Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-21
The Testimony Yesterday in
The Bradfield Trial.
Dyes Private Burying-Ground Ex.
tended frem Texas to the Pacific.
The Testimony for the Defense Nearly
All In-Evidence Tending to Show
Dyes Character sas
Killer.


witnesses yet to be examined. More
progress was made in the trial yesterday
than on any preceding day and at the
hour of adjournment thirty witnesses
had testified in Bradfeld's behalf, most
of them being called to tell what they
knew about Joe Dyes. character as q
"bloodthirsty, quarrelsome, fighting
man." The defense seemed to have no
difficulty in finding witnesses to tes tify
that Dye was bad man and to hearing
him threaten Ito kill Bradfeld, and
Judge Smith finally considered these
points 80 we'll established that he noti-
fed, the defendants counsel that he
wanted to hear NJ more testimony on
that point.
The trial so far has been an enormous
1y expensive one to the county. The
defense has subpnnaed almost all of it's
witnesses from Ventura county, and
there have been at least thirty residents
of the oil regions in the city for the past
week dancing attendance on the case.
These will each have big bill for mile
age and expensess besides their regular
fees.
The first witness upon the stand yes
terday morning was Sam Davis, who was
in Fred Linde's jewelry store in this city
when Dye and Bradfield had their first
row in March. Davis testified that the
two men were discussing oil matters,
and were in the store ten minutes before
Bradfeld was struck. Dye was very
angry and excited and talked very loud,
while the defendant spoke in a low tone.
Finally, Dye slapped Bradfield's face
with his left hand and reached for his
gun with his right. He did not shoot;
because, he said, he had great respect
for Mrs. Bradfeld, but if it were not for
her he would kill the defendant.
George Puff, who knew Dye during
the last six months of his life, was next
called. He had had conversation with
the deceased about Bradfeld in March
of this year, in which Dye told him that
if the defendant put his foot on his
(Dye's) oil land he would ill him so. full
OF lead that daylight could be seen
through him. The conversation oc-
abused Bradfeld in the vilest kind Of
language. The witness afterward told
the defendant what Dye had said about
him.
George J J.Henley next took the stand.
He had heard from a man named Falk-
enburg, who was placed on the stand
earlier in the trial, that Dye told the
latter that if Bradfeld did not leave the
country he would kill him. This threat
the witness communicated to the de-
fendant.
Philip j. Henley, the next witness,
had conversation with Dye a week be-
fore the latter was killed, in which Dye
told the witness that if fBradfield did not
keep off certain piece OF land he would
kill him.
Mrs. G. A. Kerrick was called, and
testified in regard to conversation she
had with Dye before the affair in Linde's
store. Dye told her. referring to the
royalties which Bradford and George
Henley expected to get from oil lands,
that he would fix them both so that they
would not need any royalty or anything
else.
H. w. Rieton, jeweler who was in
the employ of Fred Linde last March,
and who was in the jewelry store at the
time of the fracas between Dye and
Bradfeld, was next called. Dye was
drunk at the time, and followed the de-
fendant in the store. Going up to
Bradfield, Dye angrily asked him what
right he had to go onto certain piece
of land, and said that if he did any
work on the claim he would kill him.
Dye swore a good deal, and said that
the next time he met General johnson
he would spit in his face, illus
trating his remark by splitting on the
floor. Seeing that Dye was very angry,
Bradfie'd attempted to leave the place,
but Dye got in the way and said that he
was not through with him and that II
he attempted to leave he would kill him.
Finally Dye reached the height OF his
passion and struck Bradfeld in the face
with his left hand, reaching around to
his pistol pocket with his right. The
defendant made no move to protect him.
self and Dye did not shoot. The con-
versation lasted about fifteen minutes
longer, when the men left the place,
Bfsdfsld ai.s1Ga1d. going first and Dye shortly
o. F. Brandt, manager of the Califor.
MIA Oil company was the next witness.
He knew the defendant and also the de-
ceased in his lifetime. Dye had often
made threats against Bradfield in the
hearing of the witness and on one occa-
sion called on him and demanded that
the defendant be discharged. Dye said
at that time that if Bradield were not
discharged he would kill him, and he
WOulu uOb UC dlIdl0 W ~ UClOIC dLy jury
in the country and stand trial for it.
Brandt told Bradfeld afterwards what
Dye had said. R
On cross-examination the witness said
that on the occasion when Dye called on
him, he came to ask why the company
had filed on the disputed claim without
first notifying them. Brandt replied
that he had been notified. Dye then
made the threat against Brad6eld.
p. HI. Irland, who was we'll acquainted
with Dye in his lifetime. testified that
he had conversation with the de-
ceased shortly after the affair at Linde's
store, in which Dye told him that he
had slapped Bradfeld, and slapped him
good" This conversation was held
about March 18th in the rear of a saloon
The witness was about to take trip to
New York at the time, and Dye told him
to tell the president of the company
who was in that city, to discharge Brad.
field ii he did not do it. he (Dye) would
do it for him. The witness had several
other conversations with Dye shortly
before HIS death, and the latter abused
and vilified Bradfeld at all times.
Within Me week before the killing
the witness Netopped Dye on the street
but the latter said that he was in q