Oakes Republican. (Oakes, N.D.) 1898-1906, 1905-09-14
where he thought he could get better
wages. He took the train at Redfeld
LAST Monday On the xau to Aberdeen

last Monday. On the way to Aberdeen
he talked little with the alleged MUIR
derer, Barker was trying to get up a
card game, he said, with the other boys.
At Aberdeen he went down town and
returned in time to catch his train.
He said that when the train got to the
town where the water tank is the party
in his car was joined by Williams and
Zook; that the alleged murderer rode in
the same car with him for some time
and he recognized him as the same man
with whom he had talked earlier, and
that before the train reached Hecla,
the, man got out. He said that just as
the train was leaving Hecla, probably
when it was less than three-quarters Of
mile from the town, two men swung
into the car in which the eight compan-
ions were riding, and yelled to them.
Hands up He said that he was sit
ting at the time diagonally across from
the door in which the robbers entered.
He could see two revolvers, a glare
from small searchlight, and in the
glare the faces Of the robbers covered
with masks. He could not recognize
the smaller of the men now ifhe should
see him, but the larger man he now
recognized as the man who had talked
with him that afternoon. He said on
the stand that Barker was one of the
men. He said that the men brushed
past him and went to the north end of
escaped, but he remained and heard the
shot fired. After the robbers had gone
he remained alone with the wounded
man and then went and told the con-
ductor, who made the remark that he
didn't care. He described the bullet
wound exactly as did Williams, saying
that he saw Zook after the latter's
death.
| On cross examination by Mr.. Taub-
man the fact was brought out that a
year ago Ashby was arrested in Mime
apolis for losing his money while drunk
in saloon. He asked an officer to
get his money back and was arrested
and given ten days. He admitted hav-
ing no constant employment. He said
that he was unmarried. Coming down
to the commitment of the murder, Mr..
Taubman asked him how he could tell
Barker was the murderer if he could
not distinctly see the mans face.
Ashby said that he could from the gen.
eral makeup of the man and by the
sound of his voice. Mr.. Taubman ask
ed if he knew anything particularly
striking about the man to enable him
to tell him by his general makeup. The
answer was that there was not, but he
was certain that Barker was the man.
Mr.. Taubman closed his questioning by
asking witness if he did not live in that
part Of Illinois known as ''Little Egypt. .
Witness said he had lived near there
Mr.. Taubman then asked if a gang o1
counterfeiters had not been caught
there. Witness said that there had
] Deputy Sheriff Wilmsen then tool
the stand and said Hecla was three OF
} four miles this side of the state line
His testimony was simply to show thai
the murder occurred in this county
MIR. Taubman had no questions to ash
of Mr.. Wilmsen.
The state then offered as exhibits {
: ring taken from the accused man.
finger, black cloth, which the state
will propably try to prove was the masl
worn by one of the men.
Harry Stickler, who is pal of Weld
ermon, was the next witness called
He thoroughly corroborated the story
told by Weidermon. John Yankowsk
also told story similar to the others
Landlord Kohnke of the Arlington
Hotel also testified, saying that tn.
udH. dpPedieu a. HIS AOteA ClldI nASH
J with a different coat and hat.
At the conclusion of the hearing Bar
ker was taken back to the Jail, where
he was put in one of the cells upstair.
apart from the other prisoners. H.
| said nothing after the hearing excep
that he thought that the witnesses fol
the state would have given more damag
ing testimony than they did. He con
sidered that he got off easy.
Thursday night he wrote letter t.
his brother at Ashton, addressing hin
as Thomas Barker. There is positivel,
no doubt but he is the man who served
three years at Sioux Falls for seriou:
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