Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-10-09
M'GINNIS CONVICTED.
The Jury Decided That he Killed Sheriff
Farr, Of Colorado.

At Ration Saturday evening the jury
after deliberating three hours, found a
verdict of guilty in the case Of William
H. McGinnis, charged with the murder
of Sheriff Edward Farr, of Walsenburg,
Colo. The testimony Of James H. Nor
gan, one of the posse, was favorable to
the defendant. Other members Of the
posse had testified that at the time Of
the attempt to arrest the robbers in
Turkey canon the defendant McGinnis
had a rifle in his hand and Immediately
upon being ordered to surrender raised
his rifle to his shoulder and fired in the
direction of Farr, and that Farr fired
simultaneously. Morgan's testimony
confiicted with this. He said that at the
moment the shots were fired McGinnis
had no gun or life, and that he fell i'm
mediately upon the first fire of the
posse
Miguel Lopez testified tnat Perfecto
Cordova had told him after the fight
with the robbers that McGinnis had no
rifle when first seen by the posse. Cor
dova swore on the stand that McGinnis
did have rifle in his hand when first
discovered,
The defendant then took the stand
and said he was in Turkey canon July
l6, 1899, in company with two other peo-
pie, but refused to name them; that he
was getting supper about $50 in the
evening, and had started to a small
creek about so yards from their camp
to get some water, carrying a canteen
in his hand; that when he got about
half way to the creek he heard the re-
port of gun and felt pain in his
shoulder, as If some one had struck him
l heavy blow with a club; that imme-
liately another shot was fired from the
direction of Farr, which struck him in
the back and brought him to the
ground; that he tried to move, but could
not; that he laid on the ground several
minutes, unable to move; that all the
time there was perfect voley of shots
fred in the direction of the camp; that
he tainted away and knew nothing more
Of what took place until about dusk
when he regained consciousness and
found one of his companions standing
over him, asking him how badly he was
hurt.
This man he afterward admitted to be
Franks. He stated that he and Franks
then went to where Sam Ketchum had
fallen in the rocks some distance away
~ yoto +, J1x,
wounded that he was unable to mount
his horse.
After some conversation with Ketch-
um, Franks and McGinnis decided to
cave Ketchum and seek safety in flight.
On cross s-examinatlon defendant re-
fused to answer many questions asked
by the prosecution. All questions relat-
ing to his former life, his acquaintance
with the BLACK Jack" gang he refused
absolutely to reply to, and would only
answer relating to the fight in which
Farr was killed. When questioned
about the train robbery at Folsom he
refused to answer When counsel for
the territory attempted to compel Nc
Ginnis to answer these questions, Nc
Ginnis addressed the court, saying;
"If the court please, am here on trial
for murder. I understand there are
other charges against me, for train rob-
berry and for murder. I have been put
on trial without any chance of procur-
ing many Of my witnesses. i have no
way to protect myself, and I positively
refuse to answer any questions except
those asked me concerning this fight,
and I will not under any circumstances
answer any other questions