The Dickinson press., 1904-05-21
MURDER
Ole P. liner Murdered bv
B. K. Clinic.
So Says the Coronor's Jury.
First Shoot Still %Unaccounted For,
Clinic Claims He Did Shooting in Self
Defense and Puts in No Testimony
at the Inquest.
MURDER
Charles hartell and Harold Brown Held
For Aiding and Abettinq Clinic,

Sss0 ss40O0Ss
Charles HartelI and Harold Brown Held
For Aiding and Abetting Clinic.
Sunday afternoon the citywas shocked
when B. c. Clinic came in from the
ranch and announced that he had killed
.. F. liner, but that he did it in self de-
tense. He claimed that liner fired twice
at him first and that he then returned the
fire with fatal result. He was accom-.
panied by Harold Brown, a brother.in-
law, who corroborated his statement.
Clinic gave himself up and was lodged
in Jail Sunday night.
Clinic purchased the ZineI cattle
ranch last fall and a herd of cattle was
left there during the winter. Clinic
lost rs head during the winter which
caused dissatisfaction as liner claimed
there was plenty of hay had it been used
judiciously. This spring liner repleyin-
ed the cattle and there was ill feeling
between the men each claiming the other
was trying to defraud. Clinic recently
instituted a suit against liner in Bis.
marck.
Early Monday morning the coroner,
Fred Dickinson, c. M. Dinsdale, and
Robert Lyon, jurymen, Drs. Davis and
Perkins, Attorneys Simpson and Craw-
ford, Sheriff Goodall and A. M. Pomrov
started for the liner ranch.
The autopsy Revealed no marks of
violence save two bullet holes. The
body was found face down under the
wire Tense with the head toward the
house. The first bullet entered the
left shoulder, passing inward and up
ward completely severing the spinal
cord and was found but a little be-
meath the skin on the right shoulder.
The second bullet shattered the skull
and scattered pieces to a distance of ten
or twelve feet while brain tissue was
found as tar away as 80 feet. The medi-
cal opinion was that the shot in the back
was the first and that death was immedi-
ate but either shot must prove fatal,
Before proceeding furthur with the
story OF the tragedy a brief description
of the relative location of the points
mentioned will interest our readers.
The barn is east of the shack which
faces south, while south of the shack
some 50 yards is a three strand wire
fence. Beyond the fence and parallel
to it is the ploughed ground where liner
was at work the fatal morning. Still
farther south is the wagon track curying
nearest e feet) the ploughed ground at
the point where liner was at work and
where the revolver was found. The
corral is west of the house.
Besides this thorough post mortem ex.
animation, photographs were taken, care
tul measurements made, and all evidence
possible secured. The inquest was then
adjourned to Dickinson. The remains
were brought in Monday night.
The inquest was resumed in this CITY
Tuesday before States Attorney Camp
bell, assisted by Attorney Simpson re-
presenting the state, Attorney Craw.
ford representing Clinics interest, when
substantially the following story was
brought Out.
Friday Sheriff Goodall and O. P, liner
went to the ranch the former to tally the
cattle.
Sunday morning there were at liners
ranch besides himself, Sheriff Goodall,
and knutson and Fordyce, his two men.
,Knutson went away from the ranch
after breakfast returning about eleven
o clock, reaching the corral gate in time
to hear three shots fired.
Sheriff Goodall left the ranch about
eight o'clock to return to town. Going
by Clinics place not far from nine o'clock
he had some talk with him. Had seen
Clinic Saturday night and either then or
Sunday morning told Clinic he himself
was going to Dickinson Sunday and liner
Monday. When Goodall served papers
on Clinic some time ago the latter
used vile language and as good as threat
ened to kill liner if liner did not leave
him alone. Sunday he asked if there
were any more papers to serve and said
Llner would find out who was running
those cattle.
After Sheriff Goodalrs departure Sun.
day, liner and Fordyce went to the
ploughed ground south OF the fence to
plant onions. Between half past ten and
eleven Fordyce went to the house and
then to the barn and was between the
two when he saw Clinic, Hartell and
Brown driving up toward liner, Hartell
driving and Brown sitting in behind.
Saw them stop and heard some one call
Hello. Was in the barn but a moment
and went into the house to hang up his
coat and while there heard a shot,
When Fordyce came out of the house at
the OF firing, he saw liner crawling
under the fence toward the house and
saw Clinic, who was on the side of the
wagon next liner, stand up and fire. He
saw liner fall and did not see him move
again. Clinic then jumped from the
wagon and ran a little nearer and fired
the bullet which struck liner in The
head.
Clinic and the others we're, according
to Fordyce,. OF the ranch between five
and ten minutes. After the shooting
Clinic. called Fordyce and said "He
pulled a gun on me and shot. He could
not get me" Clinic and Brown mus,