El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-14
Inquest Held Today Before
Justice Spencer.
AN EYE WITNESS
Testified That DennistOn Approached
Karr With His Gun In His Hand
And Told Him To Consider
Himself Under Arrest,-WhO Fir
ed the First Shot?

| hdrr ulou duut olSO tuS prSllulu0rl
hearing of policeman John Denniston
charged with the murder of the con-
stable, took place before Justice Spen
Ger today. DennistOn was presented
with his left hand pandaged and ap
parently somewhat under the weather
| from the effect of his wounds.
| The state was represented by assist
ant county Attorney A. S. j. Eylar
while the defendants interests were
| terson and George E. Wallace. The
inquest and preliminary hearing were
held at one and the same time.
The first witness was r. H. McGona-
gill, OF the Silver King who was with
Karr when the shooting commenced.
He said:
M'GoNAGILL'S STATEMENT.
SAT about ten o'clock at night Karr
came into my place of business and
| asked me if I had any 45 calibre car
tridges. 1 found two and gave them
to him. He borrowed S. from me in
the afternoon to get his pistol out of
soak. He put the cartridges in the
pistol.
"We had drink together and I
started out for a walk, but returned.
We took another drink and he invited
me to enter his buggy and ride with
him around town.
went with him and the first place
we stopped was at the Monte Carlo,
where we had several drinks. We
then went to Fidwell's saloon and had
another drink. Then we went to Sal
vani's and took another round and from
there went to the 'sRed Light"
While we were in the bar room Ksrr
made q motion with his finger and said
do you hear that?' pointed toward
John Denniston and Videl, who we're
seated beyond a monte table. He says
I'm, going to slap Denniston's face be-
fore I leave here. using bad word.
'About that time policeman Joe
Rogers walked up and some words
were passed between Karr and Rogers
and Karr told him that this, was his
night out and if any of the policemen
desired to arrest him they had better
come with their gupe cooked. Ksrr
pulled his gun out of his belt and
showed it to Rogers, saying here's my
gun and it's as long as any of you
boys.
arrest you and walked out.
'karr turned to me and said, None
OF them are going to arrest me- Karr
called Denniston up to the bar to take
drink. DennistOn was sitting at the
monte table. He came up and Joined
the crowd in q drink. Karr then 10 sde
the same remarks to Denniston that he
did to Rogers. Denniston insisted that
no one wanted to arrest him; that Ksrr
was an officer and ought to know how
to behave himself. Karr insisted that
it was his night out and warned Den
niston if he wanted to a. rest him he
had better coma with bis gun cooked.
''Ksrr put his hand on his pistol land
Dennlston warned him not TO make
any gun play. 1 caught Karr's hand.
thought he was merely joshing until
that time. He was drunk. l told
Den nistOn to walk out and maybe 1
could get Karr out. Dennistop said,
No; this is my place of duty and l in
tend to stay here 1 managed to get
Karr to crap table across the room
trying to get him out. While there he
begun talking to Denniston again and
to abuse him and the police force. He
told Denniston that be had sneaked off
like cur. Deuuiston started to walk
off. was standing against Karr to
keep him from doing anything rash.
o Ksrr looked over my shoulder and
saw Denniston walking off Ksrr pulled
his gun and said 1 will kill the
.- II grabbed the gun and
looked around to see what Den nniston
was doing. He did not see what Karr
was doing. l insisted on Karr giving
hO hIo = III Ouo No Wouiu uoe give ~
up. l had hold of the weapon by the
muzzle and stock and he had his hand
on sthe finger guard. However he
finally put his gun up.
We stood around there and 1 do not
know whether Denniston walked out
OF the house or not. l kept insisting
that we go but Karr said no, not as
long as Denniston is in the house.
We were still standing at the crap
table. Denniston came back and lean
ed on the crap table.
'Karr saysJohnnie I've got it in for
you people and you-I'm going to see
it through. He says you Irish--
try you had better come with your gun
cooked.
DENNISTON'S GUN OUT.
'Denni-ton pulled his gun and said,
MIR. Karr l do arrest you. Consider
yourself under arrest
Karr fought with me to get his gun
He finally managed to draw it out of
his belt and l saw l could no longer do
anything for either party and went
low. / dived down under Karr's gun.
"HOw many shots were fired?" ask
ed Attorney Eylar.
Five, as near as l could calculate.
Who fired the first shot?
l think Denniston did, but do not
know for certain. When l ducked
Karr's gun was not raised up and
reasoned out. that DennistOn fired first
Karr had been drinking beer. He
ook six beers on the way to the Red