Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-06
rrewe.,'. Confessional sen.a'

1
HoLLIsTER, CAL, March "a sensa
tion was created in Court to-day b,
Prewett admitting the killing of DR.
Powers, claiming that he committed tn
act in self-defense
PREwErr's TESTIMONY.
In the Prewett case to-day Defendan
Prewett was again put upon the stant
an testified that he never stayed away
from home nights unless absolutely com
pelled to for fear his property would b,
burned up. My family seemed afraid
they would be poisoned or the house
blown up. remember the II b of Sep
tember, about o'clock, thought
would go up to Irwin's and brand steel
| had purchased from him. got my
horse and took my shotgun with me.
That was my usual custom. | then
went on up Williamson canon
about mile, to where the road
comes in across the bridge from Bear
Valley. Just this side of Mslindy' q
struck the main road iu Bear valley and
went down to Irwin's and found him
chopping wood half mile this side of
his house. l asked him where the cat
tie were, and he said he hadn't seen
them since morning. l went back to
the house to prepare the IRE for brand
ing and he went across the canon to
drive the cattle up. He came back and
said he couldn't find them. He got his
horse and he and went down the canon
towards Willow creek to look for them.
About one mile down l heard Irwin's
cow-bell and went in that direction.
After going short distance l saw two
or three cattle off to one side and the
rest of them some ways down the road.
Irwin turned off to go after the two or
three cattle and went on down the
road after the others. About $50 yards
further down 1 met DIR. Powers. He
looked at me and l said, "Good day,
Doctor" He said, putting his hand
back in his pocket, am fight you a
duel" had gun across my saddle;
picked it up and told him did not
want to fight; he kept en- trying to draw
his pistol and pointed the gun at him;
he struck at the gun with bis left hand,
as If to push it aside or grab IL; | then
fired the left barrel at him. The horses
whirled around and swung us face to
face. He seemed to be pulling
something from his pocket fired auoth-
er barrel as soon as coald. In firing
the first barrel intended only to dis
able him, and at the second shot in
tended to kill him in defense of my own
life. l believed in good faith that my own
life was in danger, based on reports
had heard and my knowledge of the
mans character. At the second shot
Powers was on horseback. After the
second shot he fell forward from his
horse, right where the road crosses the
gulch. / then rode away and went
home. I came up with Irwin about fifty
or one hundred yards away and went on
with him as far as his house.
Cross ss-examination: testified the kill
ing took place about 4:30 or P. M.
Irwin took no part in this matter. He
did not have gun.
Q.-Did you not induce many persons
of that neighborhood to assemble at Will
low Creek for the purpose Of lynching
Powers?
Al decline to answer.
Witness here stated to the Court that
be had taken solemn oath never to di-
vulge anything that would tend to impli-
cate others in the affair, and that no
penalty the Court could infict would
induce him to associate other parties
with the killing.
The court then adjourned until to-
morroxu at IN o'cIock