Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-27
BURNS CALLED
BRUCE A Niger.
This Seems to Have Been the
Cause Of the Shooting at the No
tOriOuS Red Onion Saloon,
CASE ON BEFORE JUDGE DlEHl.
Witnesses Testify That They Saw john
son Point the Gun at Burns aud
Heard the Shot

The healng OF Bruce Johnson charg-
ed with assault with a deadly weapon
upon one. Patsy Burns With intent to
do bodily harm. was begun before
Judge G. b. D!ehl IN the criminal d.
vision Of the city court this morning,
but viii not be- concluded until late this
afternoon. owing 10 the absence Of q
material witness for the defense. DR..
Scott Is the witness needed and he
could not bc reached this morning.
The case was continued until after the
regular city docket Is disposed Of this
afternoon.
The prosecution OF the case Is in the
hands Of County Attorney Westeryelt,
while Attorney f. G, LoOfbourOW rep
resents the defendant. Several wit
nesses were examined for the state, but
only one for the defense when an ad-
journment was taken.
CALLED BRUCE \ NIGER,
Burns was the first witness, lie stat.
| ed that he had known johnson since
| 1870. Regarding the shooting AFFAIR his
| testimony was as follows Il was In
| the Red Onion saloon on the morning NJ
| Jan. 49, drinking, | had been up all
night drinking and was pretty drunk
johnson came In the saloon and throw
ing some money on the bar invited all
! OF us 10 have drink. We took drink
and ! may have taken another, but
| am not sure. johnson was walking up
| mud lnNlp gb.. Ffg,tt tt,atrt,,tr "a A. n Loo
| OF talk and | called him niger. The
| first thing ! knew gun was discharg-
ed. He pulled the gun and pointed It At
me. ducked and Was hit on top Of the
| head, When | came to i was outside
leaning w against.a post talking to
Tommy ClaWson.'
Did you have a weapon" asked Mr..
| LOOfbOurOW.
No"
How old are you?'
"Fifty-three years Old
Had YOU been in bed that night?"
| NOT
You were drunk. were you not?"
Yes"
WAS your mind IN such a state thai
you can not tell how many drinks yot
had Ind that night?'
les II was,
What condition was Johnson ln?"
He acted like he was drunk"
You are sure he invited you 10 have
two drinks
Yes"
But you were too drunk to tell Just
what passed between you?"
Yes"
did you ever have any trouble be.
fore. with Johnson
mo"
when did You first come 10 the DO.
lice station to report this afar?'
i never reported It at ALL.
"Why?'
| Il did not care to make any trouble 81
You didn't know whether johnson
was to blame or not, did you?"
"Well, no sir"
CHARLES WILSON.
Chas Wilson was the next witness
lie testified that he was in the saloon
on the morning Of the shooting ana
that he knew both Burns and Johnson
johnson, he said, invited all To have d
drink ana then Burns tried to civ,
Bruce some advice and the latter sale
he did not care to listen to IT, In few
minutes witness heard Burns call John
son vile name and gun was fired
He did not see where the gun wa,
pointed, but Immediately after the sho
was fired both johnson and Burns wen
out
when the shot was fired, whore wa,
Burns hat'' asked the defense.
| u don't know"
How far apart We're the two mer
when the shot was nred?"
| Between four and five feet"
JOHNSON POINTED GUN
John Bird said he was sitting on
chair near Johnson when the shot wa,
fired and that he saw johnson poln
the gun at Burns and Ere. Burns dl,
not fail.
on cross.examnatIon Bird said h,
was an electrician, and denied that n,
was a gambler He admitted later tina
I he did some electric work Tor the Greer
Light gamblInghouse, and thai at IN,
present time he was engaged there al
n dealer IN one Of the games. Asked &
II were not true that he was prett,
drunk when the trouble occurred, Bic
said
well, no."
GEORGE CmrGG.