Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-03-26

the witness stand at this morning s
session Of court and gave his version Of
the shooting. His testimony was given
In slow and deliberate manner, with
out any show of nervousness whatever
During the entire time he held tooth
pick between his teeth and chewed on
the same at frequcntinteryalsUn oneoc.
casion he illustrated, with the assist
auce OF Judge King, the relative post
lions OF himself and Strong when the
latter attempted to throw a cuspidore
at him.
He stated that he could have shot
Strong when he lodged down TO pick
~ the cuspldore but did not DO 80 until
the latter raised up with the cuspldor
in his hands ana had It drawn back
over his shoulder ready to throw. Then
fearing for his he he fred the shot
which took effect In Strong's neck Hg
testimony as TO when the third Shot
was fred differed materially from that
OF the witnesses for the state. TheN
testified that Strong had turned ami
started for the rear OF the saloon ami
nearly reached the steps when the third
shot was fred, while lomney said tha,
the shot followed Immediately after the
second one and that Strong had turned
around again with his face 10 the north
and was In about the same location as
| when the second shot was fred. Such
position would account for the shot
taking effect In his right nip and ire
bullet entering the same at the angle
testified TO by Dr. Benedict
IVES TESTIMONY.
Russell Vie. who was a barber In
! Murray at the time the shooting oc-
! CURED was the first witness called by
tho defense this morning He testified
! that Strong was at his home on SAT-
! urday evening, Aug 30, two weeks be-
| f,re the shooting and that he made
! threats against Rompey saying that
| the latter owed him 500, and that ne
! would make him pay II or he would
| KIN the ---- --. The Wite or WIZ
ness spoke up and said: you wouldn't
! kill a man for 800 would y0u?'' strong
| said he didn't know that he would, but
that Romney made him mad enough
Witness stated that strong said II
Romncv didn't pay him he would put
him IN wooden coffin.
on cross-examinauon Dist. Atty.
F'chnor asked witness II he would al
| lCv a man TO use such language as
! that In the presence OF his wife ana
then allow him TO remain In his house
| The witness after some hesitancy re-
! rllpd that he did allow him to re-
| main,
DEFENDANTS VERSION.
The defendant Miles W. Romney,
was then called 10 the stand. He said
! ttai ne was Sc years Of age and has
| seven children between the ages Of IL
months and lG years He said that hA
bought an interest IN the Oasis saloon
last July and later acquired the entire
ownership of the place. lie then lol'l
| of taking strong into the business end
OF the difficulties that subsequently
arose between them. on one occasion
| he said Strong threatened to Kick MN
ccm behind the bar that he did not
want him In bis way while he was da
shift. Strong then said that one or the
other of them had TO set ont OF me
saloon and Romney told him that DE
guessed It would have TO be Srons.
They finally dissolved partnership,
Strong insisting that Romuey give him
500 for his interest Part Of The money
was paid and a note for about S6l was
given for the balance.
strong then left and defendant stat
ell he did not see him again for a NUM-
bcr of DAYS when he came back again
and wanted 20 go back TO work as
bartender. Romney told him he conf
do SO II he would give himhack the note.
which Strong agreed 10 DO, The next
morning when Strong came 10 work
nc said that the note was az Murray
and that he would bring II the next
day. on that afternoon strong said
that he wanted 10 90 out for awhile.
and he did SO but did moi return TO
work again He never presented the
note for payment and nothing WIGS ever
said about the same until IN the early
mart of September, when Atty Back
man presented e for payment De-
PENDANT said that Strong came In at
that time and the note was settled sat-
isfactorily by the payment OF $40 IN
gold. a Sl3 check and a note for $40
due I'm 80 days. the balance Of the so
being represented by an account which
strong had nun at the bar.
BEFORE THE TRAGEDY.
Mr. Romney stated that that was
about the last time he saw strong I'M
an Saturday night Sept -. The night
before the shooting Strong came in
and asked Romney for a dollar which
was refused. strong called defendant
some vile names. and said that The lat
ter had been lying about him, and had
fixed q so he coudnt get n bed IN the
town. and that be would hv him for u.
strong then grabbed defendant and
ierked him up against the bar and
bruised his leg DenuaaU. jcrked
away and Strong then left He return
Ell later and again asked Cor q dol
lar. and upon being refused commenc-
ed abusing defendant ogain and was
threatening him when Axe Steele came
In. Defendant stated ihat Strong
weighed 227 pounds. and be- only
weighed i5,. and that he was afraid OF
Strong.