The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-09-09
Or. 3. c. Snedaker Shoots Captain
&. I, Smith, and Smith Shoots
Sneaker.
Snedaker Killed Outright and
Smith L1Dgers Through
the Day.
Two Brave Men Meet Death With.
out a Word.
The Particulars and the Statement
Of Friends.
Was There or Was There Not a
Cause?

@ d lew moments before O'Clock
4 Wednesday morning, tsrrib
: tragedy vas enacted at the depot
? toe Utah Southern Railroad. D.
( Bradford c. Snedsker, a well know
and prominent physician of this city
! in company with bis brother, Josep
! w. Snedaker, boarded the Uta
e Southern with the intention of goin
! to Little Cottonwood on a pleasur
out for a few days. They took seat
in the rear END Of the smoking ca
and remained for few moments
when DR.. 5nedaker moved forward Il
! within three or four seats Of the from
i of the Car and there seated himself OF
, the west side. The cry "all aboard
had been given, and the train was Il
move of in q few seconds, whel
Captain r. 7. Smith, q prominen
mining man, entered the car by thl
front door. He walked towards To,
|, back of the car and when within 6
very few feet of DR.. Snedaker, per
haps fou-, the latter rose to his ieet
and, without either speaking a word
shot Smith. Smith fell forward, hi.
head being towards the rear end o.
the car, and was apparently in the
agOnies of death. Snedsker still
held his pistol in bis hand, cooked.
Officer William Calder, who was on
the platform at the time, Immediately
ran into the car, and seeing DR..
Snedaker with his pistol cooked. and
something of vacant look Ia bis
eye. sprsug forward, put his thumb
under the COCK, and showed the pistol
back lest it should 60 off. He took
the weapon away from Snedaker, and
made the arrest. A man named
Daniel Davidson, who vas in the car,
and at whom DR.. Snedakes appears
to have pointed the pistol after shoo.-
ing Smith, was asking some one to
give him a pistol, and the officer
called upon Mr.. James Livingston to
hold him. During this time, which
lasted but e few seconds, and while
the passengers in the car were begin
ming to crowd about, Mr.. Zeb. Jacobs
came in and also took a hold of DR..
Snedaker. They commenced to take
him out, and while Officer Calder was
still attempting to put Snedaker's
pistol in bis POCKET, his body covering
about one third of the doctor e, smith,
who was thought to be breathing his
last, rose to his feet, pulled his pistol,
reached within a few inches OF
Snedaker's body, and fred twice in
quick succession. Officer Calder
then released the doctor, who fell for
ward and to his side, grssping a seat,
and seized the pistol in Smiths hand.
DR.. Snedaker fell TO the floor, was
Immediately picked up, carried out
side and laid on the truck, and inside
OF three minutes breathed his last.
Captain Smith, assisted by two friends,
walked out of the car, and to the gate
at which persons enter the depot, four
or five rods from the car, when he
tainted. He wss placed in a carriage
and taken to St. MaTy's Hospital; and
all through ths day seemed to be at
the point Of death. DR.. Snedaker's
body was taken to the City Hall. then
10 the rexton's, aud finally to his
residence On Third Sonth street, sne
block and & half west of Main, on the
south side Of the street.
An examination OF the bodies
showed that the ball which was fired
by 5nedaker, entered Smith about
fO1T inches below the left minnie. and
remained inside. The first of the
balls fred by Smith, entered
Snedaker in the small of the back, 10
the left Of the spine about three
inches, and half way between the hip
and the shoulder blade, and going
through passed out some four inches
above the navel, leaving 8 place
lust as though it bad been cut by
knife. The second bullet entered
near the spine and considerably
lower, going through the band around
the top OF bis pants; this bullet did
not 90 through. Snedsker's was a
38-calibre pistol, Smiths a 40 calibre
Colts revolver, which was so close
that il burned portion of Snedsker's
coat. about the SIS Of ones hand.
An iuquest was held in the City
Hall, before Coroner Taylor, over the
body of Dr.. Snedsker, yesterday, be-
ginning short time before 100 clock,
but was adjourned until l, on
the rumor that Smith was dead. and
that the inquest might be held over
both bodies at the same time. The
rumor, however, was unfounded, and
at l O'Clock the inquest was resumed.
THE INQUEST.
Marshal Andrew Burt was the first
witness, and he testified in substance:
I Knew nothing about the shooting;
one day last week, Wednesday Oh
Thursdsy, Snedsker said he wanted a
private talk with nae; told me thai
there was some trouble between him
!; and r. T. Smith; said Smith had
SLAPPED him in the face q few days
before, calling him names, telling
him elso that be must leave the terri
tory or be would kill him; wanted ms
advice. AMI l told him to have Smith
arrested and placed under bonds t
keep the peace: said he thought 0
doing so by advice Of friends; other
we're connected with the tToubl
named Davidson, and he supposed ht
would have TO have sill arrested
Snedaker went away undecided wha
TO do, farther than that be Woui
? have to prepare to defend himself to
] best ne could; SDedAker requested I
$ have the police notified of the trouble
D be wanted me to detail an officer 10
the special purpose OF watching Smlt
. and the others he named; could nc
: detail auofficer for that special ooJecl
= bnt told him if he would show Smlt
to the police l would instruct them
watch him and prevent him from II
I Turing him; l then introduced MIN
> rOacer Phillips and told him whi
. Snedaker desired; he also related 80
!, trouble 10 Officer Phillips; Snedsk'
Y told me Of the accusation against hin
z he stated that the trouble was cause
Il through q young girl named DAYi'
:, son; be said that Smith ana u
y Davidson family charged him vii
% taking too much liberty with II
~ Young lady; snedsker said 1t was
= ialse, and the lady denied it, but to
\ Smith and the family still kept up q
~ trouble; Snedaker also said be old .
-, y intend to leave the city, but that
~ should bs on the watch Tor 81
- demonstration by Smith.