The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-03-25
THE VERDICT IN THE DEWEY CASE

ERll DAI. MARCH -. 1904.
THE VERDICT IN THE DEWEY CASE.
The verdict of the jury in the Dewey
murder trial of mot guilty" rendered
late Saturday night, came to the people
of Sherman county not only as a sur
prise, but as depression, that justice
had miscarried and that the guilty had
gone free. In the court of public opin-
ion Chauncey Dewey and ". J. Nc
Bride will forever be Swallowed by the
black cloud of public sentiment-''mu
derers and assassins."
During the six weeks that this trial
has been progressing at Norton, the
people of this county have read the
proceedings carefully and have followed
the testimony given on both sides with
all the vigilance possible They are as
familiar with all the facts as any of the
jury could possibly be, and while both
disinterested and impartial, they are
even better judges Of the motives Of the
Deweys on that fatal day from their
knowledge Of the intimidating and Op-
Pressive policy that they had long pur-
sued toward the settlers in extending
the Dewey ranch holdings. The killing
was done near the northeast corner of
this county, and the conditions previ-
ously existing, as well as the parties on
both sides were well known here.
With sound judgement they proceed
about as follows in their method of rea-
sOning: Ten men armed with rifles
and revOlvers, eight m ounted and two
IN wagons, went to the Berry place 10
get an old, wooden, water tank, bought
at a sale on the place the day before
and worth, perhaps, $3.50, and that
three men could load and one team
could haul This armed party not be-
ing hindered, instead OF taking the
property and departing, fingered half
an hour waiting for something to turn
up, for the Berry boys" some OF the
Deweys being behind a sod wall. They
happen on the scene; and a conflict or
an ambush takes place. Three of the
Berrys are killed, one seriously and one
slightly wounded. None Of the Dewevs
are killed OF wounded; but, one of
their horses is killed behind the wall.
Two Of the Berrys were shot in the
back of the head. Roy Berry seriously
wounded, trying to crawl to the house,
was served with a volley of bullets,
two or three of them piercing the crown
Of his hat. Beach Berry, running to
the barn, was shot at many times, the
Dewey men trying to kill the boy,
whom they supposed to be the last sur
vivOT of their murderous attack. The
father, 20 years old, weapOnless and
physically defenseless, shot in the abdo-
men with a rife The testimony of the
defendants that both parties were fight
ing face to face, 1.-THE Berrys aggressors,
firing the first ten shots and crack
marksmen yet killing no one) is mega
tived by the circumstantiaI evidence
and brands their story as a lie.
Other circumstances prove false the
theory of self defense. Innocent par
ties acting in self defense would have
gone at once to the authorities and sur
rendered themselves, making a plea of
self defense and full and frank state
ment of the whole affair. At the pre-
liminary hearing they would have court
ed the most thorough Investigation.
None Of these things were done by the
defendants, but they gaIloPed of to the
ranch refusing to surrender to the off,
GERS of the law unless protected by the
state militia. Every move made after
the killing was exactly such as a guilty
man would make, and directly opposite
to that which an innocent man would
do. Conscious guilt has marked every
move made by the defense, both on the
motion for bail and the trial of the case
at Norton.
Three other accounts may vet be laid
upon the defendants: For the murder
of Daniel and Alpheus Berry and the
attempt to kin Roy Berry. The first
case was perhaps a test for them all,
and as Cheyenne county is practically
impoverished by the large expense of
the first trial, II is not as vet known
whether the other charges viii be made
against the defendants. But whether
they are or are not the mark of Cain
VIII follow the killers to their graves
and water VIII not wash away the blood
of the Berrys from their hands.
a Physician writes.
i am DESTROYS of knowing If the
profession can obtain Herbine in b11fl-
for ureS4,rihir1Cr r,rtrDoSa-, II h.- 49,.