The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-30
CLAIM SELF DEFENSE
ASSaiIantS of Brakeman Hof-
man Employ Counsel
EXPECT STIFF LEGAL FIGHT
Both Men Claim TO Have Ex-
ceIIent FamiIy~Record

w. r Walden and R. C. Buford, the
men charged with the murder of Thos.
hoffman, the Santa Fe brakeman. will
have their trial in the city court, before
Judge Kirk, next Monday. The men at
present are confined in the county Jail
The affair which resulted in the death
Of Hoffman occurred Just this side OF
Derby on the afternoon Of June p. Hoff-
man was the rear brakeman on freight
train No. us, bound for Wichita After
the train left Derby, Holman was max
ing his way over the cars TO the front
Of the train. While doing. this he noticed
three men, one a negro, riding in a cattle
car. lie Immediately ordered them to
get off Of the train. The train was not
running at a high rate of speed, bat be
fore the men could get out was running
quite rapidly. The negro did jump off,
however, but Walden and Buford refused
to do this until the train slowed down.
Hoffman Immediately signalled fo- the
train to slow down, but before it came TO
q stanastiH had several words with the
men Concerning the affair. After the tain
stopped the men got off, and'at that time
q general fight occurred between them
and the train men, in which Hoffman vas
seriously injured.
The men after the fight ran into the
field beside the track and disappeared.
Hoffman was brought here that Afternoon
and his wounds were treated by DR.. EIr-
due. Later on, his condition being no
better, he was taken to the hospital at
Topeka, where he died last Monday night
Immediately after the affair at Derby
became known here, Detectives Massey
and Sutton and Officer Remspeare went
TO Derby on a switch engine and soon
captured the men. They were lodged in
the city jail and after Hofman's death
were taken to the county Jail.
A reporter for the Eagle went to the
Jail yesterday and talked with them IN
regard to their side Of the affair They
are both young men and it is very evil
cent tna- they have been laboring on the
farm Theft hands are cauoused and
their faces are brown from working IN
the fields
w r. Walden is the oldest Of The two,
being about % years Of age. He is a
dark-haired, dark-skinned fellow and is
rather heavy set. He is quite intelligent
and readily keeps up his end of the cen
versatioi- lie is reluctant . talk about
the a1fa.l in which the brakeman lost his
lie, bu. finally said:
I'VE we're on our way from the Cnicha-
saw nation, in the Indian Territory, to
Newton where we expected to get work
This IS TIE third year Buford and I have
been in kansas during the harvest, and
before this year have worked f5r farmers
between Newton and Mound Ridge Our
people are farmers in the nation. and as
there is nothing very urgent there at tris
time of the year, we look for saIao+ning
else. We got on this train at NViaGeIJ
and rode unmolested until after rea hing
Derby. There was a negro in the ear with
us at the time the brakeman orde-ed rs
10 get OF. The negro jumped off imue IL
ately, although the train was lInn;ieg
rapidly. This Buford and ! refused 10 co
but climbed on top of the car. After 20
were UP the brakeman ordered us eff
but we told him it was too DANGEROUS q
jump ana insisted on his stopping n.
train. This he first refused to do. Eu
jerked 2 board which was tackled or in,
car and told US TO get off or he wou'C
knock US off. We stood still and IN,
brakeman signalled the tram L. SLOW
down When it stopped we eot OF. Th
brakeman, while the train was slowias
down, kept swearing at US and calling u
indecent names. When we started ava,
from the train ne followed US and com
menced 10 st-ike me with the boar,
which he had taken from the car. Eacl
time he struck ~ me I threw up my arm
and received the blows on them. He fin
ally rushed me back against the banl
anu Struck me q severe blow on the head
II stunned me. hut I managed 10 clincl
with him and in the struggle got tn
board. probably struck the brakeman
= once. Some OF the trainmen came to hi
assistance and things got SO warm that
ran. All Of the time were were scuillrl
Buford was held by one OF The t,ain:aer
bur when l sJsrted away. he ierzed Zoos
and follow Ell me. I do not know what tn
termination Of the case viii be, bat any
one else would have certainly dofende
themseNcs from such an attack, as w
did. I rcsret the affair very much Thi
is the first time have ever been in an
trouble. Ny people are farmers in III
Choctaw nation and I have lived Their
for four years, originally coming from
gexas"
Buford. Waldon's companion. was con
fined in cell on the opposite side Of tn
rotary. BE is a smaller mar thaa wal
den and Just - years old. He does uo
talk as readily as Walden. but has a yer
straightforward manner. He tlld sub
standally the same story As Walien an
regrets being in such serious tro10l,
Buford said:
This Is the first time that have See
e NOTHING