The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-20
The Griffin Trial.

The Griffin case was called for trial at
the usual hour yesterday morning.
The first witness called was DR.. Perkins
course of the bullet in the body of the de-
ceased and TO the gun shot wound received
by Griffin.
Deputy Marshal J. D. Mcclellan was
called and gave testimony regarding the
location OF the bullet holes found in differ
ent places at Maden's saloon, caused by the
missiles from the revolvers discharged at
the time of the ARRAY
A hack driver by the name of Trllock
who was an eye witness to the shooting,
was called and testified that he saw H omer
pull revolver from beneath his coat and
hre the first shot at Griffin. The witness
claimed he saw Griffin then step backward
draw his gun and begin shooting at the de-
ceased. After the second shot, witness
ran behind the counter for protection.
The defendant, James Griffin, was put on
the stand at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon
and examined. Arthur Brown began the
direct examination and Attorney Varian
conducted rigid cross-examination The
defendant seemed cool and Indifferent. and
did not become excited in the least.
Griffin said: / am thirty nine years of age
and was born in Baltimore Md. | lived in
In Ogden IN May, 1889, and Immediately
entered the employ Of MAIDEN Brothers as
barkeeper. l severed my connection
with them in March, 1890, and was elected
steward Of the Ogden club in May, 1890
was stewart of the club at the time of
the shooting and on the morning of August
IND last closed the house at O'Clock I
went Immediately to Maden's to see Will
Young about some money had given him
10 bet on the result of the election. Saw
Washburn there and he entered in CONVEX
sation with me. Washburn said he in
tended to help Dan Hamer all he could, and
said he would bet his money that way.
1 told him 1 thought that was a rather
peculiar way for him to act, having pre-
vlously been nominated for an office on the
Liberal ticket. He said he didn't care. as
the Hamers were his friends and he in :
tended to stay with them. | told him
would bet him $50 that Tyler would or
would not be elected county recorder.
Hamer wanted to bet 800 and told b i'm
couldn't but would put up $40. Phillips
came along and l made the bet with
him. Hamer wrote out the bet. There
were some parts about it L
objected too and Hamer tore up the
paper and said to me 'fYou s. of a
b.. you don't want to bet anyway" and
slapped me in the face left soon after
and happened to remember left my UNI
brella and went back after it. went to
the cigar case and called for cigar While
the bartender was handing it out to me,
John Hamer came up and SAID he would
like to find the man that hit him over The
eye. He wanted me to drink with him. l
refused, and he said 1 was afraid, and to
pacify him | went along. Washburn came
out Of the wine room and came up to me
and said: Jim, you have got gun, but
/ am as good as you without one.n
AT this point the shooting took place.
and Griffin swore that he saw Hamer
reach for his gun and he did for his, they
Sboth fired about the same time He didn't
. know where his first shot went He felt a
stinging through the body and fired a Sec
ond shot.