The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-06-03
PRELIMINARY HEARING OF
COCHRANE NEARING END
Man Charged With Having Killed Allan Whit Near Writ
Posofice in Itasca County, Putting Up Strong Fight
Through Attorney G. II. Spear.

his gun at Whltt'S breast and
threatened to shoot him; that
Whit showed the gun to one
side and rubbing Cochrane's
cheeks, said that he(Whitt)woul
not kill Cochrane now, and that
Cochrane went back to the house,
threatening Whit with violence
as he went; that she and Whit
went on down the road and after
wards returned to the Anderson
house, Mrs. Whit claiming that
she had left some article at the
Anderson house which she want
ed.
Mrs. Whit states that they
noticed Cochrane sitting in the
door, with his gun across his
knee, and when they had ap.
preached to within a few feet of
where Cochrane sat, the latter
again leveled his gun at Whit
and with the words "You black
Kentucky -" pulled the
trigger, the bullet entering
Whitt's breast.
Whit according to Mrs. Whitt)
stepped back a few feet when
Cochrane aimed the gun, and
Anderson, who was standing to
the right of Whit, sprang to
where Whit stood and grabbed
the latter's gun, which was rest
ing with the butt on the ground.
When Cochrane fired, Whitt's
gun was in Anderson's possess
sion and he was utterly at the
mercy of Cochrane. Mrs. Whit
says that she dropped down be-
side her husband when he fell,
wrung her hands and made
frantic efforts to revive him, call
ing upon him to speak to her.
Whit, says the witness, expired
with the words, "My wife,"
While Mrs. Whit claims to
have been we'll nigh crazed and
out of her mind from grief, she
had the presence of mind to go
into the house (when Cochrane
stepped out) AMI examine the in
terror to note whether there we're
any bullet marks visible any,
where in the room; and she
asserts that there were no signs
anywhere of any shots having
been fired into the room.
The story of the manner in
which Whit met his death as
given by Mr.. Cochrane, and sub.
stantiated by the testimony of
Anderson, throws an entirely
different light on the matter.
They say that when Cochrane
and Whit and his wife went
down the road to hunt, Whit,
who showed the effects Of liquor
somewhat, threatened Cochrane
and continued his abuse until
Cochrane abruptly left and re-
turned to the Anderson house,;
that while he and Anderson we're
in the house, with Cochrane
standing directly in front of the
door, they heard Whit exclaim
from the outside, "I'll kill the
old -," and then a shot rang
out, the bullet passing through
the doorway, just missing Coch-
rane and passing on into the
further room, lodged in a win
dow sill.
j Cochrane and Anderson state
that Cochrane simply stuck his
gun in front of him and without
taking any aim, fired out of the
door. There was a scream and
upon going outside Whit was
found lying on the ground, with
a bullet hole in his upper left
side.
The claim is made that the shot
was fred Immediately after the
bulletfrom Whitt's gun came near
ending Cochrane's earthly car
eer; and was fired on the i'm
pulse of the moment, IN a spirit
of self-defense; that Cochrane
had not, at any time during the
day leveled his gun at Whit or in
any manner threatened him. 1t
is also denied that any reference
was made by Cochrane as to
burying the body and letting the
coroner "come and dig it up, il