Daily national Democrat., 1859-09-11
CorOner's Inquest on the Body of James
simpson, held at the City Hall on the
9th and 10th of September.

CoIOner's Inquest on the Body of James
simpson, held at the City Hall on the
9th and 10th of September.
The following persons were summoned 10y
Coroner Hamilton, as n jury of inquest
George Merritt, J. C. McKahn, d. F. Ma
lott, P. NJ Chandler, Geo Laws, r. r. Stod
dard, John Lowry G. W. Nicholson, A. G.
Randall, G. S. Pierson, c. A. Stratton, John
N Selby.
Henry p Haun was sworn and examined
His testimony was follows
reside on south side Yuba river, about
three miles from this city on the Nevada
road oecupnton, farmer About 30 clock,
Sept. 7th Mr. Simpson drove up in front OF
nv house and called for me- had not yet
rot out. as was sick, and he asked me If we
were going to open the polls at the Lands
Precinct. Mr. Lands house, where the polls
was held. was about one hundred and fifty
wards from my house | told Mr.. Simpson |
would take anuther dose of quinne and go
down and see if we could get the polls open,
| but we found we had no tally paper told
| Mr Simpson he had better go to town and
get some Mr.. ). started for town, for the
purpose Of getting the tally paper. At that
! time before he returned, several persons had
come to the election. Mr.. R. M. Turner
Seni Turner, Alfred Turner and Richard
/ humas also came. Mr.. Thomas brought a
roll of tally paper. Then we opened the
polls. Two of the Judges being present we
appointed third Judge and Clerks, and the
| polls were formally opened according to law
and voting commenced There were five or
six votes taken, before Mr.. Simpson returned.
About from ten to twenty minutes before
Simpson arrived, Joe McGee rode up and
called the out into the yard and gave me
bundle Of Anti Lecompton tickets and in
formed me that Mr.. Lindley had sent them
ont for me TO give to certain Republic ans out
there that he did not know the names Of |
examined the tickets and saw they were as
he represented. then handed them back to
McGee and told him there sat Mr. Lands,
that he was u Republican and he was the
man to give them to. lie gave them to Ian
dis They then went out few moments,
when Landis returned to his place at the ta-
bile and AcGee to the west end of the porch.
From ten to twenty minutes after this Smp-
son arrived When he arrived, | went ont
to the gate The gate is about thirty or for
ty feet from the house. met Simpson ut the
gate. He handed me tine roll of paper. !
told him Mr. Thomas had brought some pa
per and we had opened the polls and COM
menced oting and did not need the paper he
had brought Simpson remarked that it was
all right. had some tickets in my hand
and asked him if he had any He said not
gave him one of our tickets and he said he
would 90 and vote and go home. as he did
not wish to stay, his family were sick He
went directly to the table where they were
voting, and went to the west end of the
porch. We both approached the porch
about the same time, about ten feet apart, he
directly to the table where they were voting
and to the west end of the porch. Mr..
r. Thomas and another man named uvmes,
| believe were sitting under a tree in front
of the 'orch. passed near H. them as | went
to the porch. The relative position of the
three Turner's do not exactly recollect, ex.
cept that they were all on the middle and
west end of the porch; went towards them,
but did not notice which was nearest the
table, when Simpson approached the table
with the tally paper and his ballot; do not
recolect which hand he had the tally paper
in, but think it was the right; Just at that
instant, without word having been said
that heard, Mr. r. ii. Turner struck at II
( impson) with large hickory stick in both
hands; the movement Of r. NJ Turner at
tracted my attention very quick; Simpson
dodged the first low, rs Turner Tad TO make
two or three steps before he could hit him or
get near enough to strike him, the second
blow. he struck Simpson on the head. and
Simpson clinched mm Immediately around
the middle and hugged him up cl, Sc to him.
and tussvled around and showed him back into
the front door of n bedroom at the east end
of the porch, and they fell inside of the
room out of the way of the shooting; when
Mr. Turner attacked Simpson with the stick,
his brothers, Alfred and Benjamin Turner.
both drew their pistols at the same instant
and Joe McGee also drew at the same in
stant, McGee being at this time at the west
end of the porch; the two Turner'S commen.
ced firing at McGee and McGee at thenp but
| could not tell which shot first. whether Mr.
! Richard Thomas had pistol and fired or not
don't know he was behind me, and off the
! porch; think there were seven or eight shots
! fired hut am not positive as to the number
McGee left the pc. eli, ran out to the front
gate, aud stepped hehind the post. the Turn.
ers still firing at him. at least Alfred; don't
r9collect whether Ben shot at him out
there or not; About that time | turned and
saw Mr. Thomas in the act Of picking up his
bowie knife off the ground; spoke and said
DO him, Dick you are not going to be u
ID fool, too, are youY pick up that knife
aud put it away" he picked up his knife
looked up at me and smiled; turned imme-
diately to follow Benjamin Turner, who rush.
ed by and went towards the room where
simpson and r. NJ. Tuaner were fighting:
followed lin close, saw him cock his pistol
as he ran, aud put it close to the body of
simpson and discharge it; | saw the blood
gush from the wound; heard Simpson saw
that he was shot through and through. that
he was dead man and to let him alone: that
he was dying and send for his wife; caught
hold of Benjamin Turner almost at the in
slant the pistol was fired | could lust reach
him; he wheeled, cooked his pistol as he
turned. leveed it at my breast and thought
he would shoot he ore could speak; spoke
however, a. quick as l could and said you
are not going to shoot me, are vou2" he
looked up and saw me and withdrew his pis-
toll Simpson had released his hold on r, NJ
Turner when shot, aud r. NJ. Turner had got
on top of him or nearly 50, and about that
tme Alfred Turner came running up with
his pistol in his hand, and wanted to 90 into
the door, and, as | thought, shoot Simpson; ;
| stopped him at the door where and his
! brother benjamin were standing, and begged
! them to take r. NJ Turner off SimDson. for
he was still holding him down, Simpson say
| ing to let him alone, that he was diving;
after some hesitation one the brothers told
me to take r. NJ. Turner off simpson: | de-
cllned doing so; told them was not going
in 10 take mold of him, they might do il
themselves; then Alfred said he would take
him off; said you must not go in there
with your pistol" he then put his pistol up
ana went in and took his broth,r off and
| brought him ont | raised S;r,rs,, 80, .,,,l