The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-11
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FORGING THE CHAIN.
Strong Circumstantial Evidence
Against 0. w. Coffelt.

Winfield Kas., April 1.-THE state is
today endeavoring to show that Coffelt
was in Winfield on the day of the muir
der and that he was watching Mont
gomery and had a conversation with
the Millers during the day NJ. j. Viii
son of this city testified that he saw
COffelt in Winfield on the day of the
murder and saw him enter the Miller
residence. H S. Lands, travelling
freight agent of the Santa Fe, told of
q. threat the MillerS had made on Mont
g0mery's life, the same having been
told him by the A4illers. The trial is
dragging slowly, every point of testi-
mony bearing on the conspiracy being
contested by the defense.
Winfield, April 11-Most of the early
testimony in the Montgomery murder
case in which O. w Coffelt is on trial
for his life Dertained to the conspiracy
which the state asserted in its opening
statements was the theory of the case.
Most of the morning was spent in ar
gulng a point of law The defense OBJ
jected to the theory of the case on the
ground that If there be q cons piracy it
must be charged in the Indictment and
that more than one conspirator must be
named In the papers filed by the coun-
" attorney only one party was named,
and the parties whom the state IS now
trying to 1mpHcates employees on the
Miller ranch in Oklahoma are unnamed.
The state contended that a man could
be tried in this state without charging
q. conspiracy, and the court held to the
same opinion. 1t seemed for a time as
II the case would be set aside for the
present on this technicality.
MRS. MONTG ON1E1RY TESTIFIES.
Fourteen witnesses We're examined to-
day, among them the wife of George c.
montgomery, who now lives in Color
ado She is a pretty woman of attrac-
tive face and form. but still wears the
sad expression she did after her hus-
bands killing. She testified that her
husband had been in the employ OF the
Santa Re secret service for about seven
years, and prior to that had been dep
uty sheriff and marshal in Shawnee
county where they lived. She told about
the killing Of her husband in a very
clear way, although at times she had 20
stop and suppress the tears and there
was a quaver in her voice that gave
evidence of her deep sorrow.
The state is trying to prove that Cofelt
came from The 10l ranch the day of the
murder, performed the deed about 7:45 in
the evening and returned on foot to Ar
Kansas City and then on to the ranch.
l.. J. West of Cowley county testified
that he was in Ponca City on October 5,
the day of the murder. and saw a man
who looked like Coffelt come to a livery
barn at clock in the morning leave a
horse and make for the north bound train
that was at that time pulling into the
-Four witnesses testified to seeing George
Miller write on a brick in the Arkansas
even with the fnoeaninr Mont
\
tween the Millers and Montgomery
TELL OF THE TROUBLE
Several witnesses testified to being at
the Bliss station in Oklahoma and Witness
ing the trouble between the NIillers and
Montgomery on the morning and evening
OF July II. They testified that the morn
ing OF this date Montgomery and Miller
had a big fight on the depot platform in
which Montgomery hit Miller over the
head with his revolver. Miller had drawn
a knife and Montgomery q revolver. The
cause of the trouble was the different con-
tentions the men had had in court grow
ing out Of cases which the Milers had
with the Santa Fe in which Montgomery
was a witness The other difficulty was
in the evening Of 18th, when gang from
the ranch met the north bound train to
take Montgomery Montgomery appeared
on the platform with two six-shOOters and
told the crowd to keep their distance or
he would shoot. The leader of the crowd
told him to lay down his gun and fight
like a man. which he refused to do
The testimony connecting COffelt directly
with the murder has not yet been intro
duced. The state has IS witnesses in all.
and ii is possible that the case viii last
week or ten days. 1t is attracting much
attention in this part OF the state and its
outcome VIII prove the guilt or innocence
of the Mfllers. who. though not directly
charged with the crime. are trial before
the public eye
Large crowds are in attendance at the
trial