Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-07
Statements of Other witnesses.

| B. A. johnson of Beatrice, a Union Pacific
conductor, testified that he was at the depot
at Valley when the first shot was fired. That
was at $40 p. m He heard three distinct
shots and then he went to the hotel. He
helped carry the body Of the murdered hotel
Keeper from the kitchen to the parlor. He
could discover no sign of life in it at the
| time.
| W. H. Strain, justice of the peace for VAL
ley precinct, was called to testify to a con-
versation with Kerr at the jail. Strain said
he arrived at the jail with the marshal Just
after Kerr cut his throat At that time Kerr
said he was sorry that he hadn't finished
the job In the same conversation Kerr de-
clared that he had come to Valley with the
intention OF killing Reid; that he had done
IL ana was glad OF 1t, and that the only thing
ne was sorry for was that he had not been
able to kill himself
On cross examination the fact was ELECTED
That kerr's underclothing was all soaked
with blood, but testimony in regard to old
bruises and wounds on his body was ruled
out as improper cross examination
Henry Pickard was called to identify the
shotgun used by Kerr, and also the empty
| smells lie could not give positive identi-
hcatlon OF the gun, but he recognized the
shells by private mark he had made on
I
recognize the hats alleged to have been worn
by Kerr and Reid both of which were
marked by shot.
II. p. Byers said that Kerr had called for
whisky after he was taken to the Jail. The
Importance of this feature of the Testimony
was not apparent but the county attorney
had vainly endeavored to draw the same in
formation from several previous witnesses.
Charles e. Byers editor OF the Valley
Enterprise, related an interview he had with
Kerr at the Jail soon after the murder. At
that time Kerr asked him to state the facts
as they were and do him justice. He de-
clared that Reid had bounded him for years,
broken up his home and destroyed his hap
piness. He also showed him the bruises
remaining from the beating Reid had given
him few days before and declared that he
had had his revenge.
Richard" Merryweather was called by the
state, but as his name turned out to be
William Henry" he was not allowed to
testify.
Orin Gift testified to the occurrences at
the Jail without differing materially from
previous witnesses. He heard Kerr speak
about his fight with Reid in Omaha and
Kerr said that he had told Reid at the time
he would kill him. and now that he had
done 1t he was ready to die like a man.
The only element OF interest in the testl-
mony of George Stringer was the statement
that Kerr told him in the jail that his
father was an inmate OF an insane asylum
and he was himself a fit subject
A. A. Young testified to conversation
with Kerr on the night after the murder in
which Kerr said that Reid had left him for
dead in an alley in Omaha, but he had fooled
him and lived TO kill him. He also declared
that Reid was working against" the wit
ness, but he could not do 1t any more.
Herbert Williams, Union Pacific agent at
Valley, stated facts that had been empha-
sized repeatedly during the trial and Judge
Baker took occasion to advise the county
attorney that it was a waste of time to
call so many witnesses to testify to the
same features of the case Mr.. Shields re-
piled that he was doing the best he could
but he had not been able to talk with all
the witnesses before he put them on the
stand Thereupon the court suggested that
It was entirely his own fault If he had not,
as the witnesses had been in town all the
week and the court had not been in session
at night. Il am tired of having you put
witnesses on the stand TO find out what they
know" concluded Judge Baker. and the in
oident was closed.
Charles Williams identified the shotgun
with which Reid was killed as one that be-
longed to Kerr.
DR., w. II. Reed described the wound in
Reid's head and corroborated some unim-
portant features Of previous testimony. on
cross examination he said that he gave Kerr
an opiate at the Jail because he said his
head hurt him.
DR.. S, f. Blair was the physician who at