Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-20
MAN WHO SHOT PAINTER
is RELEASED BY JUSTICE
Saws HefBegan Shooting Only After
Graft Had Cursed Him and
al Reached for His
II Gun

Special to The Herald
| PASADENA, July 19.-Walker Jones Oh
iArroyo Verde Springs, South Pasadena
Avbol has been under $1,000 bond for the
hastI two weeks charged with the shoot
ling bf2l3 M. Graft of West Sixth street,
SI.os Ansbles, on the evening of July at
kArrdvecNerde, had a hearing before JUS
Nice Glover of South Pasadena today and
WAS acquitted and released from bond
/ Justtre-Glover court was crowded with
spectators all day, the hearing occupying
praetieally the whole time from o CLOCK
m the morning to 4:SO in the afternoon
Great interest was manifested in the out
come of the case.
A. M Graft, the complaining witness,
KaA drSt on the stand. He went over
the story of coming out from Los An
geles on the evening of July 4, with four
eompades; of their stopping at Arroyo
Verde Springs on the way to Covina,
and of Jones coming out of the store while
he was watering his horse and beginning
to shoot without apparent provocation
firing six shots, one of which passed
snro0SA his leg.
He. told of drawing his revolver and
firing at Jones four times, each shot going
wild. Then he had his wound dressed by
DR.. Avery and went on to Covina that
night.
The three men who were with Graft
were also called as witnesses. They cor
rUborated part of his story, but there
wegeeimportant points of disagreement il
the Testimony of these four witnesses.
-soa Is. Defendant Takes Stand
aaghes defendant was then called to testi
fly in hi} own behalf. He said Graft anG
his comrades had driven up to his place
IN Che evening with an old wagon laden
with two cases, forty-eight quarts, OF
beer paint brushes and some cans OF
fresh paint. He added that the men tres
passed upon his property, went around
and tried the back door, and made them
selves generally obnoxious about the
place to the point of ndecency.
He requested them to leave and quit
annoying him and his family, he said,
but they refused, and when he ordered
them to get out Graft drew his revolver
and, fired, emptying the six chambers. He
said ,he did the shooting in self-defense,
attempting to wound his antagonist be-
fofe-the latter could shoot him.
After emptying his revolver he disap-
Reared, also in self-defense, because his
ammunition was gone and he was afraid
one of the other men in CRAFTS party
Would open fire on him.
Jpnes refused to make a statement the
night of the shooting on the advice of
ms. attorney, d. u. Gardner of South
Pasadena who represented him at the
hearing today. The state was repre-
Serted by Paul Mccormick of the district
attorneys office at Los Angeles
Zones is prominent man in his home
town, having formerly been a member OF
the South Pasadena council. Previous tc
that he had been a well known newspa-
per man in Pasadena.
"A report was heard this evening that
there had been some indecision about the
courts finding in the hearing. Justice
Glover says this is "all bosh" He says
IA, had weighed the evidence and was
satisfied there was no cause for holding
Jones even before the ATTORNEYS had
made their arguments
You or l would have been out there
using gun before Jones was, with the
same provocation," said he.
Hotel del Coronado" greatly improved