Charges will probably be
filed early next week and the date of trial set at that time. Smith is being held in Wray and
Keenan in the jail at Yuma, pending a court order for the removal of these two men to
Fort Morgan for safe keeping, Sheriff Wilson stated Wednesday."
Charles E. Schwartz
BIRTH 1900
DEATH 1956 (aged 55–56)
BURIAL
Benkelman Cemetery
Benkelman, Dundy County, Nebraska, USA
MEMORIAL ID 75499813
