The Columbus journal., 1881-12-07
THE FATAL BALL.
A Shooting Party on Sunday Last
ends with a Tragic Occurrence.
Death of Richard Dress.

oner's inquest will give as good an
insight as could otherwise be obtain
ed, we reproduce it from the notes
of John J. Rickly, who served as
clerk for acting-coroner Benjamin
Spielmsn, and scting-sheriff John
Huber. The jury called were w.
III. Lawrence, Chas. E. Rickly, Mar
tin Postle, George Brindley, b. l..
Walker and w. III. Randall.
Thos. Dress, sworn, says: Knew
Edmund Grant. Richard Dress was
my brother. Was present during
the forenoon of Dec. 4th, when Rich
ard Dress was killed. 1 knew the
revolver was loaded at the time of
shooting. II was a Smith 4 Wesson
A caliber pistol, the one before the
jury in evidence. / broke the re-
volver, and the cartridge came part
way out; think Dick put the car
fridge back in again. There was no
trouble between Ed. aud Dick to-
day. Ed. knew there was one load
in the revolver. Johnnie Grant said
leave one load in the revolver for the
old man. Dick took up the shot
gun, and said, have got the drop
on you, cowboy, aud then set the
gun down again. The gun was not
loaded. Then Ed. pulled the re-
volver and shot. | don't think Ed.
said anything at the time he shot.
Jno. Grant and | sat on the door
sill of the stable, facing the north
west. Ed. walked in a circle to the
westward, when he got opposite TO
Dick he drew the revolver and fired.
Dick fell backward along side the
stable, on his side. Ed. knew there
was load in the revolver.
Mrs. Bridget O'Brien, sworn, says !:
| knew Edmund Grant. Richard
Dress was my son. The boys have
had trouble. warned the Grant
boys not to come on our premises.
Have heard some one say, don't
know who, that Ed. had threatened
to shoot or kill Dick. Dick told
me, Ed. had told some one while
they were out west in Colorado, !
think about twelve months ago, that
he would kill Dick. About two
weeks ago, while on a spree in Co.
lumbus, Ed. knocked Dick down.
David O'Brien, sworn, says: 1
know Edmund Grant. Richard
Dress was my step-son. We were
not on good terms with Grants in
years past. Do not know of any
trouble of late, as | have not been
on the place for about five months.
Thos. Connor testified: | am ac-
quainted with Edmund Grant, also
knew Richard Dress; was not here
at time of shooting. Did not know
of any trouble between the boys.
VIM. Baker: Know Edmund
Grant. Knew r. Dress. Was with
Edmund Grant at Huber's this
forenoon, the 4th. Johnnie Grant
was along. Ed. told Huber he had
shot Dick Dress, and wanted to give
himself up. Thos. Dress came there
while we were there. Thos. said to
Ed, What made you do it? Ed.
said, | did not mean to shoot him.
Thos. said with emphasis, "Y es, you
did" We were all very much ex-
cited. Ed. Grant, Jno. Grant and
myself went down to Columbus to-
gether after the shooting. We talk
ed the matter over on the way down.
Ed. was much excited. He said he
was sorry he did it. Said be was
sorry he didn't 60 to church to-day,
as it would then not have happened.
Jno. Huber testified: Ed. Grant
came to my house this msrning and
surrendered himselfto me. Said he
had killed Dick Dress; that he did
it by accident; Thos. Dress came
while Ed. was there; said to Ed,
81 did not think you would do that"
Ed. answered, 81 did not do it pur-
posely; it was an accident" Am
acquainted with Ed. Grant; was ac-
quainted with Dick Dress. There
was trouble between the families
when | lived here, five or six years
ago. Don't know of any trouble of
late.
John Grant, sworn, says: There
had been no trouble between Ed.
and Dick. They were good friends
at the time of the shooting. The
revolver belonged to father. 1t was
a Smith & Wesson, A caliber, same
one which is before the jury on evil
dence. Ed. gave it to father last
spring. Dick must have stood face
to Ed. at time of shooting. Don't
know their relative positions. Ball
went in on left side, over left eye.
| could not see if revolver was
cooked or not, at the time. Ed.
drawed it from inside of his pants.
He drawed it on right side and
said, "This is the way they shoot
out west. l knew there was one
load in the revolver. / said, "Leaye
one load in for father" Would not
say that Ed. knew there was a load
in the revolver. Might have known.