, 1904-12-01
MOTIVE
FOR KILLING OF YOUNG 8USSARD
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN
FOUND BY JUSTICE.
officer Thinks johnson Had intended
Killing Thornton Bigss, Negro
Foreman of Ranch, With Whom
He Had QuarreIed Earlier In Ev-
ening About White Woman.

Justice Grant believes he has disCov
cred the motive for the killing OF
Charles Bussard, presumably by Gust
johnson. a few dayc ago. 1t was
Thornton Biggs, the colored brennan
III the Haley ranch, the justice thinks
whom Johnson had intended to kill
Biggs and Bussard were together dur
ing the evening preceding the fatal
shooting, and Mr.. Grant is of the opin'
ion that while Johnson may have had
O. gTudge against the white man, the
negro was his especial mark, and
would have been the victim but fol
the overturning of the lamp at the Par.
ker place and the fire which follow
ed. enabling Biggs to get out of the
way of the Infatuated bartender.
Justice Grant made an effort follow
ing the killing to get at the bottom of
The matter.and only partially succeeded
then and afterwards. convincing him
self that he was working in the right
direction A woman who knows much
OF the inside of the matter, and who
was relied upon by the justice to give
him the necessary information, has
taken herself away and is not to be
found. This woman is Ethel Valance,
who occupied the new brick house on
First street. nearly opposite the Lara
mic Coal company's office. She is be
lieved to be the sweetheart of John
son, and it was about Biggs' alleged
attempts to pay attention to her that
Johnson is supposedto have armed him
self and threatened to kill the S OF
a b" a few minutes before the kill
ing of Bussard. Johnson, it is known,
had beer told by the woman that Biggs
was forcing his attentions upon her.
johnson and his three companions had
visited the Valance woman's place
earlier in the evening of the night on
which the killing occurred, and either
met Bussard and Biggs there Or had
run across them on the street, when
trouble ensued and possibly threats
had been made. as Biggs told Consta-
bic Jack McRae that Johnson intended
tc kill him. The Johnson party went
to- the Parker place afterwards. where
ttey found Bussard and Biggs and
where the fight occurred, which ended
in the breaking Of the lamp and the
killing of the young white man. Biggs
got IL of the way of Johnson, believ
ing from what he already knew that
Johnson was angry at him for paying
attention to his solid girl and in
tended making away with him.
Whether it was a part of the pro
gram to kill Bussard is not known, bu'
the fact that Bussard and Biggs hac
beer together when the quarrel early
in the evening occurred, and the fur
Their fact that Biggs came to h res
cue of his white companion in tn
fight at Susie Parker's, leads h jus
tice to presume that johnson may have
meant 10 Sel bOtu VI tiShh.
Justice Grant believes the three com
panions of johnson knew more thai
thew told at the inquest, and he wa:
for having them arrested and held al
accessories to the killing. but Count!
Attorney Gibson declined to issue tn
irformations and they were not ar
rested.
The Valance woman and her youns
companion have left the city. The.
told the officers some of the facts il
the case, but some of the connectlnt
links are missing and the women can
not be found.
The Parker place has been close'
bv order of the officers and n OF TN
female inmates has left the city. Mis-
Parker is believed to have told VIVA
she knew of the facts in connection
with the killing and has beer hell
tblameless directly.