Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-01-22
tn. Watt Murder Case.

The Watt Murder Case.
The district court, on assembling
and getting Strengthened out on Tues
day, imme lately commenced on the
Watt murder case. The case originated
IN June, 1884. when, it is alleged, Hiram
Dyer, Joseph I'll. Ringer, Richard
Stevens and John Court, or some of the
number, shot and killed Thos. X. Watt
and his son, in the southwestern part
of Barber county. Deceased had passed
through the pasture of Gregory, Eldred
Il Co.. and left the gates down. The
defendants had been instructed to as
certain who it was continually cutting
the gates and leaving them open. AT
ants overlook Watt and his son, who
were each driving a wagon. ID. f.
Shipman, the foreman of the G.. +. 4
Co. range, was also III the party, and
he, riding up to young Watt, who was
ahead riding the wheeler of four
! horse team, asked him TO stop. Young
Watt responded with an oath and draw
ing a revolver, attempted to fire; but
/ Shipman struck the weapon and it was
/ discharged in the ground Watt then
raised the pistol and fired the second
shot, inilicting serious flesh wound III
/ Shipman's side. At that, Shipman' s
! horse threw him, and the horses, teams
and men became badly mixed up
/ When the smoke had cleared away, il
was found that the Watts were dead
I Who fired the shots that killed them is
not known.
At the first trial of this case, which
was for the killing of the young man. in
November, 1854, the jury disagreed
standing ten for acquittal and two foI
conviction. The second trial was in
July, 1885, and the jury again disagreed
standing nine for conviction and three
for acquittal. At that trial Ringer adj.
mitted to shooting Chas. III. Watt tC
save his own life.
This, then. is the third trial of the
case against the defendants for the kill
ing of young Watt. The other case is
yet to come up.
After exhausting the regular panel. a
list of 80 taleSmen was ordered. More
than fifty of these were excused for
various reasons, and at ii O'Clock OF
Wednesday the necessary y competent
I men were found. as follows:
THE JURY.
Chas. y. Martin, farmer. Deerhead.
W. W. Murphy, baker, Medicine
Lodge.
Thos. Lane. druggist, Medicine Lodge
n. r. Hammond, carpenter, Medi-
cine Lodge.
G. W. Hoffman, carpenter, Medicine
Lodge.
Dial. Morris, farmer, Medicine Lodge.
J. f. Roller, farmer. Deerhead.
Ben. Keys. farmer. Elm Mills
ii. Bartels, real estate agent, Medi-
cine Lodge.
A. W. Henderson, retired merchant.
New Kiowa.
w. Il. Collins, farmer, south of Medi-
cine Lodge.
Jas. McGowan, laborer, Medicine
Lodge.
The state vas represented by Judge
Howe, county attorney, assisted by &.
NJ. Martin, |. +. Shannon, and Burney
" Macdonald. The counsel for de-
PENDANTS were Hon. +. +. Gillette. of
Kingman, Ellis Il Ellis, Orner &
Sample and Brand " Long, of this city
The case was proceeded with and the
two Watt boys, their sister, and d. f.
Shipman were examined. but gave nc
new evidence. ID. E. Sheldon WAS exam
ined, but all that I've knew WAS hearsa,
evidence, or rather statements made
To him by John Court, one of the de-
PENDANTS. The defense objected to this
Evidence, when the county attorney sur
prsed many at this point by moving tc
dismiss the information as to Court, and
! then called Court rs witness. He de.
clined TO testify, claiming that his evi
! dence might tend to criminate him il
another case THAT of the elder Watt
The county attorney then moved t
DISMISS The proceedings as to Court il
the second case, for the killing of Thos
! k.Watt, and this motion was discussed
Tor several hours Thursday, when fin,
court adjourned until this morning il
order To allow the attorneys time t.
look up authorities. This morning af
ter exhaustive arguments, the court eX
pressed doubt as 10 whether the seconC
case was before the court for cOnsidera
ton, or whether any action whateve
could he taken in it. The county attor
ney then withdrew his second motion
and requested that Court be placed un
der bonds to appear as a witness in tn
first case. The state Their proceeded
with its case. At this hour, noon. tn
indications are that the evidence vii
all be in to-day.
n,sN