The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-15

r JSrav-s sworn confession of the killing,
| which was a startling surprise to the peo-
| pie OF Idaho, showed not only that Davis
| had nothing to do with it, but that he
| was 70 miles from the scene of the trag-
edy. This was confirmed by Bowers
statement.
james e. Bower, himself a wealthy
man and related by marriage to one of
the millionaire owners of the Sparks
Harrell range,w which is 100 miles long by
rs miles wide, and controls 100000
acres, was riding over the range on Feb.
4, 1896, when he saw a sheepman's wag-
on and a bunch of shsep IN the cattle
mems side oil the Gsvide. He had been
Joined by jeff d. Gray, and the two men
rode over to see who the intruders were.
Dismounting, they exchanged the GUS
tomary greetings and climbed into the
wagon, where Cummings and Wilson
were preparing a meal. After chatting a
few minutes, according to Bowers story,
Bower asked Wilson if he thought he
was doing right III bringing his sheep
across the divide to drive the cattlemen
off the range, since it is deemed that cat
tie will have nothing to do with a coutn-
try where sheep have been until after
the succeeding season, at least. Wilson
responded that he had a right to be
where he was, whereHpon Bower, as he
declares, jokingly replied that he tSVil-
SOM knew he was lying, when Wilson
jumped on Bower, who is a small man,
and, gripping him by the throat, pressed
him backward with great force against
GRAY. who was sitting on the front end
board of the wagon. Gray was hurled to
the ground, and Bower, who had his
overcoat buttoned up to his chin, with his
pistol in his vest scabbard, was thrown
across the front of the wagon.
Fearing he was about to be killed,
Bower tried to get out his pistol, bu
Wilson caught it, and the two struggled
for it's possession. Wilson was a power
full man, while Bower was dazed and
partly paralyzed. Wilson was just get
ting the pistol from Bower, and both the
cattIemen say he muttered, "IIl get you
both" At that moment there was a re-
port of a pistol, followed by a second
shot, and Wilson fell dead across Bow
er's still PROSTATE form.
Here Gray takes up the story. He says
that as soon as he recovered himself aft
er being thrown from the wagon by the
impact Of Bowers body in the powerful
grasp of Wilson, he turned and saw
Cummings in the act of leyeling a VIM
chester rife at him; that he thought it a
case of do or die, and that, whipping out
a pistol, he shot at Cummings, who,
without a word. dropped his gun. At
that instant, he says, Cummings fierce re-
mark, I'll get you BOTH" startled him,
and he shot Wilson twice before Wilson
could get Bowers pistol free for use.
Other sheepmen were in the neighbor-
hood, so Bower and Gray rode away.
Bower went to Ogden, where, on Feb. 8,
he told John Sparks, his employer, all
about the shooting. This was six days
before the finding Of the bodies of Cum
mings and Wilson. This part is corrobo-
rated by Mr.. Sparks, and this, he says,
explains his earnest desire to see Davis
go free. for he feels that it would be a
stain on all concerned to have an inno-
cent man hanged for the murder Of tive
rlen who, he believes, were killed by an
other man in self defense. Already
Sparks has expended several thousand
dollars in the defense of Davis and will
not desert the prisoner as long as there is
Il chance for saving his life. If Davis
had been acquitted, Gray and Bower say
they would never have disclosed the fact
that they killed Wilson and Cummings.