The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-10-14

september 18th. The subsequent Oc
currences he describes as follows:
I then went over to my place (the
Descent house, to. tea and after tea
sat talking with Con Desmond and
his cousin Ellen. About 8 o'clock
McCrory came and knocked at the
door and was admitted. I went out
with him and he asked what he
should do. I told him substantially
a. he stated in his evidence. I did
not 60 to the saloon, but stayed W
town until he got possession of the
goods. I then went back to the De
scent house and sat and talked per
haps AN hour before I went to bed.
have stayed there several times since
Ellen Desmond has lived there this
summer, and occupied the front room
up stairs with Con Desmond, of which
act William Desmond was aware.
Con and l went to bed. I have been
suffering many months from catarrh
and nervous prostration and sleep
very lightly. I had got into doze
however, when I heard the crack of a
pistol in front of the house. 1 was
awake in an instant, and got up be-
tween the first and second shots.
raised the lower right hand corner Of
the window curtain, near the foot OF
the bed, dropped on one knee, keep
ing my body behind the wall, and
looked out. 1t was about four clock
in the morning and neither dark nor
daylight. At first I could not dis
tinguish small objects across the
street, but after a moment I could.
The first thing that attracted my at
tention was a fash. It was very
nearly in front of the gate and lit.
tie out in the street. I saw a man
standing there and saw him fire three
or four times in my direction. I
heard the balls strike the house and
heard the window chink, and the
glass fall on the floor beside me At
ter firing his last shot he took two or
three steps towards the river and
peered around the corner rs if ex-
pecting some one to: come from that
direction. He then moved of, walk
ing rapidly and looking around once
or twice. When he stepped out after
firing I recognized him it was VIM.
Desmond: And when he moved
away I noticed his gait particularly
to see if he were intoxicated, but I
could observe nothing that indicated
it. X X
The next morning as was coming
out OF the post Office, accompanied by
Constable Holler, my attention was
called to Messrs. Mitchell and Over
ton who were coming across the street.
I was looking them in the face as
they were coming. There was a rush
Of = person past Holler to the front
Of me and I received heavy blow
from William Desmond. I hardly
recognized him as I received the blow.
The blow was at the right side Of my
head, across the butt Of my ear aud
neck. It blinded me for an instant
and came very near knocking me
down.: It produced q sharp pain and
threw my left hand to my head in
voluntarily. Twas knocked into the
left hand corner Of the recess Of the
postofice door, I think past and be-
hind Heller. ! had on my overcoat
and vas walking out with my hands
in the'pockets.- As coon IL could
see l observed Desmond on the plat
form (sidewalk) about opposite the
other, corner, of the recess and shout
the middle Of the sidewalk. He y was
pulling his revolver out Of his hip
pocket. The expression on his face
was brutal. I had 4 revolver in my
out side right. hand overcoat pocket,
which71 had just put. in there after
purchasing the cartridges. 1 drew it
~ quick as I could, cooking it at the
same time. Desmond stepped back a
step'or two and was in the act Of
raising his revolver when I fred.
My FIRST FIRE .was' without aim and
without bringing my revolver to an
ordinary shooting position. + fired
to'disconcert Desmond and break his
aim. I did not think whether I was
going to hit him or not. He lodged
when I fired and seemed to be discon-
certed. o I think hesand1 were. both
backing when my second fire was de.
liversd y towards Mealey's and he
towards the other end of the platform.
Before he recovered from the discon.
certion Of my first fire my pistol wa.
cooked again and ready for business,
He drew his revolver up, aimed it al
me and I fired. His shot and mine
were nearly, fnot quite simultane.
Gus. I recollect Distinctly the buzz
of his bullet past my ear. It passed
over my shoulder and 1 felt the iii
on my left cheek. I kept my eye
steadily on Desmond from the time
the firing began till il closed, except
when he was behind the. door Of the
harness shop where I could. not see
him. Desmond was opposite the har-
ness shop door when I fred the sec
ond 'n t,l and 4 was close to the post.
ONCE door, but towards Mealeys from
Y the door. 4 then 9leaped into the
,sreet, keeping my eye and pistol on