The Delta independent., 1908-09-25
Roberts Gets First Degree.

of Colorado versus j. G. Roberts alias
James Campbell Stewart came to a
close Wednesday and was delivered
into the hands of the jury.
A man who was known in Delta
county by the name of j. c. Roberts
was, on the 18th day of May, 1913, al
Crawford, arrested on the charge oi
elderly and much respected citizen oi
the community of Crawford. Colorado
Roberts was brought to Delta ane
bound over by Justice of the Peace
j. J. Travis in the sum of ten Thousand
dollars ior his appearance in the Dist
rict court at the September 1908 term,
and in default of bail was committed
to the county Jail. H. j. Baird Esquire
appeared for the defendant at the pre-
liminary hearing and closed the case
for the defendant in very elo-
quent and forceful plea on the ground
of the insanity of Roberts.
The story as told upon the witness
stand by the several witnesses would
tildI SOlilS ildIlCd CAioISo VII
the part OF Mr.. Roberts towards his
neighbor, Mr.. j. B. France, prior to
the killing of the latter on the 18th day
of May, 1908. There was sufficient tes-
timony given to show that threats were
made on the part of the defendant sig
nifying his willingness and determine
tion to take the life of the deceased.
On the 10th day of May, 1908, both
parties who lived on adjoining farms
about three miles distant from Craw-
ford, went to Crawford, ]. B. France,
according to the evidence, following
j. c. Roberts. On their return from
Crawford in the afternoon, Mr.. France
was again following Mr.. Roberts, and
at point about two miles from the
little town of Crawford in the cedars,
on the evening of the 18th the body OF
Mr.. France was found lying in the road,
as was also his hat, revolver and 9TH
er effects, and a little ways farther
down the road was found his buggy,
and still farther entangled in cedar
tree was the team of the deceased On
the arrival of the deputy sheriff and
other citizens of the neighborhood it
was discovered that MIR. France had
been shot in the forehead, the ball
coming out at the back of his head, and
further investigation disclosed the fact
that at a lone cedar tree about twenty
feet distant from the roadway were
found tracks of human being indicat-
ing the position Of one who might have
committed the crime.
On the evening of the 18th of May
the defendant came to the house of Mr..
George Sease, which was some four or
five miles from the scene of the trag-
edy, at the hour of ten O'Clock, called
Mr.. Sease out and said he wanted
to eat and accommodations
for the night and stating further that
he had to get out of there as the sheriff
was after him. Mr.. Sease asked him
why they were after him, and what
evidence they had against him, to
which he replied that Mr.. France had
done him great deal of dirt and that
the only evidence against himself was
the big gun he carried, being 32-40
In several broken sem
tences at this time he practically ad
mitted the killing of Mr.. France to Mr..
Sease. He was given something to
eat but on account of the nervous con-
iition of Mr.. Sease's wife he was not
given quarters for the evening, and
was told by Mr.. Sease to go home and
not to run away but to give himself up
20 the sheriff like man.
On the 18th of May, Sheriff Gibbs
took charge of Mr.. Roberts, who was
arrested by Mr.. 1. H. Williams, and
he defendant was brought to Delta
md placed in Jail awaiting the prelim-
nary examination.
The trial in the District court has
all of two days and has been
,ery interesting from the beginning. |
Attorney H. ]. Baird for the defendant
,ffered as evidence of the condition of
he mind of the defendant many letters
written by the defendant in 1907 to w.
4. Taft, secretary of war, and to the
private secretary of Mr.. Taft, also
several letters to various other parties
all concerning claim of inheritance to
an estate of certain Indian chief with
whom, by inference, Mr.. Roberts had
been acquainted in the past. Some of
the letters had been improperly directed
and the envelopes bore proof of having
been sent from the Dead Letter Office.
These letters as whole showed con-
that the one who had written