The Redwood gazette., 1902-02-12
[CoNCLUDED FROM PAGE j

making him sick. Witness said
March S blow had marked him on
both jaws, over the right eye and
on the right temple. AS soon as
March was pulled away West got
up and started across the room, in
tending to get away. He knew he
was not his adversarys physica
equal and dreaded further punish
ment. He intended to 60 to the
coat room.
He took out his revolver as soon
as he rose, so as to be ready for an
emergency. He kept his eyes on
| March all the time. He had moved
but two or three steps when he saw
March step toward him. and then
he fired. He felt that he must stop
| March. He thought that there were
but five or six feet between them,
and March was coming Witness
said, II had no other way to stop
him and thought he would get me,
so I shot -
The revolver was produced and
witness thought it was the one with
which the shot was fired. He was
asked to illustrate how he 6red and
did so, the incident being a very
dramatic one. He held the weapon
low in his right hand. The arm
bent at the elbow and the pistol ad-
vauced in that position. He said be
took no aim, but intended to hit
March about the legs, his desire be-
ing not to kill or injure, but simply
to stop his enemy's advance. He
was asked why he did not shoot a
second time, and answered because
March stopped and jumped back.
Witness heard March say, I'm
shot, I IL die game, " but was not
certain that be had hit him. He
denied saying, "Die, you - or
anything of the sort, aud when asked
if he had desired March s death,
solemnly answered thrt he did not,
nor had he ever expressed such a
wish or a regret that he had not
fired again. When asked for his
pistol he refused to give it up, but
put it in his pocket and surrendered
it when the officers asked for it. y
He retold the story of his talk
with the policeman who took him in
charge and said thatt he was CON
cerned for March when he learned
thai the bullet had taken effect.
West said he had clear recollec-
tion of the main events of the trag-
/ ledy, but on minor points he was
not elesT, as whea he arose from his
Teet be eSwas confuASd and groggy.
The direct examination lasted until
four .o'e1ock and the cross eXamina-
ton then began. The witness was
asked concerning his former life,
and said that before going to ST.
Paul he had spent several years in
the South and West. He had worked
on farms and cattle ranches in In
dian Territory, Arizona and Texas,
working out Of doors a good deal
but riding horseback very little.
He had prospected in the Black
Hills, and since coming here his
business as land agent had kept
him out doors a great deal. The OBJ,
ject of question was evidently to
show that the life of the defendant
had been such as to make him a Wig
orous man and sufficiently varied to
prevent him being easily frightened
by threats.
He was asked as to the time when
March told him of fights in which
he had been. mixed up, and said that
he had heard of them from some
time in August until late in the fall
He was asked if after hearing of
these things he had kept up his
friendly intercourse with the March
family. and be said he had. In re-
counting the exploits as "a pugilist
March had not told him of any spec
ial injury that he had inflicted on
any one, except the hackman at
Butte, whom be left unconscious.
p Mr.. Bangs asked: is it not true
that several days before March re-
preached you, you had complained
to Mrs. March, in her room, of the
manner in which Eileen had treated
you, saying that no girl had ever
treated you in that manner before
hot