The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-13

murder. 1t must be remembered tina
the body was carefully laid out
the head wrapped up and beaten
the pockets searched, papers,
watch and other articles taken. in
Guiding ring full of keys from which
the keys had been removed and the
ring replaced in the pocket, and the in
strument of murder and all of this
property made away with so effectu-
ally that there has never been trace
discovered of it.
Some Deductions.
There is almost positive evidence
that the murder was committed after
O'Clock. Associating Croker with 1t
means the deduction of at least twenty
If not thirty minutes from the hour
which leaves only thirty minutes to
accomplish all that was accomplished.
Could he have done it? To convict
him, the prosecution must establish.
beyond a reasonable doubt that he
did
In reaching for the author Of the
crime some one who could have pos
sible motive for desiring Booths death
was sought for Croker was the only
man who, SO far as known, possibly
could have had a motive. He was new
er heard TO express a murderous intent
although it was known that he had
often been provoked by the deceased
Croker admitted that he had been at
the barn between the hours of 4 and 3
o'clock. His actions afterwards direct
ed suspicion towards him, yet it is true
people were watching him for suS-
picious circumstances. One circum-
stance that attracted attention to him
was what seemed to be a desire to
no iYY1a q
was at such or such a place between
the hours named. For instance, he was
at a certain store at $780, and it is re-
called now that he made a remark
about the hour which then attracted
no special attention. On leaving this
store he is said to have spoken of the
time by saying that it would soon be
five minutes to 8, and he must hurry,
as he was going to the theatre. He
walked up home with a friend, but at
exactly five minutes to he was at the
office where theatre tickets are sold
and asked what time the curtain
would rise, and was informed that it
would go UP at o'clock, and that he
would have to hustle of he would be
late. These things do not raise a
strong presumption of guilt, and had
not a crime been committed of which
Croker was suspected. or rather had
not people been reaching for some
grounds to suspect him. thew would
never have been noted, because they
dre not so very unusual. Assuming,
however, that Croker is guilty. these
little incidents amount to great deal,
as it would be perfectly natural for
man conscious Of the fact that he had
committed a. crime, and believing it
very probable that he would be sus-
pected, to make special effort to es-
tablish his whereabouts at a time
when it might be thought the crime
was committed. If it accomplished
nothing more, It would raise a doubt
in his favor: on the other hand, if he
took what appeared to be eXtraordi-
dent upon the mind of anyone the ef-
fort might be construed as a suspicious
Some Damaging Evidence.
There is some rather damaging evil
dence against Crocker to the effect
that he was seen to enter the barn al
most exactly at the hour of o'clock,
and about five minutes afterwards
Booth was seen to enter the barn
the same door. This evidence
is pretty positive and is quite serious
for Croker, as it places the two men
in the barn at almost the exact time
which unimpeachable circumstances
fix as tire time OF the murder. With
out going into details, it may be stated
as a fact that the murder was COM
mitted soon after o'clock. Booth was
not seen after that hour for a. certain
ty. The fact that two men entered the
barn about that hour, who were taken
for Booth and Croker. is subject to
doubt on the question Of identity.
Booth was seen and identified when he
bought the pane of glass just about 3
o'clock. He certainly went direct to
the barn or else he would have been
seen at some other place. He must
have been murdered before o'clock,
else he would have gone home, as
there was nothing to detain him more
than a few minutes at the barn, and
ne would not have stayed any longer
than necessity demanded. because =.
was about 20 degrees below zero, and
he old barn was very cherries
place. There is also evidence to the eff
'ect that gentleman passing the barn |
1t 7:30 in the evening noticed a man
coming out of the barn, but when he |
saw someone coming he lodged back. |
It was just about this time that |
Croker appeared at the grocery store |
about half a block from the barn and
'eferred to the time of day in a point
ID manner.
Story of the Prosecution.
The theory Of the prosecution, so far
is it is possible to ascertain it from
alking with officials and prominent
citizens, is that Croker went to the
barn at o'clock; that within a few
minutes Booth came in and they got
nto an alteration, either over the
sale of some stock, which it is known
Croker wished to dispose of, or over
he appointment which Booth had
frustrated; and that in the heat Of
passion Croker struck Booth blow
which killed him, or possibly crushed
lis skull without killing him instantly;
hat Booth fell with his head lying
where the large pool of blood was
ound; that realizing what he had done
md wishing to make sure of his work,
he moved the body to the position
where it was found where the head
vas wrapped in the sack and the
leath of the victim made sure by the
crushing of the skull: that after do
ng this, which only consumed a few
time, the pockets of Booths |
clothing were turned inside out and
he watch and other things taken for
he purpose of creating the impression |
hat robbery was the object of the |
murder; that the door was locked, the |
instrument with which the murder
vas committed was secreted and
Croker went home where he succeed
d in changing his clothing before any