The record-union., 1893-02-22
FINN'S DEATH
The CorOner's Jury Finds the Shoot
ing was Justifable.
Two of the Deceased's Companions
Testified the Gang Had been
After Chickens.

shot and killed on Sunday night by NJ.
j. Honghton. The report of County Ply
sician White, who made the autopsy on
the body of the deceased, was read as
published yesterday, and the taking OF
testimony was commenced.
G. w. BusL, special policeman at the
Railroad Hospital, testified that he did
not know Finn. On Sunday night, about
1870 O'Clock, he heard five shots fired and
started for the place. On the way he en-
countered the body of a man. Being
alone, he fired a shot to get assistance, and
parties came out of saloon, and a lady
came out of the house at HOS street with
a light.
A diagram was shown giving the Ioca-
ton of Houghton's house and the corner
of Eleventh and C streets, and the sur
roundings were explained to the iurv by
Coroner Clark. The body was found
twelve yards from the side gate to Hough-
toms yard, i'll front of ll0S street.
Bush explained that the body was
found lying face downward, with his
head to the east. He did not examine the
BODY. Mr.. Houghton came out in
about hve minutes and said he did the
shooting, but that was the first he knew
sell as sorry and surrendered himself.
lie gave witness loaded pistol.
NJ. c. M'KELvEY
Testified: l came home at half-past Q to
the hospital, and later one of the patients
toId me he heard shooting. Several of us
went down and found the body. and |
went back and telephoned down town, ]
learned the man who did the shooting
4lVed IN the corner house and was in the
custody of Officer Bush of the hospital.
The body was lying face down, and / was
satisfied he was dead. His head was to
the east. l only heard the shot fired by
The Watchman, Bush.
A. w. YoUNGMAN
OF HOS G street, carpenter in the car
shops, testified that the body had not been
disturbed and was lying face down when
he saw it, with the hat over its face and
the head to the east. He heard five shots.
beside one fired by Bush. He heard a
voice before the shots, but heard no re-
sponse except the shots and running.
POLICE CAPTAIN BRADLEY
Testified: about twenty minutes to II
O'Clock l was at the police station when a
telephone message came asking for ofli-
GERS to go TO Eleventh and streets. |
called Officer White and with the patrol
wagon went there and found the body.
On the way we met Officer Wilson, and
we took him with us. i inspected the
body, which lay about three feet from
the fence, with the head to the east. We
covered the body and waited till the
Coroner arrived.
- was told the boys had been stealing
chickens, and we took measurements oi
fresh tracks around the chicken house in
the yard. Officer Wilson examined the
chicken-house and saw some chickens
there. l saw the pistol at the station
said to be used by Houghton, and it was
then loaded"
WILLIAM DAILY
Testified: II have known Finn about
three weeks, ana was with him on Sun
day night. We met at the Clunie Opera
house, and went to Houghton's yard. We
had been there but few moments when
he came out and said, Amt you been
there long enoughp or something, and
commenced to shoot. The first shot
struck Finn, and he turned and started
back, staggered and fell. The second shot
struck me as l was walking away. We
were there on Saturday night and took
some boards of the coop. The man was
on the back porch when he shot at us.
''He did not tell us to stop, or nothing.
] had not gone four steps when l got the
bullet. W g did not go there on Sunday
night to get the chickens. We tried to get
them on Saturday night, but on SUNDAY
night just went there to look at them.
We had no intention of going there until
we passed the house. | told them we had
better not go in, as he had fixed the coop
and would be laying for us. The same
four of us were there Saturday night
Three of us went in and one stayed out.
We could see plainly by the electric
light"
JOHN RAwLES
Testified: 81 was at Eleventh and c
streets on Saturday night with Daily.
Finn, the salt Lake kid' and Midget.
five of us. On Sunday we were standing
in front of the gate when the man came
out and said, That's enough of thatp and
fired the shots and shot Daily in the arm
and Finn fell. The man then came down
and shut the gate. We opened the gate
and were all standing there. We were
going in TO get the chickens.
DAILY said we better not touch the
place, and we were going away and shut
the gate. No, we didn't shut the gate.
We talked about it at the Clunie Opera
house. We did not get the chickens Sat
urday night, there was light in the
window. Sunday night we were going
to another place, but we passed Hough-
toms and went in. The first shot he
fired hit Daily. Three of us-Daily, my
self and Midget, ran one way, and Finn
and Bennett ran the other. We were
just going away when the man came out,
as Daily said we better leave there"
NJ. J. HoUGHToN,
Who did the shooting, testified: 81 live
at 303 Eleventh street. On Sunday night
! retired at $50 o'clock and was aroused
by noise that seemed to be at the back
door. l took the revolver and went out
there. l found nothing at the door, and
l looked out the window and the glass in
the kitchen door. / saw something move
near the back porch. | watched the OBJ
iect some time, but couldn't see it move.
/ then saw the back gate open and soon
saw several meu or boys. The electric
light at street went partly out, and
these objects came in and went to the
chicken-coop.
'They appeared to be trying to break
in. l went out and said: w hal are you
doing there?' or something, and they
started to run, and fired five shots.
was in my night clothes and went back
and dressed and reloaded my revolver.
When | came out again l saw number
OF people there, with officer Bush, around
dead body. When 1 found he was an
officer l gave myself up and went TO the
police station. On Sunday morning
saw that some one had been working al
the coop, probably Saturday night, but
there were no chickens gone.
II was not lying in wait or expecting
them to come. Sunday night l did moi
light a lamp. When L first saw them
they were at the gate and L saw them en-
ter the yard and go to the coop; when
spoke they ran out. l fired at random,
not intending to hit any of them. | did
not know had hit any one until l saw
the body. Never had occasion to use q
lfstol before. Itwas Sunday night, but
could not give the hour. | am satisfied
from the circumstances that Finn was
killed by my shots. l was excited OF
nervous when ! fired the shots. l have
not been troubled by any one at night
before"