Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-12-16
STATE CLOSES TESTIMONY.
Closing Hours Yesterday Developed
Little Of Interest in the May
Case.
Several Witnesses Examined Today
and Some Gave Redirect
Testimony.
The State Over ruled in its Efforts t
Show = Motive for Killing Of
Hlbbs.

Show Motive Tor k1liing OF
Hlbbs.
w. B. Hibbs testified that he was the
father of the deceased Harry G. HiIbbs.s
First heard OF his death on the might;
Of january Is. Started for the ranch
in the morning. Got there at 2
O'Clock. May, Iyerson and Mrs. Hibbs
were there. saw the body three-quar-
te1s of an hour after. Told Of CONVEX
sation with May. At the time the
body was about to be dressed, May said
he was satisfied 1T was an accident, as
did Mrs 1fbbs. He told May to look
and see If there were any bruises or
wounds. May reported he did not see
any.
He left the ranch when the body was
removed. He went to the well ON the
day he arrived. May went to the well
with him as did Mrs. Hibbs and Iyer-.
son. May did not say much. He,
Hibbs, got up on the edge Of the bar
rell, and took hold of the pulley Saw
on the ice spots OF what they said was
blood, and questioned its being blood.
He and Ive1son had a discussion He
Thought it might be blood from the
calves and they hooked the calves over
but saw no bleeding ones. Witness
described the location OF the spots of
blood. May said nothing about the
blood. May had said that he thought
Hibbs had stood on the baarel and fell
from there Witness did not know
there had been a pool OF blood. First
heard it at the coroner's inquest.
Heard scovh testify and May admit
having cleaned it away. May had not
told him anything about the blood
while at the ranch The curbing on
the east side Of the well was all broken
down to the ice, It was talked of and
May explained that the boards had
been loose and the top boards broken
off before
5 Witness was at the ranch when his
son first commenced to improve the
ranch and was there also two years
ago. Had been around the we'll, and
knew how the water was taken out.
The bucket that was in use january Is
was not the same THAT had, been in use
all the time. The bucket that is now
= in use will sink If the rope is loosed.
The bucket THAT was in use before this
{ occurrence was inquired about. The
defense objected to this. States At
torney Allen explained to the court the
reason he desired to show this fact.
The court Sustained the objection.
Witness said he had looked into the
well on january 16, and in May, when
he was there. He had looked In to
see ii there were any rough places
where man could strike in falling.
He did not see any such places.
The ice around the we'll on january
16 was not level, but the surface was
comparatively smooth.
May had told uulfm that from the time
! he left Harry in the barn until he saw
his cap ait the we'll was not more thar
ten minutes. 0
Witness had assisted in placing tlhe
body The wagon box when it was
SbresHght to town. Had put hay in tlls
wagon, and also wrapped the body ii
blankets.
The defense l0n cross examinaf1 1oI
sought to bring out the testimony O
B the witness at the coroners inquest
Il The stahe objected. The defense
\ urged that they be permitted to show
the witness first theory and view q
the death of his son. The state's OBJ
jection was sustained and this field 9
I inquiry closed. temp porarily.
"a. sr Nye then questioned the witness
as TO what he said, when with May a
d the well, the day after his sons death
Witness finally stated what he hat
S stated, giving his theory at that tim
II of the accident. He was then asket
if he had not stated at the coroner \
inquest that his son was careless, ant
that he attributed his death to that
Witness said he had so stated, and ais
q said that he had stated that II his Sol
~ fell into the we'll it must have been tn
L result of extreme carelessness
Court adjourned fol3 the day, with th
inclusion Of Mn. IIibbs testimony.
Coroner White preceded him, an,
told of his knowledge OF the details q