Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-21
THE INQUEST.
A Verdict OF Murder Against Eras-
tus Hanktns.

n terQlCt ~ IuEOeT AkAhhss Ell q :
tus Hanktns.
The sole topic OF conversation yestel
day at the pretty little burg Of Florenc
was the killing of George Everson b
Erastus Hankins. The HERALD yestel
day morning gave publication tothe mul
derer's statements and fully detailed th
circumstances Of the sad tragedy. Coz
oner Meredith, at 10 O'Clock yesterda
morning, held an inquiry into the KILN
of Everson, and the testimony taker
coupled with the verdict Of the jury, a
appended.
James X. Wallace, the physician VIII
held an autopsy over the dead mans re
mains, was the first witness called. H
testified: 81 made the post mortem OK
animation upon the body of a man a
Florence this goth day of June, 1888
Found the body well nourished; n,
marks OF external violence except gun
shot wound in the posterior part of tn,
left arm, at about the junction of tn,
middle and upper third, having the ap
ypearance OF wound of entrance. Upor
internal examination / find that the bal
entered the thorax, or chest, at about the
middle of the fourth rib, on the left side
passing through and fracturing the same
Its course was then upward and forward
through the upper lobe Of the left lung
and curving from the thorax, Or chest, by
passing through the middle OF the first
rib on the right At this point the trac
ing, or track, was lost, and after a thor
ough search and dissection of the upper
portion of the body, including disarticu.
lation of the head, OF the humerus and
scapula, or shoulder-blade, also the CLAW
icle, or collar-bone, the ball could not be
found. 1t is my opinion that death was
the direct result Of the above described
gunshot wound.
A. S. Clark, the next witness called,
testified to the following effect: 81 re-
side in Florence. / am merchant by
occupation. The deceased was named
William Everson and was married. Yes
terday evening about o'clock | was on
the porch at my store and my wife came
and called me. She said that Erastus
Hankins had killed Mr.. Everson. |
came to where the body was lying and
tried to get him up and to make him
speak. think he was dead. did not
see the shooting at ALL"
Miss Jennie Hankins, niece OF the
slayer, modest and prepossessing young
girl, was next sworn.
81 reside at Florence" testified the
witness. 81 live with my grandparents.
My father resides in Nevada. Yesterday
evening about sun-down / was standing
on the porch and saw Mr.. Everson and
my grandpa coming up in the middle Of
the road | could not hear them talking.
Shortly after l noticed Mr.. Everson and
grandpa coming up the road l noticed
my uncle, Erastus Hankins, come out of
his house, which is next door to grand
pas, and go toward grandpa and the de-
ceased. When he got to them he said to
Mr.. Everson: "Do | owe you anything?"
and Mr.. Everson said, mo" Then Mr..
Everson asked my uncle if he, the de-
ceased, owed my uncle anything, and
did not hear my uncle's answer. They
had a few more words and then heard
a pistol shot. / went out and saw the
deceased lying in the street. then went
over to Mr.. Clark's and told Mrs. Clark
that Erastus shot Mr.. Everson. My
uncle, Erastus, said, after the shot was
fired, when ] asked him what he had
done: III have done anything l can't
help it, / saw Mr.. Everson let go of his
horses and there was blow struck, but
do not know who struck it. was the
first one there after the shooting. AS my
uncle went out of his place he told my
grandmother he was going to have talk
with Mr.. Ererson."
Joseph Hankins was the last witness
called. Mr.. Hankins is the father OF the
accused. Sworn he testified as follows
81 reside at Florence. am stock-rais-
er by occupation. 1 have known the de-
ceased about two years and half. Yes
terday evening the deceased was water
ing his horses at Mr.. Clark's place. l
went up there to see him and we started
back down the road; he leading his
horses and walking beside him. My
son came out OF my house and walked
along the sidewalk toward us. We
were walking in the middle of the road.
He, my son, came on until he was oppo-
site us and stopped. He said to Mr..
Everson; "Do l owe you anything"
and Mr.. Everson said: "No; nothing
that know Of; do owe you anything"
My son then said to Mr.. Eversol
want your wife to stop threatening to
stop my goods tomorrow when | am 60
ing away" Mr.. Everson then said 10
my son, in an angry manner "You can
have anything you want out OF me right
here" l begged OF them to keep quiet,
and then my son told the deceased,
"You can have anything you want
out of me right here" and as
he said that Mr.. Everson let loose
OF his horses and rushed at my son and
put his right hand on his breast and
struck at him with his left hand. think
my son lodged and received the blow
on the breast, and in about moment |
heard the report of the pistol. l saw the
pistol in my sons hand. The deceased
then staggered back three or four steps
and fell on his face. l did not speak to
my son, but went to the deceased and
raised him up. He did not speak.
think he was dying. He died shortly
after. My son and the deceased have
not been good friends for about -four
months. They had words and the de-
ceased said he could always be found al
home. About two or three weeks age
the deceased was hauling some hay that
he and | had on shares. ] went tc
him and told him did not want him to
have my hay hauled off, because, if !
owed him anything could pay him. We
afterwards settled that matter"
The jury, after due deliberation, re-
turned the following verdict: 1--WE, the
Jury, find that the deceased, William
Everson, native of Pennsylvania and a
married man, aged about 40 years, came
to his death June 10Th by gunsho
wound, inflicted with pistol in the
hands of Erastus Hankins, with the in
tent to commit murder"
Hankins still occupies cell in the
City Prison. Late yesterday afternoon
he was brought before Judge Austin fol
II n