The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-27
TRIAL OF CoNNoRs.
Murder Hearing Now In Progress at
Provo.
Especial Correspondence.)

Special Correspondence
Provo, Sept 26-Court opened this
morning at 10 o'clock, and the Connors
murder trial was resumed. Mrs. Strong.
the widow of William Strong, the muir
dered man. accompanied by her daughter.
Mrs. Cummings, appeared within the
court railing dressed in mourning.
Many citizens OF Provo, both male and
female, were in attendance at court.
ConnOrs appeared in court wearing his
usual half smiling countenance, but snow
ing evidences OF his incarceration in the
jail.
The state is represented by s. A. King,
district attorney, and Attorney Grant g.
Bagley. associate counsel. Connors is de-
George K. Lund
The defense objected to the state max
its witnesses be. excluced. but this was
overruled and the state through Attor-
neys King, then gave the following state
ment OF the case
William Strong. a Provo City special
policeman, was Killed on June q. on one
OF the streets Of Provo on the night In
question: a Strong was on duty at the
/ X. G. w. depot and was seen by three
tramps to arrest one of several men VINO
had been put off a freight train which
came in about midnight and proceeding
with him to- the county JAIL when he
broke away from the ofncer and made his
escape. The prisoner wore a. black
SLOUGH hat and carried a telescope YaliSe. I
besides a:darK bundle which he held under
his arm. The theory of the prosecution
Is that THIS man was Norris, Connors'
partner. VINO was subsequently, appre-a
hended and placed in the county jar but
later succeeded In making his escape and
has not been heard of since.
Furthermore, that on the same night
Strong arrested another man who wore a
slouch hat and carried a bundle under MS
arm with whom he was seen proceeding
il the direction of the county prison. and
that scarcely five minutes, after having
been seen together the fatal shot was
fired which resulted in the officers death.
The state proposes to establish that the
defendant, Gonnorsg is this same man,
and guilty OF the crime charged.
During Attorney Kings entire recital.
Mrs. Strong j. face was buried in her
hands and her sobs were plainly heard IN
the court room
Having obtained permission from the
court. Attorney Warner for the defense
then proceeded with statement. Inc
defense viii .endeayor to prove that the
in the custody of Policeman Strong on the
night of June "a. was. no other than Nor
ris, that he escaped from the otficer, was
reapprehended and killed the officer while
on the way to the county Jail
The states witnesses were then sworn
and Instructed by the court to absent
themselves from the room and to have
no communication with one another con-
corning the case.
Chartes Lle NOISY. the first witness, was
given a map of the T. q. w depot
grounds and their vicinity which he
thought to Se. correct one. the map
was admitted in evidence.
Joseph Strong, brother of William |
Strong, deceased, was present to testify |
as 10 life, death ana description of the |
deceased, but was not called TO the stand |
Newal Knight. city marshal of Provo,
who was acting marshal at the time the
tragedy occurred. when called to the
stand testified that William Strong was a |
special policeman on June "a, it being his
third night on duty. He saw Strong at |
Il O'CLOCK on the night in question. and
he was on duty near the o. 5. l.. depot
The next witness was James Hansen |
q: Z. NJ /: night Waterman, who saw
strong on the night of the zlth, and was
sitting with him in front of Smith's Ium-
Der yard about u O'Clock. and that while |
they were there a Freight train came In
from the east ON the r. q. W.. and
Strong left him and went over TO the |
depot. He saw him no more that night
Court adjourned until O'Clock AT the
afternoon session w. +. Ilvls4.4a-z. ,>.s
placed on the stand and gave testimony
to the effect that he was in the employ
of the r. G. W.. railway, and while at
work ON the night Of June q, he saw
minutes after Z O'Clock.
j. III. Brady said he came into Provo
night OF June q in charge of a freight
train.
At. this point the jury was withdrawn
pending argument as to stenographers I
certificates being affixed to depositions Of
absent witnesses to be introduced as evi-
dence- The dispositions were introduced,
grounds of incompetency The court or
deTed certlfcation 10 he made.
SherfH StorrS testified that Thomas
Suddoek, John Blockyou and Joseph Book
were bound over to appear as witnesses
in this case. but could not furnish proper
surety, but demanded their release, which
was given, them.
The dispositions of Suddock and Block
you We're read before the jury as evil
dence, which says they were at the Rio
Grande Western depot on the night of
June Y about II o'clock, and saw officer
Strong there at that time. A freight
train was standing on the track. They |
expected to get a ride out west on the
train. While looking around for a chance
to board 1t they saw trainmen. Officer
Strong had man under arrest The man
under arrest was a smooth-faced person. |
east end Of the train. and the officer fol-
lowed MIN a number OF car lengths east
along the south side of the train and
then passed through the train to the
north side. Saw him a few minutes later
going west ON the north side of the train, !
the side next to Provo. in company with a
man. The man with the officer at this
time was about the size of the man he
had under arrest first Witnesses testified
that they were beating their way through
the country
On cross-examination they say the Off
Ger had a red beard. The man that ran
away from the officer passed around the
east end of the train to the north side. |
Saw no bundle with the man under ar
rest. Might not have seen it ii he had had
one. Thought the man with the officer on
the south side of the train. was about the
same build as the man with the officer on
the north side.
Re-direct.-Did not pay much attention
to the size of the man arrested; were pay
ing more attention to the size of the
officer. ~
Court adjourned until 10 a. m. tomorrow.