The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-22
HOLMES Is ON TRIAL.
Evidence rs to His Staying u
William Russell.
g WENT AWAY FoR 4 PISTOL.
Lrenv Wssssssss EFea BsoohlSn Ten
Absss the shsssase-Iassassy
II the Dofeaee,

Waltam Holmes. the young uo9Io Who
49, out the brains Of William RusesIl.
- roommate. also coIorsd. In . oussrsi
~ . revolver on January Is. ct Frank.
s.: 4 Il now on trial Tor his lite. All Of the
aase's witnesses have testified. and a.
shought il 10 plain that there w. NO En-
uss for Holmes II he 10 sane, Il - aIso
rsin that the colored people Of the mia
ins town are al friends Of little Willie
Hojmss," % they call him, and sre NET
fAtrsting for his blood. Nearly every
| vftness seemed eager 70 make the ease g
favorable - possible for him and there
vss little cross-sxamination. Today
Holmes witnesses will try TO prove from
certain wounds on his hsad and from
/ ifink that he was not responsible.
All yesserday forenoon Prosecuting At
aorpey Miller and Hoimes' astorneys
vrsstlsd trying to get an impartial jury
rot opposed to inssnity - . defense 20 the
ehsfge Of murder. At Is the following
jssors were sworn 70 try the case: J. C.
| wsrd. w. F. Giles. A. B. Ball, 8. Berry.
| "a Richmond, ]. w. Stearns, c. z. stan
! con. c. r. Brown, &. Lsckis, William
! Weight, A. e. Hummer. b. p. Psttsn.
Zone Of these jurors were brought into
souYt on an open venirs. Then eli the
witnesses, colored miners and Q few COL
ored women. were sworn sud sent out Of
ths court room that they might not hear
sAeh others testimony when op the stand.
Court took recess for lunch and then ct
30 the trial commenced. Mr.. Miller
opened the case by saying thas clear proof
n generalization and threats would b
presented and It would b shown that
ihsre was no reason Why Russsll should
have besn shot and his sisysr justified.
The first witness was then called. DR.. J.
J. Smith, the Oregon Improvement
Company's physician q Franklin. who
vas called whom Russell was shot. He
said that the ball entered the forehead
i,tus 10 the left Of the msdian line and
lodged in the back Of the head beneath
The skin. 1t had ranged downward and
vas badly shattered in its passage. The
doctor had the two pieces Of the ball, but
not with him.
Joe Johnson. colored coal miner who
looks like preacher, said that the shoot
Ing occurred 1t $50 in the afternoon Of
pay day. Johnson saw Russell and Holmes
N the company's saloon. in front Of which
tho tragedy occurred shortly aftsr. They
were fussing about revolver, which Rus
sell was accusing Holmes Of stealing.
Holmes submitted to . search. but no re-
voiver was found. The row WAS stiIl on,
however. and both were drunk. Finally,
they adjourned 70 the 'pisxxa" in front.
There they were prevented from nghsine,
but Russell slapped Holmes face. Holmes
vent out behind . pile OF beer kegs and
got stone TO ''smash" Russell. II was
taken away from him, and then he went
down to his room. near the com pany store,
and got pistol. The witness. Russell and
Constable Smalley we're standing talking
when he returned. When thirteen feet
away he dred one shot which dew over the
head Of the victim and lodged IN the
saloon ten feet above tho ground. The
three men turned and saw Ha'mss with a
smoking revolver. Russell threw his head
down and started for Holmes ''like an old
RAM" ~ . negro spectator explained
When he was near enough to touch
Holmes. tho latter fired full In his face,
and Russell foil on his side. dead. Holmes
Was arrested and the corpse taken first TO
the saloon and then TO . house 200 yards
away. Russell. the witness said. Was ~
years old and large man, miner; while
Holmes was . mule driver. quite small,
but heavy.
Mrs. Matte johnson, the last witness
wife, testified that che saw Holmes leave
The saloon piazza. and about fifteen min
u,es later return. running, with gun"
In his hand. She Ut once screamed:
Look out, look out. Billy Holmes has
got gun"
Then Holmes. who was 100 yards from
her and . short distance from RUSSELL,
raised his gun and fred At the latter Rus
cell was looking at Constable smallsy, and
did not'ses Holmes. As soon ~ the shot
vas fred he wheeled around and made q
move with his hand ~ II to draw . gun.
Then the second shot came. and Russell
fell dead. Holmes had not moved from
the spot before firing the second shot. Her
testimony as TO Russelt's actions differed
from her husbands; she did not eco him
60 for Holmes.
Lucy Wurkuf. . young colored woman.
said she saw the shots fired by Holmes at
Russell. Before Holmes fired she screamed
at smallcy, but she was not heard, and the
warning WAS not needed. After tho first
shot was fired IL appeared that Russell
vas about to start for Holmes, but he fell
dead At the second shot an instant later.
only a few feet from Holmes, who was
backing away, and had stumbled over
some logs just before he fired the fatal
shot. Neither Of the Johnsons cav
Holmes move.
silas Archer, q shiny-facsd young negro.
testified TO seeming Holmes playing pool
In the company saloon and talking angrily
with Russell. After the men went outside
and began quarrsiing. he took the stone
Away from Holmes and tried TO prevent
the fight. lie told the same story Of the
shooting as Johnson had. but also told OF
placing his hand over Russeli's forehead
and noticing the brains ooxing out OF the
wound. Archer said that he told Russell,
Who weighed about 300 pounds, not to take
advantage Of this little boy" meaning
Holmes. Russell WAS cursins. but at the
mines eursng was so usual that the wit
nsss thought nothing Of u. Both men
mad been drinking good deal.
Pavid Mason, . mahogsny-eoiored
young negro. told Of hearing Russell &C
easins Holmes Of stealing the gun. and OF
Holmes denying tho charge and saying
that Russell had searched him and not
found 1t. Russell Vas very angry. ana
Vas trying to get Holmes 20 slap him.
which he finally did. Russell struck the
witness once Ia the struggle. and made
Threats that he would kill Holmes unless
he cot the gun. His story OF the shooting
vas the same as that Of the other wit
hssses. practically.
Jchn Taylor. a coed looking young
negro dudi-hly dressed, who sAid he Vas .
franklin coal miner. told his story Of the
shooting. Hi. account Of the preliminary
quarres and slsprins vas the same A. that
cfshe other witnesses, also Of the warning