, 1906-11-09
UNIVERSITY STUDENT
KILLS HIS CLASSMATE

volver a few weeks ago from Sears,
carried it two times since receiving it,
once up the railroad track and again
out toward the city springs. He de.
clared he vas not used to- carrying a
pistol. having had more experience
with a rifle OF shotgun. He further
said his parents would not approve of
his having the pistol.
Forgot the ReIoading.
Yesterday morning Holmes said he
had the pistol out cleaning it at his
room. He had but two cartridges left
and these he replaced in the chambers
of the weapon when he returned it to
his trunk. When Sutphin asked to see
the pistol Holmes said he did not re-
member that he had replaced the shells
and believed the pistol was empty.
He was not thinking seriously of the
matter and cannot say why he pointed
the muzzle at Sutphin when he came
into the room with the pistol in his
hands. Involuntarily he pulled the
trigger and the shell exploded. He
was quite Mortified at the sound of
the explosion, and seeing Sutphin sink
to the floor at his feet, he at one left
the room, just why he was unable to
say.
Mothers Love for Son.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sutphin were notified
of the killing of their son a'few min
utes after the fatal shot was fred and
both fastened to the Hortenstein home.
Mrs. Sutphin was almost overcome,
and would not believe that the boy in
to whose face she looked as she knelt
by his side would not again answer
her loving call to open his eyes and
speak to her. The mother love swelled
into her breast, but for a long time her
eyes were dry, the great grief seeming
to prevent the flood of tears that came
and brought sob after sob of an
guish from her loving, tender heart.
She pressed her lips to those of her
murmuring loving words into his
u~nresponsive ears, her tender touches
bringing n return from the stiffening
of the youth. She was finally
led home, there to weep and moan for
her younger son.
Born in This City.
John Hull Sutphin was born in this
city April 4, 1891, and grew to cele-
brate the fifteenth anniversary of his
birth. He had entered the preparatory
of the university, taking
an active part in the formation Of the
of cadets, and was eagerly
awaiting the coming of his new uni
form, of which he was going to be Sc
proud. His classmates liked him, the
officers of the battalion of cadets liked
him and he was a ~favorite with the
Roommates and Friends,
Young Holmes came here from his
home at Oakley, Wyo., at the begin
ming of the present school year, along
with his roommate, James Roddy, of
who had been given the
Kemmerer Coal company's scholarship
of 500. The two boys had the upper
front room at the Hortenstein house,
their meals at the home of Mr..
and Mrs. Knapp on North Fourth
They had been with young
Sutphin and Sumner Grant during the
afternoon and would have separated
shortly, each going to his supper, but
for the accident. Holmes told on the
stand today that his parents would not
approve Of his having the pistol, and
it was learned afterward that among
the last messages his mother gave him
before he left home was one that he
do not buy a pistol. She fought his
having one to the last and he moaned
through the night in bitterness of soul,
fearing the result of the message that
would go to her telling her of the ac-
cident.
spent Night in Tears.
Holmes was taken in hand by Sheriff
Reals, as much to prevent him doing
injury to himself as anything else, and
he and his roommate spent the night
at the sherlff's apartments at the court
house. This morning he was visited
by a number of friends from the stu
dent body, members of the faculty and
others, who sought to impress upon his
bewildered brain the fact that the kill
ing was accidental, that he had not
sinned greatly and that he would not
be punished by the law. Still he cried
and would not be comforted.
witnesses on Stand.
Among the witnesses examined by
Coroner Fitch at the city hall were
Holmes himself, DR.. Hamilton, Sum-
! ner Grant and young Roddy. DR.. Ham,
| ilton testified as a physician, the 9TH
ers giving the facts as they saw them.
The jury returned a verdict this after
noon.
other Boys in Room.
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