Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-04-03
THE TRAGEDY.
pvrnryCE ELECTED AT THE COR.
ONEwS INQUEST TO-DAY.

william Smith, the Only Eyewitness
NJ the Shooting, Testifles-Deceased
was Drunk, Abusive, and Violent,
and Was Fought Oh Repeatedly
He Drove His Wife and Child Ont
Into the Yard, Broke Some Crockery,
and Threatened to Burn the House
Down.
The inquest into the death Of J. l..
G. Smith was held in the Probate
Court, at 10 o'clock this morning. be-
fore Dr.. N. J. Brown, the Coroner,
and jury composed of E. H. Porter,
A. ]. Jackson, Orrin Porter, T. J.
Kingsbury, Charles Haupt, Charles
Nelson, Gus. Morrison, George Rob-
ertson, and J. L. Cederholm.
Angel & Sullivan and N. Nj. Ruick
appeared in behalf of Mrs. Margaret
Smith, the defendant, and District
Attorney Roberts appeared for the
Territory.
William B. Smith, aged II, was
the first witness sworn. He testified
as follows: l am the son Of j. L. G.
Smith; was in the house where the
tragedy occurred, about half past 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Came
to the house in the morning, about 6
o'clock, and stayed for breakfast, at
about 8. Then went down to Mrs.
Louck's house, to nurse patient who
was sick Of pneumonia. During the
day-about half-past 9--went back
home and to bed. Stayed in bed
three hours, and got up at balf-past
II. Went down to see how the pa
tent was, fingered around town a
little while, and came back; must
have got home about half-past l; his
father was not there at the time; he
came abo-t half-past 3; witness
mother and himself were the only
ones at home then. The shooting
took place about four or FIVE minutes
OF 4; only witness, his mother. and
father we're present when the shoot
ing took place. Shortly before the
shooting Mrs Smith went to Browns,
a neighbor living on the same block.
She remained away two or three min
utes, then returned, and went into
the front room. During Mrs. Smiths
absence the deceased chased witness
around the house and out in the yard
Deceased came home in buggy
drove back to the barn, in the alley;
he threw the lines out and began un'
hitchag. Witness went out of the
front room to help him unhitch; wit
ness did up the line on the near horse
but his father, instead OF doing up thu
line on the off horse, left it down
they then started for the stable, thu
father leading; his horse stepped OF
the trailing line, threw his head up
and ran away. All this time deceased
was cursing and using all the bas
language any man could use. De
ceased caught his horse, and startet
to lead him to the stable-cursing al
the time. Witness had not spoken
word to him up to this time. DE
ceased was pretty well intoxicated
aud could not walk very straight
After the horses were unhitched wit
ness and deceased went into tn
stable; both then went into the house
and stayed there; deceased then wen
out three or four times, but not Ell
ceeding minute at time. Decease
must have been in the house, tn
'sst time, two or three minutes befor
Inc shooting took place. When tn
defendant returned from Browns tn
deceased was in the kitchen; whe
ne was shot he was in the front room
standing right by the head of tt
lounge, or, rather, moving; witnes
mother shot him with q rife. +
o'arp's rifle shown witness. That
.ne gun: it is \ 1910 hammerle
Saarp. William Brock owns Il