Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-02-18
THE WOODLAND TRAGEDY.
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION In
THE CRAFT MURDER CASE.
Ruggles-Testimony Regard
ing the Homicide.
SPECIAL BY TELEGRAPH TO THE REcoRD-uSIos.


crowded with spectators. Counsel for the
prosecution are District Attorney Spragut
and Messrs. Clark and Bush for the de
Tense, Messrs. Bell, Craig, Grant, Game:
and Baker, of Woodland, and Highton. OF
San Francisco. The defense waived the
reading of the complaint After the first
witness was called and sworn, the Others
were placed under the rule of the Court
which excluded them from the room.
PHYSICIANS TESTIMONY.
Dr. W. w. McFarlane sworn-I am a
resident of Woodland, physician and sur
geon. Assisted at the post mortem. There
were three wounds-oue through the head
entering an inch above the angle of the
right eye, passing through the brain aud
making IFS exit at the base of the brain
another entered the right side, between the
ninth and tenth RIBS, and ranged diagonal
lv upward through the lower diaphragmsoi
the pericardium of the right ventricle, and
made its exit between the fourth and
fifth ribs. grazing the lower lobe OF
the left lung and was a fatal wound.
The third wound in the right side, between
the eleventh and twelfth ribs, three and
one-half inches from the spine, did not
enter the cavity. 1t was a flesh wound
one-quarter of an inch in depth. The
wound through the body would have
caused death in few minutes; that
through the head caused instantaneous
death; His internal organs were healthy.
The shot through the body caused death.
Cross-examined-Found ball in the
handkerchief in the breast pocket of tie
oyercoat. The wound in the ventricle was
large enough to put finger in.
DIR. Thomas Ross knew deceased in his
lifetime and assisted at the post-mortem
examination. He described the wounds
the same as the preceding witness. He
heard the shots, went to the hotel, found
the body of deceased lying on the back
floor covered with blood, the brain pro-
truding from the head, hands extended
and revolver under the right hand. Saw
Harlan walk away from the hotel with a
revolver in his hand. Deceased's head Law
toward the bar-room, the feet toward the
entrance of the hotel. Heard four shots in
quick succession.
WHAT AN EYEWITNESS SAW.
Ira r. Doolittle, proprietor of Byrns'
Hotel, where the homicide was committed.
testified. He described the office. The
size is about 60x2S; the main entrance is
at the center, through glass door, There
is a bootblack- stand on the left. few feet
from the main entrance, on the east side of
the building. 1t is a two-chair stand. Was
IN the office at the time of the homicide.
sitting on the south end of the counter
reading paper, twenty-five feet from the
bootblack-stand. Looked up after the first
shot. Craft jumped off the bootblack-
stand. Saw Harlan close behind Craft. the
latter running, Harlan following up and
shooting. Craft fell fifty feet or more from
the front door, in advance of Harlan about
nine feet. Harlan walked UP to the side
OF Craft, put his pistol down close to his
head and fired again. Crafts feet were
toward the front door. He gave one gasp
before the last shot. A pistol lay beside
Crafts hand. He fell between the billiard
table and the east side of the room. Craft,
as he ran, staggered as if hurt. Saw
Barnes walking along close to Harlan with
pistol in his hand at the time of the
shooting. Did not know Craft was in the
room before the shooting. Saw Barnes
pass on the sidewalk some time before the
shooting. A person on the sidewalk that
day could not see party at the bootblack-
stand. The windows were covered with
show-bills. Craft sat in the chair in the
corner OF the room close to the wall.
THE sHERlFFS EVIDENCE.
r. H. Beamer, Sheriff, testified that he
first saw Harlan, after the shooting, at the
Sheriff's office. Saw him before the shoot
ing at my office on the day of the homi-
eide. Have not talked to Harlan about the
shooting. Witness produced pistol which
he said had been handed to him by the
Under Sheriff, stating that it was the
weapon used oy Harlan.
On cross-eXamination Beamer said he re-
membered conversation held with Har-
Ian the morning before the homicide. 1t
was with reference to the matter of the
reports derogatory to the character of his
daughter.
Noon recess.
SURRENDER OF HARLAN
In the afternoon II. B. Pendergast, Under
Sheriff, testified that at o'clock on the dav
of the homicide Mr.. Harlan came to the
office with another gentleman. He stated
that he had shot Graft and wished to sur
render himself. Witness recognized the
pistol in Court as the one handed him bv
Harlan. 1t is Smith & Wesson pistol.
self-cocking.
THE HOTEL CLERK
John II. Doolittle, clerk at Bvrns' Hotel,
was acquainted with deceased. Saw him
on the morning of the homicide five or ten
minutes before the shooting. He was com
ing toward the hotel. Mr.. Sill was crossing
the street in sight of Mr.. Craft Mr.. Sill is
Mr.. Harlans son-in-law.
BEFORE THE SHOOTING.
Frank B. Nelson was acquainted with
deceased; know defendants; saw deceased
several times on the day of the homi-
eide; saw him first over Lindners
store saw defendants at the same time
standing on the corner near the Woodland
Bank; saw Barnes go over to the corner of
the Capitol Hotel. also to Lindner's store.
and TO the entrance of Good Templars'
Hall Barnes went back again where Har-
Ian stood afterward Craft went down
stairs and to his house this was perhaps
half an hour before the shooting. saw
Barnes go up Main street. afterward. to-
ward the Byrns Hotel afterwards he came
back down the street, and saw him with
Harlan, Sill and Stevens; Sill left them.
and went to his store Barnes and Harlan
went up the street, entered the Byrns
Hotel, and within two or three seconds
heard the shots; Harlan entered the hotel
first.
+. c. Wyckof said he was across the
street at the time of the shooting: saw the
defendants that morning standing on the
corner in front of the Bank of Woodland:
saw Barnes and Sill walk down the street
as far as Biggs' hardware store; Sill went
to his store; next saw Barnes return to
Harlan, on the Woodland Bank corner !:
they then both walked up the street in the
direction of the Byrns Hotel, and about
the time they reached there heard the
shots; Immediately after the shooting, less
than minute, saw Harlan on the corner
of the Yolo Bank. and Barnes coming out
OF the hotel; Harlan said to a gentleman,
" Don't interfere-I know what | am do
ing" Harlan had revolver in his hand
BYsTANpER's STORY.
]. F. Hink-Knew defendants was pres
ent at the shooting of Craft at the Byrns
Hotel; was standing in front of the public
desk; saw Craft rush by, Harlan after him
with pistol Craft turned around, pointed
the pistol toward Harlan, but more toward
me; heard the shots; Harlan walked up to
Craft, who was lying on the floor, and shot
him in the head; saw Craft sitting in q
chair at the bootblack stand; the first shot
witness thought was the slamming of the
door; saw Barnes standing beside Harlan
when the latter shot Craft in the head ::
Harlan then walked right out.