The self-murder of Sheriff Royer adds another to the list of horrors that have haunted Grand county since July set in. On the Fourth, when the people should have been rejoicing over the return of the nation's natal day, the entire board of county commissioners were ruthlessly hurled into eternity by an assassin's hand, and now the sheriff of the county, who is supposed to have been an accomplice in that bloody act, filed with fear of avenging justice, or hounded by the demon of remorse into insanity, shoots himself in the head, and died as the coward dies. The commission of one crime leads to the commission of another, and the end is not yet. All of this because of the personal ambition of the red-handed outlaw and double-dyed villain, J. G. Mills. The county is now in a most deplorable condition - without a board of commissioners to guard, protect and to manage it's finances, and without a sheriff to execute the laws; its under sheriff, a murderer and fugitive, and the people divided and embittered against each other by dissensions that have grown out of the trouble arising from the bickering and feuds of a few small calibre politicians. Governor Grant should hasten to pour oil on the troubled waters of Grand county by immediately setting about the restoration of the local government, and by establishing peace in the county, even if he has to hang every man who is in any manner identified with either of the quarrelling factions.Fort Collins Courier

********************

Fort Collins, Colorado
July 19, 1883
Page 2

A DEAD SHERIFF

Charles W. Royer, Sheriff of Grand County, Shoots Himself Through the Head, at Georgetown

A special to the Denver News, dated Georgetown, Colorado, July 16, says: Charles W. Royer, sheriff of Grand county, shot himself here this evening about 8 o'clock, and died almost instantly.

While people here are reticent as to what caused the suicide, it is generally whispered by some that Royer was more or less personally connected with the Grand Lake Tragedy Of July 4, in which Weber, Day and Mills the county commissioners lost their lives. His last request, to a gentleman who was boarding the afternoon train for Denver, and who is known to be favorable to the Weber - Day faction in Grand, was that he let up on him, (Royer) in his talks with Denver reporters, for, said he, "When the whole thing comes out it will be shown that I am NOT SO MUCH TO BLAME as some people suppose."

During the excitement Grand county resulting in the murder of Commissioners Weber and Day, and the shooting of County Clerk Dean, your reporter interviewed Sheriff Royer. This was at Mrs. Young's boarding house, Grand Lake, within 100 feet of where the murders were committed. Royer did not APPEAR TO BE ANXIOUS to correct any of the rumors which were afloat concerning his alleged official misconduct in failing to arrest the murderers.

When asked by the reporter why some effort had not been made to hunt down Bill Redmon, his deputy, and the other masked men, he replied curtly: "Where are they?" He manifested THE SAME INDIFFERENCE as he expressed in his query all the way through, and thereby succeeded in drawing down upon himself the wrath of the better citizens of Grand county, who revolted at the murders.

Royer very calmly remained at Grand Lake, where the sympathies of the people were supposed to be with the murderers and despite the earnest appeals from other parts of the county for immediate action, he

FAILED TO DO ANYTHING,
This is explained by the fact that Royer and Redmon have been together for a good many years, and were more like two brothers in their regard for each other that anything else. It has been hinted that Royer knew that Redmon and Mills were about to commit the crime which resulted so disastrously.

Royer was a man of medium height and had a well-built, wiry frame, and was apparently very muscular. He had large, piercing dark eyes, which could look with affliction or gleam in malignant hate. He was superlatively sensitive upon the subject of the Grand Lake Tragedy, and the manner in which it preyed upon his mind, together with the unfavorable comments of the press, undoubtedly led to the tragic sequel to one of the most tragic events in the history of the frontier.

The dead sheriff was a native of Louisville, Kentucky, 31 years of age, and was serving his second term in the rather turbulent and trying office from which he dismissed himself so summarily today. He has a brother living in Leadville.