Tombstone epitaph., 1900-12-16
THE DOWNING CASE
Sensational Evidence Burts
 on Stand.

At ' 50 o'clock last evening the evidence was begun in the Downing case, The prisoner was beside his attorneys, Messrs. English < Blen- man, and listened Atientiyely. to the proceedings. The prosecution is being conducted by District Attorney E W Land and Attorney Frank Cox. All the witnesses for the prosecution and defense were called ard swern together, and indicated that come ten witnesses for each side will doubtless bs called. The first witness for the prosecution was Chas AdAir. the express mes.eDgs-. He graphically described the hold-up at Cochise Sept. 9th. 1899, by two masked men and stated that tbe amount o. the booty secured was in the neighborhood of S2, 600 t. B ,Ooo. Of this Sl 100 was money, some S3eo in Mexican money and the balance jswelry. S344 in Mexican money was left by the robbers. Witness stated that Stiles confessed the robbery to him about six months after.
 CF Richardson ws. next witness. He was the engineer on the train and told of his experience with tue rob- bers, explosions Of the express safe and damage dsne tbe car.
 Chas Bircher, fireman, corroborsted the testimony of the engineer ss to details and how he, the witness, obey. ed orders when the command was backed up behind 6 gun.
 At the opening of court this morn- ing, William Stiles was put on the stand. He told his story in @ clear voice. His statement oi the case was substantially the same as his evidence on previous occasions. He recouuted the details of the plan te rob the train at both Benson and Cocbise. The Benson robbery was 10 have occurred about Sept. l. Downing ageed 10 go to Benson with Stiles spd Burts to do tha, job. He weakened and Felix Msyhew took his place. Downing WAS to stay at Wilcox and "do any. thing he could" for the boys. Burts and Mayhew failed at Benson: The plan to hold up She train ct Cschise vas then formulated by Downing, Alvord, Stiles and Burt.. Downing furnished horses for Stiles and Burts and made pads to ride on oi barley sacks siused with s,rsw. Stiles sLd Burts got the powder in Soto Bros. powder house. Wm Speed confirm cd Stiles statement regarding the way in which the iron door Of Soto Bros.' powder house was bent, and stated that some powder wac missed Alyerd paid stiles' siore account s. Soto Bros,
 On cross-exsminsiion of Stiles the whole matter Of the CCchise county jail delivery was gone over. A deter mined effort was made to break down Stiles' evidence. The defense sought to show that Stiles bad hatred for Downing and that be had been pro ,ui.ed money ss well ss his liberty for his testlmony. He denied that he had been promised money and that be had msde state men,s to several parties uniriendly to Downing. It was brought out on cross-sxsmipstion that Stiles last saw Burt Alvord at Arsvaics, State of Sonora, June 10. 1900.
 A surprise was spruug when Matt Burts was called as . witness for the prosecution. He detailed the doings of Dowaing. Alvord, Stiles and him. self in connection with the proposed Benson robbery, and the c ,chise rob- bsry. He ststed that he and Down ing had frequently talked over the plans for the Cochiss robbery, and that DOspipg and his wife were to swear that he, Burts, had stayed at their house that night. Burts carried the ssck to DowniDgs place and hia It in hsystsck on the night of the l0.h of Sept. 1899. The money was divided at DowniDg's house byBurts. Downing and Alvord. Downing took Mexican money ss part of his share, and come ievelry. Burts on cross-ex- aminstion admitted that be hated Downing worse than be hstsd 6 ra.tle- snake. He slmost literally confirm ed stiles' stsienent.