Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1882-09-01
ADAMS'S SLAYER.
HIS PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
BEGUN TO-DAY.
The witnesses Examined-One Swears
that Adams Did Not Strike Brown Be.
fore the Shot was Fired, While Others
Swear that He Did.

Swear that He Did.
The preliminary examination of b.
r. Brown, in custody for the killing
of F. NJ. Adams, in this city, last Tues
day afternoon, was commenced this
morning, before Justice Parsons.
DR.. S. b. Miller, being sworn, said:
81 am practising physician; saw the
body of F. NJ. Adams, after death, on
the goth of August. Was called to
make a post-mortem examination
of deceased. Death was occa-
stoned by gunshot wound, the ball
having entered the left breast between
the fifth and sixth ribs, and about half
an inch to the right and below the left
nipple, fracturing the left rib and cut
ting the left ventricle of the heart, or
through the muscular structure, and
severing the descending thoracic
aorta. Ranging downward it passed
between the 18th and 18th ribs, and
lodged under the skin. The shot was
necessarily fatal.
Witness identified the revolver
with which the shooting was done,
and the bullet which he extracted
from the back Of deceased
On cross examination the witness
stated that the ball lay abos,,t three
inches to the left of the backbone,
and that he believed that the distance
between the place of entrance and
exit of the ball was about six inches.
The fifth rib being fractured, the ball
may have been DETECTED in it's course.
On a perpendicular line the ball might
have come out on its ma jor axis. Leav-
ing out the theory Of the DETECTION of
the ball, the deceased must have been
STOPPING over considerably. The
lower half of the fifth rib was cut
through roughly. The sixth rib was
not cut.
Being recalled DIR. Miller testified
that the pistol had four loads in it.
One chamber was empty.
John II. Burns testified that he
took the revolver shown from Frank
Brown.
John Ward sworn: Was not ac.
quainted with f. NJ. Adams or B. F
Brown. Last Tuesday saw diff
Guilty between two mon near Riley &
Tracy's drug store. Defendant was
one of the parties. Witness was
standing on the corner near French'>
saloon. Saw Brown retreat and
Adams follow him up. Did not sec
beginning Of the difficulty nor hear
any of the language between the par.
ties. Adams followed Brown 10 OF
Is feet, and when they were four Oh
five feet apart Brown pulled his pis-
} tol and shot. Adams kept following
up after the shot, and they clinched
and fell. Witness ran toward them
but before he got there Messrs. Burns
and Oldham got there and took the
gun away while they were scuffling or
the ground. The deceased then went
into the drugstore. He was shot by
Brown. At the time Brown was re.
treating he had his hand by his side
until deceased was within five feet Of
, him. He then pulled his pistol and
shot.
On cross-eXamination witness stated
. that he had retreated from 10 to /;
,, feet when he shot. He retreateC
rapidly, backing at pretty good
gait. Adams was following rapidly
Witness did not see Adams strike
Brown. He was not close enough tc
strike. Saw Adams working his
hands. Witness put up his hands
. as if to "spar"]. Brown got out o.
) his way. Witness saw them rush of
the porch; that attracted his attention
1t must have been a minute or two
from the time they left the porch un
til they were separated.
James w. Dray sworn: Was stand
ing in front of the Postoffice building
, Brown came along the street an,
spoke to few gentlemen as he cam,
,, along. Had some conversation witt
Mr.. Taylor, and passed on to the cor
r. Witness saw Adams strik,
A Brown in the face, and then grab 70
him to catch hold of him. Brown re