The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-10

fooled with him he would whip bet
SIS of b-s.
Here court adjourned until to-mor
row.
n. E. Gregg: l have known Wal
lace Covingtou for twelve years.
suggested to Covington that the dis
putes about the land should be settIet
by law. He said he would hav,
nothing to do with law. l tolC
him his course would lead t,
$ violence. l was in Bitting's stor,
when the shooting occurred. 1 haC
not seen Erwin before the shooting
l did Got see Covington at n. E. door
L was asserting some nails and occu
pied at the time of the shooting.
heard a shot and went out at the n
} door. l saw Erwin before the shoot
ing in DR.. Gregg's office. saw Gov.
lngton when he came into town.
saw him going towards Britten'S in
about ten minutes after he dismoun-
ted. Erwin was standing in front OF
Gregg's. 1 don't know any reason
why he could not see Erwin.
| was standing with DR.. Gregg and
Erwin; L moved on the platform and
met Covington before Britten's store;
l did not notice Erwin further; sup
pose it was half past 2 o'clock or
when Covington came to town 1
moved on because l expected diff
ficulty.
Cross-eXamination 1t was the
usual route to the pOstotfice that Cow
ington was travelling. Covingion told
me in Conversation that ErWin's
title was a forgery ). he made no threats
against Erwin.
George Lovelace l asked Coviag-
ton why he did not settle He said
Erwin had papers for the land, and
may be they were better than his, but
that the grass was what he intended
to have. He said, Il expect hurt
your feelings when l drifted the cat
tie on you. 1t was not aimed at you,
but those sons of bitches of ErWins."
told him did not see how it would
hurt the Erwins. He said it would
hurt the water. They were taking
the water. 1 said to Covington that
L heard man say that most of his
cattle were road cattle. Sam Hill, Cow
= VIII eSLo OO4l "Cl PICoC11g. VIC
hau half gallon of whisky and were
having u good time. In day or two
Covington came to me and wanted to
know who told me that a. out his cat.
tie. l told him l was codding. He
said he thought it was the ErWins,
and If he knew it was that damned
Reese he would stamp. him in the
ground and cut his ears off.
Cross examination. bOut aiOht |
days before the killing Reese came
over to my house and asked my |
advice about the trouble he |
had with Cov1ngton. He had |
a pistol, and he pacticed some with it
shooting at barrel,
Teaphoss Garcia: | worked for the
defendant. L had sheep out by
Manor, about five miles from Erwin's.
Have been herding for Erwin one
year. Erwin lined in about last fall.
Have seen Covington where 1 was
herding sheep. First time at Erwin's
camp. Have seen him where L have
been six or seven times. One time in
November or December Covington
came to me and asked me where was
going with the sheep. I told
him was going to remain there. He
then asked where Erwin was. l told
him fixing camp. Covington then
crossed up to where Erwin was with
a carbine in his hand. 1 could hear,
but did not understand. Covington
was there about seven minutes. /
then saw Covington get off his horse.
He went off up the creek. saw Gov
ington after that passing on his way
home. Erwin moved about two hun
dred yards higher up. Never
saw Covington at that camp.
They afterwards went back
to the old camp, and 1 saw Coy
ington there Monday. Two days af-
forwards 1 heard Covington was
killed; at this time he asked if Erwin
was in Manor. told him 1 did not
know; Covington was armed with a
pistol; CovingJon talked Mexican,
but we spoke in Spanish.
VIII. Rainey: l had a conversa-
tion with Covington about half an
hour before the killing; was in the
north door when Covington
came to where I was. and 1
had conversation with him. asked
CoVlngton what the difficulty was
about. He said Erwin had accused
him of threatening his life. 1 asked
him ii that was so, and he said it was
not, unless he takes this for threat.
l said, this was id sickly ground
for his shape, and unless he got off it
would be id sickly ground for him."
He further said, "If l thought he
was going to put me under a peace
whipping. l did not think he was
mad at the time he talked to me. lie
had the reputation of being violent
ond Wn11H Tornhnh1xr 80 |
threats. l never told Erwin what
Covington told me.
Nothing new on cross-examination
L. ID. Galloway: L was in Manor
the day of the killing. 1 saw Coving-
ton in front of Lewis drugstore the
day before the killing. L think he
told me Erwin had made a charge
against him charging him with
threatening to take his Erwin's life.
l saw him Monday and talked with
him about the trial. He said he had
to go up tomorrow. / wanted him
to go home with me and he said he
had better stay in town as he had
promised Pucket to be there in the
l told him Reese Erwin
was in town (Manor). He said he
knew he was. HE showed up a little
Wullo dSO o1lu L uelo d SOOu uOGlOu w
make break on him." 1 did not ex-
pect any difficulty.
J, FL. Allison: L was in Manor the
day of the killing 1 saw
Covington when he rode up and dis
in front of Lewis. He went
to the depot, came back, went to front
of Gregg's Office. Erwin was in the
Office. 1 expected a difficulty from
what had heard i'll the morning.
Erwin turned abruptly from facing
Ccvington, went into Betting's office
and shut the dooor. Erwin had his
face to me, looked at Covington and
then at Erwin. Erwin threw his eyes
down and walked into Betting's office.
1 thought Erwin looked very pale
then. (Witness excused until to-
morrow.
L. L. Puckitt: Was there when
Covington was killed. When Gov
ngton came into my store he had
his hand on his pistol, and walked
through the store with is hand on his
pistol. / spoke to Covington and in
vited him in. saw nothing of the
shooting. I think Covington was
considered a very overbearing man.
His reputation was that he would
execute threat.
d. III. Williams: gave Erwin con-