The state herald., 1908-05-01
The WALKER MURDER CASE
IS OPENED AT DURANGO
HUNDRED vENlREMEN HAVE BEEN
AHMED AND OPENING STATEMENTS PRosEcu-
TioN AND DEFENSE.

Durango, Colo.-The jury in whose
hands the fate of Joseph Vanderweide
and William Mason, charged with the
murder of Secret Service Agent Jo-
seph A. Walker of Denver last Noyem-
Der, near the Hesperus mine. will rest,
was secured Friday afternoon at 3
O'Clock after fully $50 veniremen had
been examined.
The opening statements of the attor-
neys were made before adjournment
Of court and the hearing of evidence
set to begin Saturday.
The jury as chosen includes Virgil
Hammer, John .luby, farmer; w. }.
Boyle, mine operator; AL Bernard, ex-
pressman; James Dennison, mine op-
orator; Jacob Hargeshimer. butcher;
Martin Bushnell, barber; L. V. Clarke,
ranchman; NJ. b. Conley, ranchman;
Marion Drury. blacksmith and wagon
maker; A. f. Knapp and Thomas Far
ley, laborers.
OF these Bernard. Dennison, Harge-
sinner and Bushnell are residents of
Durango. The others are from differ
ent parts of the county.
District Attorney Pulliam opened
the case for the prosecution. He be-
gan by saying that the prosecution
would attempt to show that Joseph A.
Walker, United States secret service
agent, was shot and killed by William
Mason and Joseph Vanderweide while
he was in the discharge of his duty,
and that the killing was cold.blooded
murder.
He said the prosecution will also
show that Walker, in company with ].
T.. Chapson, geological expert, Thorn
as Harper, a practical coal man, and
j. Callaghan. special employe OF the
government, were making an examina-
tion of the underground workings be.
meath the air shaft Of the Porter Fuel
Company's mine near Hesperus, Nov.
3. 1907, to secure evidence to be used
by the government in the prosecution
of certain land fraud cases: that Walk
er remained at the top OF the air shaft
while his companions. by means of
rope ladder. went into the mine by the
air shaft; that Walker was killed while
these men were In the bottom
OF the shaft and that the defendants
then cut the rope ladder and dropped
1t to the bottom OF the air shaft.
The men In the shaft, after investi.
eating the workings of the mine, re.
turned to the air shaft and found the
ladder at the bottom. Harper. having
worked In mines, was able to climb TO
the top of the shaft and carried the
ladder with him. which was made Sc
cure and the other men climbed to the
top OF the shaft. where they found
Walker. lying dead. Harper. before
letting the rope down. examined Walk
er's body and found none OF his per
sonal effects missing. Callaghan then
started for town and Chapson and
Harper remained with the body.
He declared that Mason aud Wander.
weide ordered men to guard the mouth
OF the tunnel, they believing that after
the men In the mine found that the
ladder had been cut, they would be
forced 10 leave the mine by that en-.
trance.
Much stress, he said. will be laid on
evidence that Mason borrowed re-
yoly.r from "A bartender IN saloon
the night before the tragedy. and that
the two defendants were present In
this saloon the night before the killing
and were drinking
MIR. Pulllam said that Walkers re-
yolyer was lying about foot aud a
half away from Walkers body. that
the trigger was resting on an empty
shell which had not been recently emp
tied, and that the revolver was not
placed there by Walker.
Mr. Puiliam described how the body
lay, the finding Of blood clots seven
feet AWAY. which will prove that the
body had been moved: that Walker
was struck with six buokshot fired
sidewise from him. and that two OF
them struck him In the neck. one strik.
Ing the iugular vein. and three of the
shot struck him in the side and back. 80