The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-06
HELD FOR A MURDER
CoffeIt Bound Over in the
Sum of $4,000.
BARS UP AGAINST BABES
Justice Couldn't Think While
One Was in Court
BARS UP AGAINST BABES

cohelt, the alleged murderer of George
(. Afontgo merry, was bound over to the
district co:srt at Winfield yesterday by
Justice Webb At first Justice Webb
Nouid not allow Coffclt 10 be released on
BAN, but on the ADVICE Of County Attor-
ney Terrence. he retreated from this uosi-
ton aNld fixed the amount of his ooad at
5000
At the opening of the preliminary Jus
tice Webb ordered all the small boys and
babies to be taken hence. Two small
boys, posi- bly, 3 ana 10 years of age, were
Sitting on he front row. ready to soak in
all the histo ~ Of murder and evil doings
they could old. when the undersheriff
told them 10 iyet out. 81 wing as q reason
''Ifis Honors" orders. They complied.
but what was Q be done with the baby?
There was only one IN the room. hut It
uas already beginning TO show signs Of
importance. It belonged to Mr.. and Mrs.
Cofelt. The judg e ordered it TO be taken
out, but this could not be done without
the mother going also, and Hackney &
Jafferty objected TO this. Someone sug-
gested that jos Lafferty nurse the child
during the trial, but he objected on the
grounds that he was not in the business
and thought anyway that LIT. Torrance
could do better Job of it because of his
having had recent experience. The child
was about TO be THRUST upon Mr.. Hack
ney for nursing when Mr.. Webb con-
Scented to allow it to remain in the room
until noon If some provision would be
a. TT.
was made and the babe did not attend
court in the after-o
Mr. Webb claims to oe unable to think
right when there is a fretting child in
the room
The testimony of yesterday was more
Important than that of the previous day
George A Foster, sheriff Of Noble
county, Oklahoma, said he had known
Coffelt for about three years by sight
He had seen Coftelt at Miller's ranch
working as line rider, and sometimes TAX
Eng care Of stock, but not lately. Ha said
that Coffelt had told him that ale had
taken a horse to the Ponca City livery
barn, but was not sure OF the time. Mr.
Foster saw Coffelt at Del Rio, Texas
where he said he was going under the
name Of Maxwell. He said CoffeIt told
him he had got to Del Rio by wagon and
team which he had gotten At Mr. Millers.
Sheriff Foster and DR.. Patton brought
Coffelt UP from Texas. Patton was Cof-
fets bondsmsn in Noble county where
C0ffelt was charged with a crime. In
cross-exaInination W. P. Hackney tried
20 get Sheriff Foster muddled by accusing
him OF being in cahoots with the Santa
Re and trying 20 fix up case on the ac-
cused. but Foster kept his equilibrium
fairly well.
Thomas Hawkins. Of Winfield, saw COT
felt on the morning os the 9Th of October
at the Santa Fe depot in Winfield and
again saw him with WIN Johnson in the
afternoon at the Same depot. They were
talking together. He also saw Montgom-
cry UP town in tho evening of the same
day AZ the corner by Mr.. Dauber's store
ana saw a man on the same corner which
he took 10 be Coffelt. He had on a short
brown coat
James North, a small colored boy. who
lives in the south part of the city. testi-
fed he went down TO the Miller ranch
last July with George Miller AMI saw
the trouble between Montgomery and the
MiIlers. He was with George Miller. Sr..
on his way 10 Bliss when he declared
Miller said he was going to kill Mont
gomery. This was the same day Mont
gomery hit Miller on the head with his
gun. He testified that the train on which
Montgomery was supposed to be riding.
had pulled out when they arrived The
boy proved very bright and capable
witness
g. r. Peeden saw a man who locked
like Coffelt on West Ninth on Monday
about September . and bought Il horse
Of him, which he afterwards shipped
y ". Busch of Kansas City, assistant
superintendent of the Pinkerton agency. /
testified that Coffelt told him re was at
the headquarters ranch Sunday morning
after the murder. He said Coffelt told
him ho went from tho headquarters |
ranch 20 Joe NIiller's house at 4:SO III the
morning of October At this juncture !
the state rested. The defense offered no |
testimony.
Justice. Webb announced that he would /
hold Conelt for trial His lau was fixed
st S5.oo0