The San Francisco call., 1896-05-30
Frank Handover Swears That
He Was Invited to Attend
the Hanging.
DID vINToN SHOOT HIMSELF Z
His Rifle Barrel Was Powder.Daubed
on the Day He Received His
Wound.

WEAVERVILLE, CAL, May 29.-Slowly
but surely, it seems, moose Is being woven
about the necks of the men accused of
having choked out the life of poor "Jack"
Littlefeld on Red Mountain over eight
months ago. Startling testimony was
given today at the preliminary examina-
ton OF Vinton, Hayden, Radcliffe and
Gregory, the alleged lynchers-testimony
concerning a plot, the consummation of
which meant the death of ''Ves" Palmer's
daring head vaquero. The story of this
planning of the death of brave man in a
cowardly manner had something about it
that was revolving and CHASTITY.
The prosecution rested o'clock this
afternoon. Tomorrow being a legal holi-
day the case was continued until Tuesday
morning at 10 o'clock, at which time the
defense will probably present little if any
evidence. The motion for the discharge
of the prisoners will then be argued.
William Espey, a grizzled old noun
taineer, was the first witness to-day. He
swore that Vinton had said that he would
shoot Littlefeld on sight. Elisa Cain,
another hardy specimen of the old Cali
fornian, testified 60 having been at Vim
toms house on the morning of September
q, 1895. DIR. Goyer did not treat Vinton
until after he had left. This contradicts
the doctor. Frank Handover testified to
having been at Haydon's on the morning
of September 27. He saw Vinton, who
was badly wounded, and heard Gregory
sent for. He swore that he had CONVEX
sation with Hayden regarding the shoot
| ing of Vinton, in which Hayden said:
ait is getting pretty tough. We will
| have to do something with these fellows.
There is no use of taking the law on
| them"
While at Haydon's he saw Gregory clean
| Vinton's rife and examined the cleaning
rag, which apparently showed signs OF
powder marks.
This was the first intimation of the pros
ecution's theory that Vinton shot himse If
| with his own rife.
Handover further testified that in last
| August Joe Gregory wanted him to join
/ a mob and kill Littlefeld. Gregory told
! him his plan was TO shoot Littleheld and
| then hang him to a tree. Gregory said
that he had been over to see John Crow to
! get him to help organize mob to hang
"Ves'' Palmer and Jack Littlefield. He
wanted the witness to join. The offer was
! spurned. Gregory told Handover that he
need not do any of the shooting but could
assist in proving an alibi. Gregory said
that the rest of the crowd would stand in.
| Handover said that he was talking to Vim
made against Palmer and Littleield and
said that he thought Gregory was very
foolish to make such threats. Vinton re-
piled that that was so. For himself he
| would rather send Palmer and Littlefield to
San Quentin for stealing cattle than to
hang or kill them.
Handover had frequently heard Vinton
say that Littlefeld oughtto be lynehed.
! The reuoubtable Sylvester Palmer next
took the stand and swore that Gregory
and Littlefield were on unfriendly terms,
and that on the day of the Littlefeld
! lynching suit was pending in the Supe-
! rior Court of Mendocino County against
Gregory for cutting Littletield with knife.
! The last witness of the eyeniH was ].
! w. Kelly, who with party of five others
rode to the spot where Little6eld met his
/ death, reaching there two days after the
| lynching. He saw where two horses had
! been tied near the spring, and back-tracked
! the horses up the mountain, where at in
! terv ais he found the track of a mule. This
testimony refuted the mob theory of the
defense.