Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-07
INQUEST DEVELOPS NOTHING
Coroner AdJOurns Session to Recon-
vene at His
Call.

Coroner Treynor began the inquest over
Bert Forney, the murdered saloonkeeper.
yesterday morning, but after taking the
testimony OF Sheriff Cousins, James CLANCY,
Chief Of Police Tibbits. c. W. Letchford and
DR.. NJ. A. FINLEY adjourned 1t, to be re-
sumed at his order. The adjournment was
In view Of the fact that important evidence
connecting W. C. Rogers, the suspect under
arrest, with the crime is expected to de-
velop.
The jury is composed Of August Paris,
J. A. Crafts and George w. Long. Tho
testimony was taken down by a shorthand
reporter.
James Chaney's testimony was substan-
TALLY a repetition of the story he told the
night Of the murder. While he declined
to say positively that Rogers was one Of
the two men who entered the saloon, he
said that he resembled the taller one OF
the two men who commanded them to
throw up their hands and who fred the
first shot. He said he got a good look at
the man before the shooting, as he thought
the whole thing was a Josh" and he was
perfectly cool till the shooting commenced.
He described the manner in which tho
men had their hats pulled down over their
beads and how the lower portions Of their
faces we're concealed vita red banker
chiefs spotted white.
Sheriff Cousins testimony was also sub
stantially a repetition Of his account Of his
hearing the shots while waiting to place
some friends on an Omaha car at Tenth
and Broadway and Of his Fastening to the
saloon and finding the body of Forney lying
in the small side hallway.
DR.. FINLEY, who assisted in the post
norton examination, testified as to the
nature of Forney's wounds.
c. w. Letchford testified to identifying
Rogers as the man who held him UP and
robbed him Of $55 on the night OF March 3
at his butcher shop on South Main street.
The evidence of Chief of Police Tibbits
related to the revolver which was found on
Rogers. After Identifying the weapon he
called attention to the fact that three of
the cartridges in It appeared to have been
recently inserted, while the other three
showed "pin" marks on the caps, and that
three chambers showed fresh powder marks.
while the others did not. At the close Of
Chief Tibbits' testimony Coroner Treynor
adjourned the inquest subject to his call.
Following the inquest Coroner Treynor,
accompanied by City Engineer Etnyre and
Assistant County Attorney Hess. visited
the saloon where Forney was murdered and
took complete measurements of the in
terror. Several photographs OF the place
we're also taken.
The bullet extracted from Forney's arm,
he one which caused his death, was found
yesterday to be of exactly the same weight
as the bullets in the cartridges taken from
Rogers revolver and to exactly correspond
with them in every particular. The other
two bullets. the one which entered For
ney's hip and the one which lodged in the
wall at the back of the stove, were too
"a 49, -
A grip believed to be the property Of
Rogers was found yesterday morning by
Detective Callaghan at the Kiel hotel. where
Rogers is said to have registered last Sat
urday morning, giving the name Of Frank
Parsons Of Burlington, Ia. The man who
registered as Parsons has not appeared at
the hotel since the arrest OF Rogers. There
seems little doubt but that the grip be-
longs to the man under arrest, is some
OF the shirts contained in IL were marked
"W. @. Rogers" and : there was also a
pair Of cuffs matching one Of the shirts
which Rogers received from the Evans
laundry at the time he was placed under
arrest. Among the contents was also a
number of catalogues of cheap jewelry, a
"phoney' gold watch and chain. but moth
ing that would tend to connect Rogers
with the crime with which he is charged.
Rogers has not yet been arralgned, but
probably will be today. When taken be-
fore Justice ouren, who is acting as police
judge during Judge scott's absence, Rng-
ers in answer to a question of Justice Ouren
said he was IS years Of age and was born
in Columbus, o.. He said he had been in
Hot Springs, Ark, for several months and
only came to Council Bluffs last week.
Where do you liver" asked the court.
Rogers reply was; N particular
place" and this he supplemented by stat
ing he was a "jeweler."
c. w. Letchford fled an information be-
fore Justice Ouren yesterday charging
Rogers with assault with intent to kill. but
he has not been arraigned on this charge
yet. Rogers has retained Attorneys Lindt
and Sehurz. He does not appear to be at
all alarmed over his position and wears a
continual smile.
James CLANCY, who since Saturday night
has been held as a state witness. was re-
leased yesterday on a $3.50 cash bond.