The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-13
KILLING OF SHAFER.
Doyle's Hearing Delayed, but
His Abett0rs Committed.
STRONG EVIDENCE PRESENTED.
Doyle to be Heard Today Watkins,
Considine and Mccarthy 60 to the
Superior Court.

Yesterday was the day set for the ar
raignment of Billy Doyle, the prizefighter,
charged with manslaughter, for beating to
death George Shafer another prizefighter,
in contest at the Peoples theater on Sat
urday morning last. The case of Doyle
was continued, but Watkins & Considine,
proprietors of the theater, were bound over
to the superior court for completely i'll the
fight.
Long before o'clock, the hour appointed
for the hearing of Doyle the rooms of Jus
tice Ven Tobel, in the Butler block, were
packed with a motely crowd of boys and
men. When Doyle was taken from the
county JAIL where he had been held with
out bail, to the courtroom he was accom-
panied by j. B. Metcaife, who has been re-
tanned by interested parties to defend him.
Mr.. Metcalfe moved for continuance of
O'Clock, as he was then defending a cause
in hearing in the superior court. The at
torney for the state agreed to the motion
and it was granted. Doyle was again
marched back to his cell without having
an opportunity to furnish bonds.
One of the reasons why Mr.. Caldwell ac-
guessed in continuance was because
Prosecuting Attorney Miller is i'll at his
home, No. 216 Wall street, with severe
cold, and he could not work on the case.
1t was the intention of Mr.. Miller to have
the body of Shafer exhumed yesterday and
have another examination made by ply
sicians, but owing to his illness it was not
done. If Mr.. Miller is able to be out to-
day the body will be exhumed and the adj
ditional evidence of the physicians who
make the examination will be given at the
hearing before the justice
At O'Clock, an hour after the arraign-
ment of Doyle, Joe Watkins and John
CnncIdgnn of.f In ,la1c \,
alter, were given hearing on a charge of
aiding, abetting and instigating a prize
fight" J. J. Mccarthy, Doyle's bottle
holder, was also arraigned on the same
charge. All three were bound over to the
superior court.
Tended by John Wiley, William Caldwell
representing the state. The first witness
was Douglas Phillips, license collector,
who swore that Watkins 81 Considine were
the proprietors of the theater where the
fatal fight took place. The next witness
was Daniel ]. Woods, Skaters friend. He
witnessed the fight. AT first Woods was
very reticent. and would tell nothing. The
attorney for the state began to think he
had been bought off by the prizefighting
element. After he was half an hour on
the stand he warmed up, however, and
told a story of the affair which was very
damaging to the defense. He said:
seventh round. The fight was only adver-
tised to last six rounds, but when time was
called for the seventh round George was so
weak that two men had to push
him from his seat He was covered
with blood. caused by Doyle hitting him
in the nose: When the men showed him
out OF his chair, so that he faced DOYLE he
was weak in the knees and could hardly
see. He put up his hands as if to defend
himself. Doyle then walked over and hit
him in the face. Shafer fell down. He
was counted out and me and some other
fellows dragged him to the dressing-room.
We tried to bring him to, and for little
while he did come to. He talked q little
He said:
Boys, this is my last fight. / won't
fight any more
Then he went off again. They put him
in wagon and carried HIM to his room in
the New England hotel There he died at
800 In the morning. / afterward saw his
body at the morgue and he was badly dis
Inquired from lighting. | have known
Shafer for ten months; we worked to-
gether on the steamer Eastern Oregon, and
l knew him to be sober fellow"
Fred Stevenson, who roomed with
Shafer at the New England house, told
much the same story.
L. W. Morton, agent for rubber stamp
concern, testified that the fight was a
bloody, brutal one. He was present. but
could not see all that was going on.
These were not all the witnesses that the
state had, but further evidence was re-
served for the trial in the superior court.
The defense offered no testimony, and
the justice held all parties concerned to
appear for trial, as charged, in the superior
court. Watkins and Considine furnished
bonds in the sum of $3.50 each, but Nc
earthly had no friends who would go on
his bond for that amount, and he was
caun tod III iail