Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-04-18

/ band 10 come into breakfast He told
Mr. McGee he wanted the chicken
coop 70 put the horse into and said he
would throw the chickens out because
the coop is on our land. He got the
ak and went down 10 the chicken coop
and | walked down there a little way
behind him. Just as he began TO take
the lock Off / saw Mr. McGee come
out Of the door and raise his gun.
said don't shoot my husband but he
just fired and Mr.. Johnson fell there
where you see him. lie never said a
word and | guess he was killed awful
quick"
CHARLIE CARLSON.
Charlie Carlson a Finlander who oc-
cuples the north end of the Johnson
house, said that he was at his window
when he saw the two colored men talk
ing this morning, and while he could
not hear what they said he could see
that they were both angry about some
thing He says that they separated ND
soon Johnson came out with an axe and
then he saw McGee come out Of his
door and fire a pistol He ran out and
found Mrs, Johnson IN the yard and her
husband lying on the ground near the
chicken coop.
MRS. sUND.
Mrs Adelia sund, who lives In the
east end of the house Jointly occupied
by her family and the McGees, said she
heard the shot and opened her door.
MCGEE was at his back door with the
gun in his hand
JAMES CAHOoN
Mr. James Cahoon, who lives in the
town of Murray, and who Is a proml-
nent citizen there, said he was passing
along Immediately west Of the scene of
the tragedy at the time Of It's occur
renee and as soon as he heard the shot
he turned In the direction Of the noise
and saw McCiee standing at his back
door with the smoking pistol In his
hand. The chicken coop being between
him and Johnson he could not see the
latter's PROSTATE form and thought
McGee had simply been shooting at
target.
MGEE's STATEMENT.
When seen IN the iron cage at the
jail, MCGEE said that this morning he
and Johnson had been sitting on the
fence between their houses and had
talked over the trouble between them.
MIR Johnson said he wanted that
chicken coop and said he was q going
to get IT, told him didn't want any
trouble about it'and explained that my
wife had some hens sitting In there
and she didn't want them disturbed.
He. sa.t be didn't care about the chick
ehsfand he would throw them out IL
we didn't take them out. His wife
called him TO come TO breakfast and
| told him he better 60 along as |
didn't want any trouble with him. He
said he wanted that coop and he was
going to get IT, / told him IL he was
man enough he better go ahead. He
went over TO the house and came out
with an axe. | went In and got my
gun from under the bed and just threw
ii UP to shoot over the chicken coop to
scare him. My wife said. Honey.
don't shoot, and Mrs, Johnson, she
hollered something 10 me to not shoot.
But II was too late, the gun done gone
off. guess / must have been excited,
because II didn't seem like / was ago
ing to shoot him. didn't intend any
harm. II / had thought there was
going TO be any harm come like this
I would have thrown the chickens out
myself"
AN AWFUL WOUND.
The bullet that ended Johnson's life
was OF 44-caliber, and entered at the
front OF the right shoulder close to the
base of the neck, ranging down and TO
the left side As the body lay on the
ground a mass OF blood stained froth
protruded from the mouth. showing
that the bah had passed through the
lungs, and from the fact that death was
so instantaneous. II is quite probable
that II ranged over TO the left side and
penetrated the heart
OFFICERS THERE
Besides Sheriff Naylor and Deputies
Raleigh, Busby and Mauss who were
on the ground very soon after the oc-
currencey Justice McAlllster Of Murray
went 10 the scene OF the tragedy In or
der to take official cognzauce Of the |
facts Assistant County Attorney |
William Ritter also went down |
and directed the details for |
the prosecutors Office. The spot |
was also the object OF visits from citi- |
zens living thereabouts who We're cur
ious to see all they could Of the affair.
THE MEN.
Johnson and MCGEE were both mar
ried men and living with their families |
within 20 yards Of each other. John
son was about q years old medium
sized, and was a member Of the colored
lodge OF Oddfellows MCGEE is 81 years
old and is larger man than his VIC
tim.
THE WOMEN.
Mrs Johnson has one child about two
years old and Is now IN a delicate con-
dition. Mrs MCGEE has boy II years
old, who is the son OF a former hus-
band, this being her second marriage.
Her parents live In Denver whore she
and her husband came from 10 Utah.