The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-02-16


0egree Tor the killing OF solomon Bax
Ter a. Renion. On Sunday evening last,
came up IN the Distric. Cour, yesterday
AFTERNOON at O'Clock. The case seemed
10 elicit much interest, as tie Court
room was deusely crowded. there being
IN attendance, ia addition t. a large
mum Der OF oar citizens, q numerous del
egat'on OF ninerE and Others from
k@nton AMI vicinity. After the selec.
ton Of Robert Weedeu, j. Z. McElroy
James Cox. - Reed, Rober. May. Dan
Huntley. L. F. Compton. Il. Damon,
A. ". Piper, A. e. Catnpbell. A. H
King and ". W Barker as trial Jurors.
the District Attorney placed William
Bennett and several others on the
stand a. witnesses on the part of the
prosecution. Mr.. Bennett testified in
substance as follows:
Thompson. Baxter. Ramsey and N.Y.
SELF were playing game OF cards in
Agnews Saloon at Renton, and when
the game was finished | and Thompson
wresslei and Thompson threw me.
wherenpon we quarrelei Agnew told
US be didn't want any auarrelliug in
the house and ordered US out, upon
which left. aud Agnsw took Thomp-
son into back room. from whence he
went out back door, and thus we met
again outside and renewed our quarrel,
during which some blows were struck.
A number of others were present and
interfered and stopped the fightiug-
some one taking Thompson back into
the rear of the saloon again, while
went back into the saloon
and stayed there two or three
hours. At about nine o'clock
P. NJ, Agnew. Baxter and went to .
billiard saloon near by; and remaining
there few minutes, Agnew started for
his home, and Baxter and also left for
our boarding house to get supper.
When walking down the track. hun
dred yards Of, We were confronted by
Thompson with Q knife in his hand
threw up my hand upon thus coming
into unexpected contact with Thomp-
son and seeing the knife. upon which l
received a cut on the wrist Be ter
then tod me to close in upon Thompson
and get the knife. Thompson thereup-
on struck at me again with the knife.
but missing me hit Baxter with it. l
then seized hold of the blade of the
knife, and, clinching with him. we had
. struggle for its possession, during
which the blade Of tho knife was bro.
ken short of. During our struggle l
had my fingers cut. After the knife
waa broken I tripped Thompson. and
throwing him down, cried murder"
and dealt him several bows Other
parties then coming up. they stated that
Baxter was cut, when Thompson and
myself went where Baker was and
found him lying on the ground short
distance off with his clothes opened aud
his stomach cut open. Those present
shortly after PIT Baxter in . car and
took him to house where stayed with
him until he died, some time the next
morning. Thompson and Baxter had
had no qurrrsl with each other. and
did not hear Thompson make any
threats.
On cross-examinstion. Bennett testi-
fed that he did not know whether he or
Thompson commenced the quarrel first
at the saloon; could not tell " hich made
tho first assault outside Of the saloon,
and did not see Thompson afterwards
until he met him on the track with the
kuifc in his hand.
Two other witnesses on the part Of
the prosecution testified that immedi-
atcly before the homicide. they first ss W
Thompson on the track short distance
ahead Of Bennett and Baxter. who were
going in the same direction. and one
witness says he saw Thompson running
and Bennett pursuing him. Two other
witnesses. who afterwards came up. say
they saw Thompson down on his back
and Bennett and Baxter holding him
down and Bennett striking bin. and
one Of the latter says he saw the knife
broken while Bennett aud Baxter had
Thompson down. They both say they
saw Baxter when he got up from
Thompson, aud heard him say he was
not cut but that Thompson had struck
him in the stomach with a rock, and
that Baxter then went some thirty feet
away and laid down, while Thompson
and Bennett still continued their strug-
giles that one of them then seeing that
Baxter was hurt went to him and asked
him again il he had been cut, when
Baxter still said he was not. WI ich was
heard by another witness who had just
come up the track: bat upon examina-
ton .hey found that he had been cut
and that his bowels were protruding.
A number of other witnesses yet re-
main to be examined en- the part Of the
prosc cution. when evidence on the part
of the defence will follow It is ex-
rected the case will be concluded to-