Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1878-04-12

identified an exploded
shell found on the spot of
the killing which exactly
correspondent with the shells be-
longing to Lords pistol; also a
shell from the Henry rifle used by
Hunt as testified to by Jones, the
States evidence, which was also
found at the spot. All this evil
dence was merely circumstantial
and cumulative, the State having
already proved the facts sufficiently
to hold Sprague, Churchill, Jones,
Lord, Curlee, McCart, and Hunt,
Jones being the States evidence.
The prosecution then rested and
the defendants asked until seven
this evening to consult, which was
granted.
Later.-At the evening session of
the court the defence declined 10
introduce any testimony, where
upon all the prisoners were COM
mitted without bail TO await the
action of the Grand Jury, which
meets June first. This L, suit was
universally expected.
Jsnes's testimony Ira run.
SANTA BARBARA, April llth.-
The Santa Barbara Press of tonight
publishes the following exclusive
account by its special reporter of
the testimony at San Buena Ven
tura of Jesse NJ. Jones, the one of
the More murderers who yesterday
turned States evidence. This is
the testimony upon which the
prisoners will be bound over to the
Grand Jury. When Jesse NJ. Jones
was called from the prisoners row
to take his place on the witness
stand tremor ran through the
guilty men. Jones himself trem-
bled and shook so that he could
hardly stand and with difficulty
gave his testimony. Churchill
heard it all with his face turned to
the wall. This others with bowed
heads heard their evil course re-
traced by the trembling lips of
their former associate. Sprague,
however, soon recovered and made
notes of the testimony as it fell
from Jones' lips. Jones testified as
to the preliminaries, finally COM
ing down to the time of meeting
back of the willows and went on:
Sprague, Churchill, McCart, Lord,
Hunt, Curlee, and myself were
there. The others who had agreed
to meet us did not come so, at last,
Sprague said, Let's go; we've got
force enough TO get away with
him." Curlee and MeCart
came on foot, the rest on horse
back. AT Sprague's request we
mounted our horses-Sprague,
Hunt, Lord, Curlee and myself.
We rode across the river and came
to an elder bush. tied our horses
there and went on foot to the
house. Sprague, Churchill and |
came up behind the barn. Sprague
had q ball, 1 think barley sack,
rolled up and saturated with kero.
sene. He had handful of dry
wood with q string tied around it;
he went up behind the barn and
laid the ball on the ground close to
the barn, and then put wood over it
aud set it on fire. We then left the
barn and went around on the south
side Of it; then went behind the
granary where the rest of the
crowd were. When the barn was
burning and making a loud, roar
ing noise it woke the people in the
house. Mr.. More came to the door
and then ran to the barn. Mr.. Fer
guson aud two or three others fol-
lowed him. They went into the
barn and commenced turning the
horses loose. The crowd ran from
behind the granary to the door of
the house and then went n few
steps toward the barn. More came
out of the barn calling for a knife.
Some one shot at him. The men
that were with him called to More,
"Run or you will be killed" That
moment I would have given my
life to have been away from there.
More started and ian. AS he ran
somebody shot him in the leg. l
saw him put his hand behind him
on his hip and run as if he
was badly hurt. Mr.. Sprague
and Curlee followed after him. The
others went to the southeast cor
ner of the corral. Churchill ran
from there to where More had
fallen. Sprague and Curlee were
shooting at him, He was partly
lying down, resting himself on one
hand. He put up his other hand
and said, f" For Gods sake don't
shoot any more; L am dead now"
or words like them. He then fell
back on the ground. Churchill
had reached him by this time, and,
as / thought, shot him in the
head. 1t looked so from where ]
stood. Sprague said, "Come on
boys, let's go.n The three men
that were beside More came to-
wards the corral where the rest of
us were standing, on the south
side. We then started northeast
erly, going between the house and
the shop, and were getting some
what ahead of Sprague, when he
called to hold on, as he could II OF
travel. "If any of you start to run
| will shoot you" Some of the
crowd said, " We will stay with
you" was ahead of the crowd at
the time. We went on as fast
as we could until we got where our
horses were. We then got on them.
Churchill and McCart went ahead
as they were afoot and we went be-
hind them so as to blot out their
tracks as much as possible. Curlee
and / had shot guns when we came
to the Cottonwood tree. Ialso had
a large pistol. Sprague had shot
gun; also a Spencer carbine that
in case any one did not have a gun,
he might take it. Curlee left his
shot gun at the tree and took the
Spencer carbine. Lord had long
needle gun and Churchill had u
shot gun. l don't remember the
kind of gun MeCart had. Hunt
had Henry rifle. Don't reeo.-
lect that Lord had pistol, but he
almost always carried one. These
are all the arms / know of Curlee