The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1899-05-18
HISTORY OF THE TRIAL.

HISTORY OF THE TRIAL,
For the benefit Of our readers who
did not attend the trial, we give below
brief account OF the testimony, which
will give some idea of its conflicting
nature and of the difficulties which be-
set the jury.
The District Attorney opened the
case by statement of what the State
expected to prove The principal
points, as afterwards developed by the
witnesses for the prosecution, were as
| follows: On the morning OF January
10Th, Brig, or Bert, Clements, Hyram
Clements and Fred Parker were togeth-
er on Parker's ranch, formerly known
as the Ford ranch, In Pleasant valley,
Brig had arrived there from Utah the
day before. Brig and Parker We're
planning to go prospecting the next day
and about noon, Brig started on horse
back to get some mining tools that were
at mine Of Parker's, located about q
miles from the ranch. The road to the
mine branched from the main road at
| Hamilton's house, about mile and a
half above the Parker ranch. The
house stood in the angle of the road
and a cutoff trail, crossed the angle,
avoiding the house. About half an
hour after Brig left the Parker ranch,
his horse returned riderless and Parker
mounted him to go aud find out what
was the trouble. He met covered
wagon coming down the road driven by
Matlin Dunn, who told him that Brig
had been shot. Parker went back to
the house and notified Hyram Clements,
who rode out and overlook the wagon.
He asked Dunn to go back with him To
the Hamilton ranch but Dunn refused.
Clements then discovered that Mrs.
Hamilton was in the back of the wagon
and she said to him, don go up there
or they will you too" Hyram went
back to the Parker ranch, and told
Fred Parker to go to Gold Hill for his
brother, Chas. Clements, while he Hy.
ram, started down the valley to get hell
from some sheep herders, but changed
his mind and started for Deep Greek
He returned during the night with foul
men, Jack Hudson, Ora Felt, Charlie,
Bates and Adam Cook, to the Parker
ranch. About day break, the four mer
went up to Hamilton's ranch and found
the body lying in the road TO the mine,
where 1t intersected with the cut-of
trail, and about 100 yards from the
house. The body was not disturbed
but taken in a wagon to Deep Creek
where the inquest was held several day.
later. At the inquest, ths body wa,
stripped and the bullet hole WAS founC
to pass entirely through, entering 10
tile below the left shoulder blade ano
coming out below the left nipple range
ing upwards. The bullet was found o.
the body under the lapel of the vest
Both the under coat and oYercoat were
tightly buttoned, and there were heavy
knit gloves on the hands. A slx-shootel
was found in the hip pocket of tn,
pants. II was apparently clean, fiv,
chambers being loaded and the sixth
on which the hammer rested, being en-
tirely empty.
The theory OF the prosecution as L
the manner and motive of the killing
was that Hamilton shot out of the win
dow OF the house as Clements was pass
: ing along the cutoff trail believing hin
- be Fred Parker, whom he had threat
sned to kill a few days before as Par
ker was driving past his house comm,
down from the mine. Clements wa
: riding the same horse that Parker wa
: used to riding, and with his coat but
toned up, was easily mistakeable TO
| Parker.
A number OF witnesses were brough
to establish the above facts and theory
) Fred Parker and Hyram Clements bot
[ told their stories In clear and straight
. forward manner and agreed with on
> another In all important particulars
I Parker further testified that the win
: dow of the Hamilton house. facing tn
: spot where the body was found cont liza
G ed two broken panes, that the glass la
: on the ground outside, and looked elea
! as though newly broken, Also tina
3 there we're a few spsttsrs at bio.4 O
. the door near the window, as thong
aropPsd from slssding nose, He wa