The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-02

then complete The jurors are John Taylor.
George ". shaw, II. G. Martin. John Avery,
Albert Lynes. j. r. Ellcook. c. Monahan. James
Isscncey Fred Weise, John Boerstter. F. N.
Guy and IL L. Sizer.
Ars.l5 the taking of testimony was begun, the
state being represented by Prosecuting Attorney
JFMlier, assisted by A. G. Mcbride, while
Ronald & Piles appear for the defendant Tho
A,s, witness was Coroner George NJ. Horton,
Who testified es 10 finding the body and the in
suess held Immediately after the murder. Drs
j. b. Loughary and ]. II. Sinclair testified to the
nature OF the wound and the cause OF death,
both stating that the flesh around the wound
vas powder stained, and that the weapon which
fred the fatal shot must have been held very
close TO the victim.
George E. Gordon was the ne 1t and most i'm
portant witness for The state, inasmuch as he
claims to have been the SO itary eyewitness OF
the tragedy. ana also witness OF alterations
precedin il. He Is a medium-sized man, -
years of age, with a defect in his right eye. and
wears small reddish moustache He betrays
his foreign birth by slight brogue, aud gave
bis testimony in q lowtoned voice. His story
of the shooting and the incidents leading up TO
twas very graphic, and was told without hesi-
tation His testimony was substantially az fol-
lows:
He was working in Dawes saloon. Murphy
had been in the habit OF getting free drinks ut
Dawes ia DON. and that he and Dave had had
come words about the matter some time previ.
gu. to the killing Murphy ordered cocktail,
whereupon Dave said:
'0h, straight whisky's good enough for you.
There's nothing in 1t, anyway"
Murphy replied: You can go to HI with
your whisky I'll quit patronixing your house,
ana IA keep all my friends away, too. I'll boy
colt your place"
A few days later and about week before the
murder, the men met on the street aud Dave
said to Murphy: "What have done to you that
you should boycott my house?'
Murphy denied doing SO. and Dave said:
'Yes. It's so, because people have come to the
place and told me So"
Murphy said II was a lie, and Dave called
Murphy liar. The talk then became threaten
ing, and the men got TO talking about who was
the better man. Murphy at last said
well, don't want any trouble with you.
I've got more dollars than you have cents, at
thesame time tapping his pants pocket Dave
ayes, where did you get itf' intimating that
was obtained in a disreputable way. Murphy
replied:
~ will have a reckoning with you later" aud
the men then separated
The day before the shooting Murphy came
into the saloon and ordered a drink aud paid 10
cents tor It.
On the day of the shooting he went down to
the saloon about o'clock in the afternoon,
talked awhile with DAVE and had drink with
him. He then went out and returned about
s:2l few minutes aiterward Dave told wit
ness to tap barrel of beer, and he was proceed
ing 70 do so when Murphy came in NJ the back
door and walked up to the bar, standing only
about ten feet from him. Murphy ordered
whisky, and put down a 50-cent piece;
liquor bottle from the back bar and was
standing directly opposite Murphy. After
setting the bottle and one glass in front of
Narphy. he turned slightly to the left aud
stopped down to I'LL the other glass with cracked
ice from under the bar. As he did SO, Murphy
pulled pistol and as quick as lightning fired
sns ss shot ct, Dave reesd and fell owe.
sdrink OF whisky. swallowed IL. picked up his
~ cents and started for the door. Not word
had been said By any one from the time Murphy
entered, except his order for whisky. gordon
rushed over to where Dave lay in great pool
OF blood. saw he was dying and then shouted:
Murder Murphy turned and said:
what are are you hoiering about, you -
Gordon was afraid he would be shot. too. and
oneAed behind the bar. As Murphy was going
ouI he raised up aud saw him put the pistol in
MS pocket Alter putting il in his pocket his
eoat caught on the handle and he pulled the
,al' over tne pistol When he went on, Murphy
i"oAed nrst UP the street apd tnen down. and
turned aud went down TO the eft. Gordon
then gave the alarm and crowd quickly gath
came.
The witness was then subjected II a most
searching anu exhaustive cross-examination at
tne hands Of j. I. Ronald, the inquiry covering
Els entire career from the time he was born in
i"'Ashife up TO the day of the trial. From this
'as 4o4iowlng Information was gathered: At
eoou' IL years OF age Gordon shipped as a sailor
ioF valparaiso, where he stayed about eight or
zine months. He then came 10 Victoria, where
re remained for two years, working as a hotel
"a''er' tie came To Seattle about fifteen
years ago, aud since then has gone back
ana forth between these two cities
ana falrhaven, remaining some time in
eseh place. bpt living most OF the time in
'eaIe. During all the time he worked as 8
waiter IN hotels and restaurants and around
Saf.
'ae IRE he Foome GA the alley between Black
ehspe' and Naltechapel and worked in the
minneapolis saloon tending pool tables. lie
.sa never been oappcr or steerer for gambling
houses or lived or the earnings OF prostitutes,
h"f among the lowest OF THAI class, either black
orwhite
NJ Ronald then examined the witness on
Aesed variations between his present testimony
saG iha' given by him during the coroner's III.
Qae'', IS 10 The language used by MUrphy u the
s'efcs'lon pilCr 10 the shooting, but Gordon
ees q not recol,eet just what he testified 10 at
that time
A hue OF questioning was then begun as 20
eestain Conversations held by the witness with
o'fin Russell, sicpsou OF the defendant, and
also with man named clark The witness de-
NED That lie had told Russell q different story
sooi' TIE shooting, saying that re WAS il tho
oacA room st the time, but saw Murphy 90 out
vac 'front.' door. He deuiej tha: he had solicited
- IRON Russell. agreeing 10 leave the city aud
ho' appear as " tness II he got that amount.
not 1'd be sss Russell 10 see Nurpey's friends
ana them 70 raise the money for that purpose.
nc admitted go.us out 10 house IL the
eastern part Of the city with Russell TO
wee Iark. bat denied that he there made a
Opposition 10 leave town fog a cons liberation
ns denied taat he told them that Il csueh; and
..0asat bae& he would re the best witness for
@Nphy. lie denied that he had had any
,'Vto'e wl;h Dave. or that i'awe had backed
-ls eye day ~ two before the shooting bu:
.SFh''ted that Dave hal slapped him in fun
"Hte boxing lie denied having said thu. re
Nhe" Dave had a sun ana that, u Murphy had
COY Killed am, te wogld have Killed. Murphy.
ne admitted that while The doctor was exarain-
,-'s 1Ae dead man some one, unknown 20 him,
s@3 sasen a Figg from the dead mans hand, but
~eh'e9 That there was any pisto. on the hoov
NAeh DAVE EEL. or that any but 81 old rusty
We Ws> Aep; IN the plsce a; al
A.'er tae witness had dawn a sketch OF the
SAXON and ;Ae relative positions 81 those pres
.a' ST the time. ana had dramstica, illustrated
Noa Shooting. sDi ,he re.siiye position. by
N'|as one Of the tables ia She court room, the
Z experimentation terminated.
w the redirect examination Gordon said that
- Sas stfisad OF Russell. who was al the time