, 1883-05-05

At $40 this morning q SIATEsMAS repor
ter stepped inside the cage of the count.
jail IN company With Sheriff Thompson
when the latter, a. he handed q letter b
MCPHERSON. the accused Cummins' muriere
spoke to slight sandy compleIioHed younl
man with large star,ng blue eyes and thu
moustache, saying, "Mr. Hamilton, this is
STATESMAN representative. and he wishes
few moments conversation with you"
Hamilton is the man arrested Last evenin.
| and charged with shooting Mr.. l. Levison
the peddlar, near Texas Ferry. last Sunds,
afternoon. He is 4 sheep herrier by occupa
ton, and came to this city or yesterday
mornings train.
Would you like to make statemen. il
relation to this matter" asked the reporter,
, as he backed nv >. - the iron sheetIDg
to get a square ivOs .: ais man while talk
ing
Il tell you l am entiely innocent Of
this charge and can prove it." he e1-
claimed in . vehement manner They
have arrested me just because happened
to be working for Olds, and the man who
shot the Jew worked for 0lds, too. You
see. Olds he has two bands OF sheep-he had
one at Texas and one at Palouse. | was
herding the Palouse band. can prove |
ing took place on Sunday afternoon. and
prove it by four good men. OIds he came
over to where nv band WAS on Sunday morn
ing and stayed all day till Monday morning
and then took me to the ferry. The man
who shot the jew worked or the Texas band.
He only worked three days. Ikaow'd he
done it. because after he quit, why people
seed him going up the road and heard him
inquiring about the peddlar. Why my con-
science is clear ecause l can prove, What do
you call it. an
"AEbi." suggested the reporter.
''Yes, that's it-prove you was
somewhere else, when It was done.
I'll tell you l will make it warm for
some one for this. l think it's just spite
work by Geo. Young. Ii thy think l did
it, tell Geo. Young to take me to Dayton to-
day and face the peddler. He can settle the
question mighty quick. l amt goin' to
spend any money on this cause | know I'm
innocent"
"How long have you worked for Mr..
Olds."
''Since last November 18th. On January
9Th went to work for j. Davies; then Olis
bought the band and of course | worked
again for him. promised Olds would
come back again"
THE wounded man says his would be as
sassin had a goatee. Dill you ever wear
one"
"Well, when l came down | had beard
all over my face. had no goatee though. ,
"You was little full. on the train, and
talked some about this case, didn't you, !"
asked our reporter.
"Well, yes; had been drinking little,
and may be said something. cause You See,
/ know something about it"
"Were you not arrested for shooting at
Olds, last fall:'
"Yes, but that was nothing. You see
shot st q prairie chicken and the ball glanced
on the frozen ground. and the man who was
half mile away. thought shot at him |
haven't carried pistol since"
"Were you not arrested for some trouble
in this city some time ago.
"How did you know all these things:
Yes, had some trouble with my wife, and
she sued me for the children when We sepa.
rated"
"How long has ros zen in this coun-
try"
81 came here las. August. came from
Ohio"
How old are you:'
II am 81 years old"
As our reporter turned to leave, he HAM
iltonI called out, "tell them to take me TO
Dayton and face that man, and In company
with the courteous sheriff, who had patient.
ly waited in the inutr corridor, our repre-
sentative hastily left the prison.
The mans statement seems to be clear
enough. If he can prove an alb, he should
be liberated At least ne should be taken
to Dayton as soon as possible for identiiica-
ticn, before Levison becomes unconscious,
As we unders and the wounded man is sink
ing fast.