The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-10-07
THE MONTICELLO SHOOTING
AFFAIR.

THE MONIlChLLV ShUUT1N6
AFFAIR. -. =.
THE TESTIMONY FOR THE PROSE-
CUTIoN.
From the Monticello Times, Sept. 80. MN,
+ Harry Gerrish was sworn and tes-
titled ~ followssgI am 16years old
and i've in Monticello. Twas stand
ing in the door when Gordon and
another man were coming out of the
postohice on the 4th inst. Desmond
stepped up aud struck Gordon Is he
was coming out. I thought he struck
him about the neck. The blow stag
gered Gordon back into tho postoffice.
He recovered himself, drew hisare-
,volver, stepped to the door and fred
at Desmond as the latter was STEP
ping back. Desmond jumped into
Brookin's harness shop and put his
head and arm out and fired. and
Gordon fired again at the same time,
or a little before Desmond. Gordon
then stepped out from the door Of the
post-oftice and fired again. He then
ran out into the street, and as he
was going Desmond fired at him.
When Gordon was nearly across the
street he (Gordon) fired another shot.
This was just after Desmond shot the
second time. Mr.. Dearborn then
came out Of Mealey's store and ar
rested Desmond, and John Holler ar.
rested Gordon about the same time. 1
say. Desmond pull his vest up; there
was blood on his shirt. He was
taken away in a wagon.
Cross-examined: l think Des-
mond struck Gordon with his left
hand. Gordon was not attacking
him in any way at the time. Des-
mond said something before he struck
but I don't know what it was. I did
not see Desmond until he struck the
blow. I thought he appeared angry.
When Gordon was struck I did not
move from my position in the door, I
stood there till l heard Desmond's
shot. He was outside the door when
Gordon fred first. They were not
eight feet apart when Gordon fired.
Desmond was not quite to Brookin's
at the time, He stepped back after
he struck Gordon. Gordon had just
spoken to Mr.. Overton and Alexan.
der Mitchell who were approaching
the post-ofice, just before Desmond
struck him. They we're about fifty
feet away. Gordon was staggered
back past me when he was struck.
G. S. Boyd testified: I have lived
in Monticello over 20 years. I was
in town when the difficulty occurred
between Gordon and Desmond, and
saw the shooting. I was standing on
the sidewalk just outside the post
office door. 1 saw Desmond come
out Of the door at arapid rate, fol-
lowed Immediately by Gordon. Des-
mond ran into Brookin's shop door.
Gordon followed Desmond out of the
post-ofice to within six or seven feet
Of him, raised his pistol and fred.
Desmond slammed the door of the
harness shop to, re-opened it and said,
IF that's your game" and with
that, fired. Gordon shot again just
after Desmond's first fire: He stood
very near the same spot as when he
fred the first time. Gordon then STEP
ped rather in front of the harness
shop door, but still on the sidewalk,
fired once or twice more. When heshot
the last time he was about twelve feet
from the sidewalk. He fired for or
five times in all. When the fracas
began 1 was about five feet from the
post office door. AS they came out,
Gordon came between me and Des-
mond.
G. w Gerrish testified: I saw the
shooting affair on the 18th. Gordon
was in the post office that morning.
He started to 60 out the door. He
had just stepped out the door, when
Desmond stepped right along facing
him, and made a pass at him with
his hand or fist. The blow staggered
him backward, and his hat flew off:
Gordon recovered, drew a revolver
and fred. He fred twice in rapid
succession. I could not see Desmond
after he made the pass at Gordon. I
think Gordon fired four times. Cor
don's third shot and Desmond's first
were almost simultaneously think it
was Desmond's first. I stood about
four feet from Gordon when Des-
mond struck him, and Gordon was
about the same distance from me
when he fred. I did not move du-
ring the melee. I was outside the
counter, in front of the post Office
boxes. I had seen Desmond standing
outside on the stoop for about five
minutes before Gordon went out. I
noticed him narticn1arlv He 1ooke1