The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-17
VERDICT OF
MANSLAUCHTER
Jury Finds James M org a n
Guilty of Killing Hayer.
SENTENCED SATURDAY
History of the Affair Leading
Up to the Trial.
SENTENCED SATURDAY

Pond Creek. 0. T, March 16.-After de
Iiberating for IS hours on the case ol
Territory vs.. James Morgan the jury re-
turned a verdict at Il o'clock Tuesday OF
manslaughter in the first degree. The
penalty to be inflicted is a term in the
penitentiary Of not less than four years
He will be sentenced Saturday morning
at o'clock by Judge Beauchamp.
The trial of James Morgan. who killed a
man by the name of Charles Haner at
Rock Island Park, near Jefferson, Okla
homa, last fall has taken much time dur
ing this term of court. The old soldiers
were heolding their annual reunion in
August and great crowds were in attend
ance. The man who was killed was a
stranger and was known by nobody. He
and woman occupied a wagon near the
grounds The history of the case is about
as follows:
O nthe day of the murder, August 13,
1903. James Morgan. Tom Hite and Chas.
Pfeifer drove to Jefferson from Pond
Creek and before long Morgan and Hite
wela drunk. They then went to the wag-
on owned by Haner and told him TO move
on. Morgan representing himself as being
the owner of the land and Pfeifer dep
~uty sheriff Haner started to hitch up
when ordered TO leave and as soon as he
would get one horse TO the wagon Hite
would drive II away. They quarreled and
a fight followed in which a bride. neck
yoke. knife and fists played prominent
parts.
TIaner struck Hite with bride Hite
picked UP the neck yoke, struck at Haner
once. threw it at him and ran. Then
Morgan and the man mixed. Haner call
ed for help and started towards Pfeifer,
who struck him twice with his fists.
knocking him down. They then left.
Pfeifer wanted TO go back and finish the
fight but Morgan said that he Morgam
had already fixed him.
They went back to make friends with
him but he could not he found The three
men then started home and when about
mile from the park Morgan showed
knife and said that was what had done
the business.
They drove TO Murphy's place and then
to Pond Creek, where Morgan got out.
Hite and Pfeifer then drove home
Morgan went on the stand Saturday af
ter Pfcifor tod his damaging story and
confessed but claimed self defense as the
man was not struck with the knife until
Haner had struck at him CMorgan) with
the neck yoke The testimony of Pfeifer
was given against the advice and over
the protest of his lawyers. Mackey and
Simons of Pond Creek and w. s. Denton
Of Enid represented the defendant and
County Attorney Taylor handled the case
for the territory.
Morgan is a young looking man and
many expressions of hope for his acquit-
tai We're heard during the trial. He won
the sympathy of the lady court goers Fri
cay and some We're moved to tears.
Friday afternoon a recess was given for
The easy chairs to be brought to the jury
and lawyers. Morgan got up from the
side Of his mother and picking up an easy
chair exchanged it for the one in which
his mother was sitting and also gave
other ladies the same attention
Farmers from all over the county have
foclled to town to hear the case and the
court room was crowded all through the
trial