Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-02-01
WITNESS sWEARs THOMPSON
WAS SHOT IN THE BACK
From Wednesdays Daily.


The preliminary hearing of Jesse
Stansel, charged with killing the late
Sheriff w. q. Thompson, was com
menced this morning at 10 O'Clock
before Judge Houx at the court house.
the court room being crowded. The
Herald will endeavor to give a pretty
fun synopsis of the evidence. the
following being the Witnesses testify.
ing this forenoon;
DR. Turrell was called to describe
the wounds he found In his examina-
ton Of Thompson. He said he found
five shots had taken effect. one In the
abdomen, one In the right breast, one
in the right side of the neck, one In
| the left side of the neck, and one In
| the face.
County Clerk Eddy was called ia
establish that VIM. ]. Thompson was
sheriff of La Plata county when he
was killed.
- ~--M.--l-ackey-- called as
coroner. He said he had heard the
shooting; that he was at the scene
WV
or three minutes later. He found
Thompson In front of the barber
shop. lying partly in. partly out. He
spoke to Thompson, who said, AR
rest that fellow" Examined the body
by opening the shirt, discovering two
or three wounds which he thought
fatal. Produced pistol which was
given TO him by Wesley Helm as be-
ing the gun Thompson had In the
tragedy. Said there were three load
or shells in the gun. two empty
shells and one chamber of the cylin.
der which had no shell; probably
Thompson carried 1t empty for safe
ty, thought the chamber 3S-caliber.
probed wounds later to advise jury.
~ found a wound lin the nose, anoth-
er through the neck, one through the
abdomen, one through the right nip
Pile. ranging through the right side
and out. don't remember a wound
on the back of the neck. found
four wounds on the body. ! WAS not
counting the openings hut figuring on
the number OF wounds"
W. A. Reese cross-examined: DR..
I.ackey continued: II. DR.. Turrell and
DR.. Hurd examined Thompson:
thought the holes In the neck were
made by one shot probed seven
or eight inches into the wound In
the nose. Helm gave me the revoiv-
er. / have a bullet we took out OF
Stanse. saw one ball In the
morgue said to be taken out Of the
snerii's clothes. ! heard the shots.
II was about tree minutes before
arrived at the scene. ! do not remem-
ber others than the doctors present.
Quite crowd was present. / never
saw that gun before II was given To
me by Helm. Helm told me II came
on the sheriff"
r. c. Gradient have lived In La
Plata county 20 years: | knew Sheriff
Thompson about fifteen years. hs
was sheriff of the county saw
| Thompson about 10 o'clock that morn
ing. ! was in the Durango Democrat
office when | heard firing. we went
out and looking down the street saw
| Thompson and Stansel; Stansel was
striking Thompson over the head
with his gun, five or six times:
walked on down and when got there
Thompson was lying on the sidewalk
a little later | saw Stansel standing
In the door OF the El Moro with q
gun in each hand; Thompson was ~
ing in front OF Helms shop: II wai
about twenty feet between them
Stansel said something but I could
not understand what he said; the dis
tance from the Democrat Office tC
where the shooting occurred Is about
100 feet below the cross street
Stansel was nearest to me: Tbomp
son was throwing up nis hands as II
to ward of the blows. but he ap
peared to be helpless, and after try
ing to avoid the lrst two blows made
no further effort: had a good view
OF Thompson; saw no gun In
ThOmpson's hand: Stansel strucl
very hard blows, swinging blows: n
did not knock Thompson down: ! saV