The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-17
DEFENSE IN
COFFELT CASE
HAS RESTED
Many Witnesses Called TO
Prole COIby'S Reputation,
MRS. COFFELT ON STAND
She Denied Telling Why They
Left for Texas.

Winfield, Kan, April 1s.-The defense
has rested in the Conelt case
Mrs. o. W. Conelt. wife Of the accused.
was placed on the stand. She said her
home was in Pawnee county the winter,
spring and summer Of 1901; that her hus-
band was arrested In 1900 on the charge
oc assaulting his brother-in-law, and was
placed under bond, Dr. Patton Of Perry
being one of his bondsmen. She said they
went to Texas IA the hope Of benedting
her health ard to avoid the 500 bond
which they understood DR.. Patton was
unwilling TO stand good for any longer.
They went under the name of Maxwell.
Coffelt was arrested there and brought
back without reQuisition. Iu answer 70
the question on cross examination, Did
you tell DR.. Patton that you did not 80
away TO avoid the bond. but 20 escape
worse trouble than that she said IT
aid not" Before they went to Texas.
witness testified that her husband came
home from the Miller ranch about Octo-.
her s. in a few days they left, going by
way Of the ranch. where they stopped
three or four DAYS. In Texas they sold
one Of their ponies, branded "E. u. C..
or something like that. The state offered
2 COPY OF the brand as evidence. The
brand was made on a. bin OF sale which
had been given with the horse, but which
Mrs. Conelt denied as having been given.
H. i. Braden. farmer living three
rules from Bliss. was at the Bliss sta
ton on the evening Of October 5th. to
meet his brother, who was coming down
from Independence He said he saw
Cofelt there. on cross-examination Bra
den was unable to tell who else he saw
that evening at Bliss or TO nix date of
happenings, either prior to or after
ward.
Ed FIagner, Of Jabette, Kan, testified
10 having lived in Pawnee county in 1901,
rear Conelt. and to an acquaintanceship
with him.
Judge Temple. city criminal Judge at
Enid. testified that Bert Colby bore a bad
reputation At Enid. but was unable to
sGbstantiate it TO any great degree.
Nr. Braden was recalled to the stand
for further cross-examination as to the
people on the platform and the circum-
stances surrounding his seeing Coffelt at
Bliss
]. B. McBnHen, Of Enid. was placed on
the stand TO show the character OF Bert
Colby. AIcMinen was On the police force
for four years, and said he had seen
Colby in places of bad repute at different
times. and had heard it talked on the
streets that Colby had stolen a pair of
mules. on cross-examination by Mr.. Rob
erts. the witness acknowledged having
been IN fights and brawls; but on re-
direct examination stated that it was in
the performance Of his duty In an official
capacity.
Further testimony along the line OF
Colby s reputation was given by Joseph
Brown, Of Enid, who stated that his rep
utadon for truth and veracity was not
very good. The witness ACKNOWLEDGED +
however. only a speaking acquaintance /
with the man whom he was testifying
against.
Edward CARRIER a stockmsn and farm
ct, Of the Ponca reservation. was called
10 corroborate Mr.. Braden's testimony
D5 Tuesday afternoon. Bradeu testified
az to being with CARRIER and seeing Cof-
felt IN the Bliss depot the evening Of
October 5th. CARRIER was not allowed 20
testify, because of the objection raised I
10y the state that it was an assumption on (
the part Of the defense that one of their /
witnesses had not told the truth.
y. II. Junceford of the 10l ranch. was /
at Bliss the evening of the murder. and 4
took Coffelt from town out TO the ranch. +
He met him in Bliss between the grocery f
store and depot on the way out Conelt 4
said nothing 10 him about 1Iontgomery's +
murder. He was not acquainted with +
Montgomery. when asked how he re-
membered It was October 5th. he said be- +
cause he had got lamp chimney at the +
Bliss Mercantile company's store to take .
out TO the ranch TO Airs. Joe Miller
To corroborate Lunceford's testimony.
7. c. Veering. of the Bliss 0IercanHle
company, was placed on the stand. lie