Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-14
DICK SEES DANGER.
The Line OF Defense Fully Devel-
Oped Yesterday.


Oped Yesterday.
In the case of the people against Rich
ard See, on trial for the murder of VIM
Duncan on the 9th of February, 1871
Yesterday morning, the first witness
called was A. ]. Bramlett. He said ht
was working for Dick Soc at the time o
the shooting. Upon this eventful nigh
the witness WAS asleep in bed, and abou
2 2o'clock was awakened by See, who en-
tered the room, lighted candle and in
quired for shot gun. The weapon wat
found and See asked if it was loaded
Bramlett said it was. See tried it and
took it away. 1t was loaded with pow.
der and duck shot. 1t was never re-
turned, to the witness knowledge.
Upon cross examination the witness
said that See at the same time took a roll
of blankets and saddle and horse.
The witness saw nothing more of See un.
til he was brought back for trial.
Leonidas Bales was the next witness
called. AT the time of the killing he
kept hotel adjoining the scene of the
murder. During the night he heard a
shot. . Two hours or 80 later (about 2
q. M. Uncle John See came to the door
of the hotel and knocked. He asked me
il l would take Duncan in. my son, /"
said the old man, "has shot the best
friend l ever had on EARTH" The wit
ness went on to tell how Duncan was
brought in and laid upon bed. The
witness was his constant attendant until
death occurred. Duncan died in Bales
arms. A short time, before death de.
ceased made statement regarding the
shooting. He said he had thought the
Sees were his friends, but the shooting
had the appearance of being put-up
job John See owed Duncan money. Dun.
cans wife had repeatedly told him that
they would do him harm. Duncan told
Bales about the game of cards and how
he had called Dick See s. OF b..
He said: "I did not mean it, for I con-
slider old Mrs. See a good woman, and
felt kindly to her. The words we're ut
tered in the heat of passion and thought
lessly."
Detective Russell testified as to the
capture of See in Washington Territory.
The defendant testifying in his own be-
half, was the first witness put on for
the defense. He soon developed the
theory of his side, which was that of self
defense. See said he had come out of
the saloon when Duncan had called him
hard names. He had been out hunting
the day before, using his fathers shot.
gun. He had left this in the wagon, and
when he left the saloon he went out and
got this. Duncan had ON several occa-
sions quarreled with him, and had
threatened to kill him. He was afraid
of him on this night when he killed Dun
can. When he shot Duncan, that man
was in the act of making a rush upon
him, and he made q motion with his
hand as If about to draw a weapon.
Following this witness, the defense
put on long list of witnesses,
who all testified that Duncan was
given to drinking, and that when
drunk he was very quarrelsome
and abusive. He usually went armed.
1t was admitted, however, that nearly
all the men of the section went armed at
the time of the shooting.
Then witness was put on who testi-
fed that he had measured the road from
the saloon where the killing was done to
the residence of Dick See. 1t is a mile
and half. The object of this seems to
be to show that See could not have gone
to his house and got his gun. This may
be for the purpose of impeaching the
witness who testified that See had come
there and got the gun. 1t was admitted
by the witnesses for the defense that
there was nothing to hinder man going
across lots, which would reduce the dis.
tance by at least one-half.
The defense is about ready to rest, and
the argument will 60 on today.