The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-07-02
LESSER is
ALIVE AND
MAY LIVE
Details of the Shooting At
Oklahoma City
SHOT IN SELF DEFENSE
That Is the Explanation Made
by ROWlett
SHOT IN SELF DEFENSE

| OhldioI1d lily, ". l., July Inc IN
lahoman gives the following particulars
| of the shooting in that city:
There were no new developments in
the Capitol Hill shooting yesterday. AS
sistant County Attorney Ramer took
Dutch" Lesser's ante-mortem state
ment in the morning, as his chances of
recovery are hanging in the balance.
Mr.. Lesser was shot through both lungs
but as he is a powerfully built man of
fine physique, it is beIievtd he will re-
cover unless complications ensue.
| G. F. Walker and Frank Maxey, the
other injured men, are doing well. ]. B.
| Rowlett was Yesterday released from
| jail, his bond being $500. The charge
against the others will be the same, but
| the bonds will be heavier at least until
it is seen whether Mr.. Lesser will re-
| cover.
RoWLETT'S STORY.
J. 3. Rowlett, when seen IS ~he jail,
seemed to be 1aboring under considerable
excitement, but readily made a stste-
| ment regarding his part Of the shooting.
He said:
Mr.. Lesser and myself were talking
| about some money business and Mr..
Wolfkill was present. Mr.. Lesser start
ed across the corner and Mr.. Walker
said something to Lesser and we turned
and stopped to talk with them. Walker
and Lesser got to talking. and Walker
wanted me 70 arrest Lesser and I would
not do it ] could have handled him,
and 1 knew that 1 could get him away.
I said. Come on, Dave; let's co. and I
took him around the side OF the store,
and at the same time Mr.. Walker went
across to his house. about a block away,
and got a double-barreled shot gun and,
running back. stuck it in Lesser's face
and called on him to surrender. Dave
kept walking around and said I am not
doing anything, and you can't arrest
me- Mr.. Maxey then ran in with gun
and commanded Dave to stand still.
Dave grabbed both guns and twisted
them out of the mems hands. Then he
went after Maxey with one of the guns.
Maxey ran across over the road and
Dave followed him up, and Maxey pulled
a pistol and shot Dave in the shoulder
after first shooting at me. and am here
under arrest for shooting back"
How did Walker get shot?" queried
Jailer Capshaw.
Il do not know how he got shot" re-
piled Rowlett. 81 and Maxey were the
only ones who had pistols. I emptied
my gun, and 1 shot in self defense. Sew
eral times l told Mr.. Maxey I had
nothing against him and told him to
stay out of it. 1 did not shoot Walker.
If 1 did, il was not intentional. Dave
kept pSAfiing Maxey-with the gun. and
Maxey sfR Dave after he had shot
at me-" -.
MAXEYE STATEMENT.
When Maxey was approached by re-
porter ne had Just concluded a CONVEX
sation with Judge Beatty and when
requested to give his story of the shoot
ing. pleaded that he was badly hurt and
did not feel like talking, but when told
by some of his friends that he should
let his side of the case appear In print
with the other. forgot his injury and
commenced talking of the matter some
what rapidly He said:
I'VE were trying TO make the arrest Of
Dave Lesser. 1 and Walker both asked
Rowlett To arrest Lesser. Walker told
me to come out Of the house and aarrest
Dave when the latter struck at him, but
Rowlett told me to get back into the
house or he would kill me; that he had
a pistol in his pocket. Walker went and
got his gun and 1 got mine. Then we
went to arrest the men. I believe il it
had not been for RowIett interfering we
would have done so without anybody
getting hurt Lesser grabbed Walkers
gun and Walker told me to shoot him.
I told him did not like TO do that. and
asked Lesser to give il up. ROwIett told
Lesser not to give it up. Just as look
ed around Rowlett drew pistol down on
me and fired. 1 lodged and the ball
passed through my shirt front and
through my coat, as you see, without
touching my body. When I drew on
Rowlett and lodged the shot, Lesser
grabbed my gun by the muzzle. Then I
let loose and ran. AS well as I recorect
Rowlett fired another shot or two at
me. Then I got my pistol out. Lesser
was then striking at me with the gun.
He struck ne on the left ars and shoul-
der. Then had to defend myself and I
shot him. II can not say how many
times.
Dutch" Dave Lesser. as the victim Of
last nights afTray was commonly called.
is an old timer IN Oklahoma City aud
was regarded as a good natured, inoffen-
sive fellow By those who knew him weIl. /
He has wife and family. as also have
all the participants in the quarrel yhich
ended So disastrously. C. F walker Is |
2 kind OF religious fanatic. from com
mon report tie was frequently referred /
10 as Salvation Walker. a promin- I
ent restaurant man said OF him: "Hs 1