The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-26
SAMISH MURDER TRIAL
State Proving That Prisoners
Threatened Wheeler,
SAYING THEY WOULD KILL HIM
Intense Interest Taken in Skacft County
in the Case-The Story of an
Old Feud.
SAYING THEY WOULD KILL HIM

Mount Vernon, Oct. 25-Special.-The
Sam.Sh murder trial, in which EDWIN
Baldwin, Ulysses Loop and Ozro PERKINS
are charged with killing Alonzo Wheeler
on Samish island. August 3, commenced IN
earnest this morning before Judge Nc
Bride. The court room was packed TO
its utmost capacity with Interested spec
tators, the case being the most sensd-
tional ever heard in this court. Not
little feeling is manifested on account or
the fact that Baldwin is an old soldier and
Wheeler, the man who was killed, an
Odd Fellow. The long feud that had eN-
listed prior 10 the elimination of the trou-
BILE, and the fact that the parties are SO
well known, adds additional Importance 10
the trial.
Prosecuting Attorney Joiner. in open
ing the case, said that the prosecution
would prove that the killing of Wheeler
was the result of a conspiracy between the
men accused of the murder. II would
show that numerous threats were made
before the shooting, and the witnesses
would tel of such a savage attack upon
Wheeler as to leave no doubt of the muir
derous intentions of the three men 10
kill Wheeler; that Baldwin had declared
after the shooting that at first he could
not get a fair chance at Wheeler for fear
of hurting his friends but as soon as he
got a chance he doubled him up with
bullet.
Counsel in defense OF the prisoners said
that the attack had been started by wheel
er, who was bully and bad man; that
Baldwin was living in fear OF his life be-
cause of the many threats Wheeler had
made; that Perkins and Loop Were I'M
armed, and that the theory OF premeditat-
ed attack by them was silly; that every
thing done by the defendants was purely
in self-defense. and if there was any pre-
meditation il was on the part of White
U~baa'ar. that in the whole trouble
between the parties White pulled the
wires and Wheeler was the bully and
fighter.
Archibald McRae told of a conversation
he had with Baldwin and Perkins, IN
which Perkins had said that if Wheeler
did not keep out OF the way they would
string him up TO tree.
John Kile a resident of Seattle, testi-
fed that Baldwin told him that White
was worse than a Chinaman, and that he
baldwin, would get even with the -
of a -.
John Lewis. a resident of Edison. knew
all the parties connected with the affair.
Two weeks previous TO the shooting Per-
kins had told him, in the presence of Joan
Eckenberger that If Joe Davis and Wheel
er came back and went on the wharf as
usual he would make their lives short.
Cecil Bacon, of Whatcom, testified that
Perkins had declined to go 70 Whatcom
for freight two days before the shooting
because 'he expected something to turn
up"
John Eckenberger, 15-year-old lad,
corroborate Lewis testimony about Per-
kins' threat to make Wheeler's life short.
He also testified that Perkins had said
lin about two weeks; you just mind, too"
Perkins had shown a bullet which he
picked up on the wharf, and had said
with an oath that was the one which lad
gone through the blankets Baldwin had
said after the shooting that he baldwin,
could not get a shot at Wheeler at first
for fear of hitting his own men, but that
as soon as he did get a shot at him he
did him up az once.
George Eckenberger testified that Per-
kins had abused him roughly and later
in the day had told him that he did not
mean If. but that his abuse was directed
toward White, whom he had talked 10
enough and was going at 1t in a different
way. The prisoners had made threats to
down Wheeler when he returned TO the ISL
and. There are nearly sixty witnesses
subpenaed for the case. and 1t will prob
ably take week or more to hear them
all