The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-07-27
THIRD DAYS TRIAL.

The Ben. Thompson Babeas Corpus Case.
Continuation Of Second Days Proceedings.
RAMON BEINCoURT
Testified as follows. My name is Ramon l..
Biencourt. l live in San Antonio. know
Ben Thompson by sight. (He pointed him
out in court) / saw Thompson on the nth
evening. was talking to Barney Mitchell
morning Express and sat down to read it on
the gallery of the theatre. was reading
when Thompson and a gentleman came into
the barroom. Thompson made some remark
that ended with shot gun, when l looked up
and saw Thompson. He said something
about closing up the - house. He
said it was run by two ----, Jack Har-
ris and Joe Foster. l do not know which he
mentioned first. He said everybody en-
ployed there was living of the produce Of
-. And he told the bar keeper to tell the
--- when they came that they were two
- -. Mi chell told him that he
would not tell Harris that to his face, and
also said that Thompson would not tell them
so. Thompson then asked, who the -
are you! Thompson was backing toward
the door with his hand on his hip pock-
ct, and said, | thought that was one of the
go with the shotgun. 1t was musician
that was coming from the theatre with an in
strument in his hand, or under his arm
Thompson then walked out. l then went
outside and was staining up against lamp
post at Harris corner. 1t was then IS or 20
minutes when Thompson came back and
poke to the policeman, and asked him where
was the city marshal. l do not know wha'
answer the policeman gave, but Thompson
said there was going to be trouble and it could
not be avoided. Thompson then went to-
wards the bar room, and came down abou,
the middle of the block on the street. |
turned back then and saw Thompson stand
ing in front of the door Of Harris bar-room.
I then walked as far as Wolfson's corner and
I met Harris coming down. Sims walking in
front of Harris little. told Harris he had
better watch out as Thompson was g,ing to
raise - with him. l turned around and
came back. Harris went in at the west door,
and Thompson was then inside the bar-room
Harris walked once or twice in front of the
lunch counter, as though hesitating to 60 in =.
then saw Thompson come out with Mr.. Sims,
and as he came around the railing Harris went
in at the other door. When they were outside
Sims was leaning on the front of the door
talking to Thompson. Sims appeared to
be trying to keep him from raising a row.
Thompson told him it was no use, he had
come for it, and he was going to do it. There
was a tall man standing by. Thompson asked
him if he had anything to do with this house.
He said mo-" Sims went off then. Just at
that time two ladies passed and Thompson
moved on the curbstone to let them pass. |
was standing about three feet from Thompson
on the right, and he was talking to those
around. He then put his hand on his hip
pocket, on to the handle of an ivory-handled
six shooter, and moved about two feet further,
pulling the pistol and exclaimed, ''What are
you doing with that gun, -----?'
md fired. He moved again before firing the
second shot. He then walked off on the
pavement, about as far as Thompson's book
store. about twelve or fifteen feet. He got
into the middle of the street and ran up as far
as Wolfson's, with the pistol in his hand. He
stopped there, and | got into the middle of
the street, and saw him raise his hand and
look up the street. | got between the hacks
and saw him going in the direction of across
the plaza. l then came back to the sidewalk
and heard somebody say he has winged Jack.
I was there for ten minutes on the sidewalk
when DR.. Cupples came down. That is all |
know.
CROSS EXAMINED.
was three feet from where could have
seen Harris when he was shot. Thompson
appeared to be looking at the inside of the sa-
loon. He could not then see where Harris