The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-06
CLARK DISCHARGED.
He Fully Exonerated by the Coroner's
Jury.
Testimony Taken at the Inquest on
the Body of Thomas Theodore
Slater Last Evening.

place near the eastern boundary Of the
city.
Mrs. Clark was the first witness sworn.
She testified that she got the breakfast for
the family on the morning Of the shoot
ing, and then detailed the occurrencet that
led Immediately to the shooting. Slater
demanded breakfast, and witness told him
she would cook for him no more. After
some words Slater took plate and some
food from the table and went to the
kitchen, saying that if he did not eat no
body else should.
Mrs. Clark said she went into the
kitchen for some coffee, when Slater
grabbed her. Mr.. Clark came and told
him to let 60 Of witness, and then Slater
and Clark got to scufIiing, during which
Slater drew q pistol from his pocket.
Witness called out 10 her husband to look
out, ana Slater declared he would shoot
him. Witness tried to help her husband,
Wien Slater kicked her. The men were
still sculling and cOntending for the pos
session Of the weapon.
Finally Clark got hold Of the handle Of
the pistol, and while Slater was tugging
at the barrel the weapon was discharged
and Slater fell. He cid not speak after
being shot.
over the breakfast, but that her husband
and slater had had some business differ
ence5. She had repeatedly told him to
leave the place, that she would no longer
cook for him. Mr.. Clark told Slater at
breakfast on Monday that he could not
eat there any more.
Witness said further, that on the pre-
ceding day Slater made a remark to the
effect that he should eat breakfast there
the next morning, or would shoot Clark,
and the letter told him TO shoot as quick
he wanted TO.
Mrs. Clark says she did not see her
daughter do anything during the scuflic,
as she paid no attention to her. During
| the night neither witness nor her daugh-
ter went FOR d knife or pistol for her hus-
band.
MISS CLARK's LITTLE PISTOL.
The next witness was Miss Winnie
Clark. the young lady Of whom the de-
ceased is said to have been enamored.
Miss Clark told what occurred at the
breakfast table on Monday, which was
substantially the same as told by Mrs
Clark. When her father and Slater got
to struggling, witness ran into another
room and got her fathers revolver,
cooked H. and tried to Civ cit to her father.
Just then Slater struck witness and
turned her partly around, and TIE pistol
was accidentally discharged in a direction
Slater on the head with the pistol she
held. Her father and Slater were then
struggling for the possession OF the lat
ter's pistol, which was soon after dis
charged.
Witness had heard Slater threaten to
blow her father into eternity. Three
months ago Slater approached witness
one day while she was sewing. showed
her pistol and told her he had il to de-
tend himself.
After Slater fell witness father went to
last Park and called some men over 10
the place.
Witness said she had notified Slater that
her father did not wish her to keep COM
pany with him, and Slater then declared
that he would as soon die as live, and that
II he could not get her nobody else
should.
THE pistol with which Miss Clark
struck Slater was d small weapon, more
Ike toy than anything else.
WHERE THE BULLETS WERE BOUGHT.
Meyer Stein, who keeps a variety store
on X street, testified that on Sunday
night, while absent from his store. a
young man went there and bought ten
cents worth Of 3S-caliber cartridges. He
was in great hurry,
a CHINESE NUMBsKUIL.
All Chaw, a Chinese domestic en-
ployed at the Clark place, then testified
through interpreter Look Hoy, that he
was present at the breakfast III the Clark
house on Monday morning, and saw
Clark and Slater Quarreling and saw
them fighting, but witness declared he
did not know what it was about, and did
not hear any pistolshot.
This witness proved to be a veritable
know-nOthing, and his testimony brought
out no new facts.
SKATERS FRIEND BURKE.
E. L. Burke, young man who resides
near East Park, testified that he had
known Slater for three years. He last
saw him about 1880 O'Clock on SUNDAY
night. Deceased was then sober. on
FRIDAY or Saturday last Slater bought
pistol from him, but did not get il until
late on Sunday night. Early ON Sunday
evening witness went to STEMS store and
had it freshly loaded.
Prior to that time deceased had wanted
to. borrow the pistol, but witness de-
clined TO lend it. He agreed to let Slater
have it, however, for S.. Slater said he
would pay Tor II as soon as his lawsuit
with Clark was settled.
Witness said that Slater had told him
he was engaged to Miss Clark, and had
made her presents. Slater had not.toId
him OF any personal difficulty with her
father.
To Lawyer Bruner witness said the
reason he reloaded his pistol on Sunday
was because the cartridges did not fit the
weapon and he wanted to have it loaded
with fresh cartridges; that he sometimes
had considerable money with him and
wanted to protect himself Slater was
with him all of Sunday afternoon and
evening up TO 1880 O'Clock.
Slater had told witness that he intended
to eat at Clark's as long as the place was
in the hands OF the receiver.
IN reply to anotEgr question by Mr..
Bruner, witness saiu the reason he first
refused to lend his pistol to Slater was
that he did not wish to get into anv
trouble himself.
Witness identified the pistol with which
Slater was killed as the one he had sold
him.
SKATERS THREATS TO KILL.
Joseph Wolter, an employe of Clark,
testified that on Sunday morning, at the
breakfast table, Mr.. and Mrs Clark mott
fed Slater that he could not longer board
there, and Slater replied that if he could
not eat nobody else should. He then
started for the cupboard and Clark
stopped him. Slater told Clark to keep
away-that if the latter laid hand on
him he would kill him, and that if Clark
did not have friends present he (Slaterl
would not submit to such treatment
Witness further said that Clark told
him on Sunday he was afraid Slater
would poison the family, and that if the
receiver did not remove Slater, he Clark
would take his family away
WHAT RECEIVER SMITH KNEW.
S. B. Smith, the receiver in charge of
the ranch, testified that on Sunday last
Clark called upon him to see if Slater
could not be made TO go away from his
table-that Mrs. Clark could not cook for
hin any longer, as his presence was dis
tasteful. Clark also said that Slater had
threatened his life
Witness advised Clark To lot +bi,,Dv or,