The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-17
BUTTE NEWS,
IS READY FOR THE JURY
Shafer Murder Case Is Practi-
cally Concluded.
O'DONNELL ON THE STAND
Relates an Alleged Attempt on the Part
OF the Defendant to Induce the
Witness to Commit Perjury.
Evidence Strick en- Out.

The trial of Joe Shafer for the muir
der of John Hawkins was practically
concluded yesterday, and the case will
probably go to the jury this afternoon.
When the trial was resumed yester-
day morning the woman, Agnes Smith,
was recalled by Mr.. Connolly, and she
was asked a few questions tosshoW her
interest in some of the colOred men
connected with the case. AL Ford, who
was a friend of Shafer and was present
when Hawkins was killed, and who had
beaten Hawkins over the head with a
gun, was on the witness stand for two
hours and proved an unsatisfactory
witness. Ford originally had also been
charged with having had a hand in the
murder He testified at the first trial
of Shafer and had also made certain
sensational affidavit in which he con-
fessed that he had perjured himself.
His testimony yesterday was almost an
entirely new story and in very few re-
SpectS agreed with his former story.
w. H. Garrett, a witness for the
state. was recalled by the defense and
MI Wines asked him if he had not
stated to William Jenkins that he did
not know how the shooting occurred,
and that he did not see it, but wished
he had, as he would fix the - -
Shafer. Garrett said he did not see
jenkins at all and had said no such
thing to him.
Jenkins was put on the stand and
said that Garrett did make such a
statement to him.
Joe Shafer, the defendant, was the
next witness and told about being in
the Swim saloon on the morning of
al ~
of the bar when Hawkins came in. He
said Hawkins had his right hand in his
outside coat pocket.
al Ford stopped him and placed his
hand on his shoulder and told him not
to make fool of himself" said Shafer
Hawkins said Get out of the way
I'm going to kill that - - He
showed Ford out of the way and made
three short steps towards me. I saw
him pull a gun out of his right coat
pocket and cameSout and fired the
shot, & # y - II
What did you fire it for?"
For protection"
why did you shoot?"
From what I knew, him to have
done before and what | had heard about
him l was afraid of him."
Shafer declared that the gun which
other witnesses said Hawkins had
taken from him was not his gun, and
he did not know what had become of
the gun with which he shot Hawkins
He said that just before Hawkins came
into the saloon a man named Joe Hum
phrey came in and warned the witness
to look out. as Hawkins was coming
Shafer didn't know what had become
of Humphreys. $He also stuck to the
story told at the other trial about a
white man telling him he had loaned
revolver to Hawkins and that the lat
ter had said hesWase going to kill Sha-
fer. The defendant said he had known
Hawkins for 10 years, having met him
in Missouri, Kansas and other states.
On cross-eXamination by Mr.. Cen
molly the defendant gave him an ac-
count of his movements since the fall
of 1887
when Hawkins showed AL Ford out
Of the way and pulled gun / grabbed
hold of the barrel and then pulled my
gun and fired" said Shafer. He took
but one step to meet Hawkins, who had
been coming towards him with the gun
in his hand
You shot Hawkins?"
Il pulled the trigger"
You say this is positively not your
gum
mo, it is not: mine was a smaller
gun and all rusty"
Shafer said his gun was knocked out
of his hand and he never saw it again.
He denied that he had identified a gun
as his at the former trial He said
he paid no attention to what the white
man had told him about threats made
by Hawkins because he had been
treated that way before"
Mr.. Connolly asked Shafer if he knew
where Eva Smith, one of his perjureC
witnesses at the former trial. now was
and he said he did not. Mr.. Connolly