Amador ledger., 1905-11-10


Williams house between u and
O'Clock on nigth of June H. Murph
told him he had his (witness') knife
Striped pants produced we're. recogniz
ed as same worn by Murphy tina
night; defendant gave knife to hi
wife; she washed it, and he returned
it to the place where he found 1T
while in hiding before the murder
he left some onions and paper.
He was subjected to rigid cross
examination; but he stuck to hi
story in all its essential points. Ii
would be 26 years old on the 12tl
January next; was native of Chat
aqua, Indian Territory; went undeI
two names, S. Swearingen and Horac,
Love; never inquired for mail in any
other name; had no certain occup.
alton; enlisted in Talhassee, deserted
from army 14th or 10Th November.
and went to Stockton; was in Lancht
Plana for first time on Christmas
night; was afraid defendant would
kill him if he inquired in regard tc
the killing of the old lady, and if he
accused him of the deed; went tC
Lancha Plana last March to cut
wood; lived at Wilson CralI's place
two or three weeks; knew Chester
Maker we'll; close friendship exist
ed between them; knew Mrs Williams
by sight; heard defendant and others
say that she had money; was in good
health on the 9th OF June, same as
now; went to work for Alonzo Muir
ply as a farm hand just before the
picnic at Clements; M. Duffy worked
there after 9th of June; went to San
| hot ID
would return or not; had handled the
bay stallion, had driven him; was
| familiar about the place of a. Muir
ply; never heard persons fishing in
MCkelumne river on June 18th; heard
people passing on the road; stayed
about 40 yards above road, kept near
pipe line the day the murder was
committed, he had visited the Will
liam's home at different times; had
been there and stole chickens in the
month of April. Clarence Murphy
told him he had counted Mrs. Will
Jams money, as she trusted him ;
Witness was persuaded into it. it was
number of days before he, was per
suaded; told defendant the day before
Clements picnic that he would not
rob her, and defendant said he would
rob her without hurting her; he
(Swearlngen) did not want to see her
hurt.
Defendants attorney questioned
Love or Swearingen, in regards to
time of killing Swearingen, testified
that it was between II and l O'Clock
Monday morning, and why was Ches-
ter Maker and Mrs Williams dressed
at that time of night, when they were
supposed to be in bed and asleep.
He answered that Chester Maker
got up and went with Murphy to the
river, that he did not know why Mrs.
Williams was dressed.
Friday morning cross-examination
OF Swearingen was resumed. He said
he was part Choctaw Indian, Irish
and Dutch; the pistol he used to
guard Williams house on night of
murder, was given him by Clarence
Murphy, and Murphy told him to be
careful, as it was broken; defendant
told him to shoot, holler, and run if
any one came up to the Williams
house while he was guarding: the day
before the CIemments picnic,
Swearingen, and defendant met the
butcher of Cammanche, Frank Hunt;
defendant asked Hunt if he bought
Mrs Williams cattle, he said he had;
he then asked how much he paid for
them; he said he did not pay hun
dred dollars.
Witness was in Alonzo Murphy's
yard when arrested; Murphy told him
that if he would not turn states evil
dence, defendant and his brother,
Alonzo, would spend all they had to
clear him if he was arrested.
He said that the pants Murphy wore
were his, and that he recognized them
as they were on their way back to
the Murphy ranch, after the murder,
be could recognize them because it
was moonlight, and the moon was
quite high. He was then shown the
knife he said it was his knife, he did
not see knife on the night OF 18th
June, but Murphy told him he had
it. He had never seen the defendant
carry a pistol before that night
District attorney asked Sweariugen
if he had ever used this knife, on a
kangaroo, ape, horse, guinea pig, and
various animals, at the Murphy ranch.
He said he never had. Swearingen
was then withdrawn temporarily.
L. K. Norman testified: Recognized
the knife, first saw it on 23rd of
June, it was handed him by Swear
ingen, and on oath of June he turned
it over to district attorney, pants he
also Unidentified, got pants on same
day as knife; he also turned same
over to district attorney. A piece OF
cloth was then shown him which he
said was the same he had cut out of a
mattress in the house of Phoebe A.
Williams. Saw body of deceased on
18th day of June, lying on bed in
front room. diagram of room was
produced;) first heard of murder
18th June, Immediately proceeded to
Lancha Plana; found body lying on
west side OF bed in front room.
Thomas Price Lived in San Fran
cisco; was general chemist; en-
gagged in that business tor 80 years.
He identified the knife as one he had
tested to determine the character of
blood; found clot on handle and on
blade, then proceeded to find char