The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-12

| Coleman to send some one up to stay
with him. Witness had beard Melton
tell Dick Stanton to get his horse and
follow Coleman. Dick returned that
afternoon. During that night some one
of the men kept guard all night. Melton
kept guard part of the night, then Dick
stanton, who later called Ike Staun-
ton. Witness told them there was
LIKELY TO BE A FIGHT.
The trees had not leaved out at this
time The timber was not as thick as
the map represented it to be. All the
Staunton party had Sharp's rifles.
Just before the shooting he heard Ike
stanton say: Here they come, boys,
to take u.s." Melton came to the door
OF the tent and went back. Dick Staun-
ton came out and pointed his gun over
the tent. Then he ran into the tent.
lie thought from the report of the gun
that the first shot came from the tent,
and was fired by Dick Stanton. He
saw Marners horse plunge to one SIDE,
throw his head and then run off Wit
ness was in bed at the time the party
approached. The tent flap on one side
had been left open by Ike Staunton.
| Witness rolled the mattress up ana got
behind it, looking over the top. The
Coleman party did not come up whoop-
ing; was not saying anything.
he saw Dick Stanton crouching in
front OF the tent as though trying to
shoot. Saw Warner shoot and Dick
fan.
/ Shooting continued thick and fast for
ABOUT TWO minutes. He saw Staunton
fire two shots over the tent. Saw Ike fir
ing as fast as he could, or shots,
he thought. Did not see Melton after
the alarm, until it was over He ran
out and called for them to stop till he
could get out.
Warner said, WHO the he'll are you?
Throw up your handsl" Witness COM
piled with the request, kicked Melton's
and Dicks guns out of the way and
went and got Ike's. This was at the
command of Warner Coleman and
| Wall
WE'RE CRYING WHEN THEY CAME
ZIP.
Warner said to Melton, What made
you want to shoot at me? What had 1
ever done to you?" Melton said, Matt,
if you had known what do this would
never have happened
Warner said: What did you want
to open fire for, anyway" But g
d you, you can't fight, or you would
have had US killed"
Warner sent Wall to get some more
whisky and Coleman TO the creek for
J
went with him. Witness rode Cole
mans horse. Could not get a doctor.
On the night before the killing, after
Dick Staunton came back and report
ed than he had seen Coleman talking
with Warner and Wall, Melton had
said that if Warner came he would
die the death of a dog. He would put
! Warner with his back to a tree and
make him acknowledge on oath.
| H.
ness said he had found some valuable
ore. Had told Mr.. Coleman; had visit
ed the place this summer; he made no
! location.
He met Mr.. Cassidy over near there,
but not Mr.. Lay. Admitted that he
located the mine by just putting up a
notice, but did not record 1t. Went up
| to Melton's camp at the time he was
with Coleman just as a matter of con-
venience. There was good feed for the
| horses there. Did not show Melton any
| Of his ore until the day before the
shooting. Thought and still thinks the
ledge very rich. No development work
has been done on it. Talked with Mel
ton about the ore when Coleman was
not there. Melton had said TO Swift
| that he saw an account of his rich
| find in the papers and that seeing him
there with Coleman he felt assured
that they were after something rich.
Was with Melton alone several times;
slept with him in his cabin once, when
out with Coleman; went out hunting
with him once; drank with him a time
or two in Vernal.
The drift OF this cross examination
| by Mr.. Evans was evidently to discred-
! it Swifts testimony by showing that
! he was misleading Coleman and de-
ceiving him about the mine and was
also in collision with Melton to de-
fraud Coleman and Burton.
IN THE AFTERNOON.
Witness stated that Melton said the
agreement would be off If Melton went
to Vernal with Coleman and it would
be war to the teeth" When Dick
Staunton returned, he said that War
ner was to bring up fighting men to
do up the crowd and Melton remarked
that if he did there would be a fight
Witness had wanted Coleman to send
a man up, so that the man could be a
witness against Melton as to his efforts
to coerce Mr.. Coleman. He had walked
up Ike Stauneon because he thought
IKE OUGHT TO BE UP
and around if there was going to be
trouble.
Mr.. Evans took the witness over the
circumstances of the shooting, cross
examining, by the aid Of evidence pre-
viously given before the coroner's and
grand juries. A few minor but not
material changes were made in his
story from that previously given. In
response to a question by a juror, he
said the Staunton tent was put up
over a pole, each end of which was
fastened by a tree. The canvas was
simply two wagon covers. He thought
the tent about seven feet high. Staun-
ton did not fire when he put his gun
over the tent. After the shooting he
noticed that Melton had the back of
the tent propped up with a stick.
John Mack was next called. He re-
| sides at Vernal, and saw the Staunton
and Melton party on the mountain,
where they spent much of the winter
They appeared to be looking for marks
ON the road when they came down.
c. B. Atwood was next called to the
stand. He lived near Priest at Vernal.
Knew the Stauntons, but not Melton
| On the LIST or "a of May he saw Melton
and Staunton cross the bridge and go
into Priests place. Stanton and Mel
ton crossed tine bridge and went to
Priests place on the night of May 2.
Sunday morning, Stanton again pass
| ed the place. About the 1St of August
he went UP to the
SCENE OF THE SHOOTING
for the purpose of dtssecting a horse.
The bullet had entered AT the right
flank and lodged near the right Shout
der blade.
The bullet he took out was a 40-cali-
bre. Dick Staunton's gun was a 1910.
He had loaned Coleman his gun a 1870.
| This WAS in March Coleman had if