The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-27
SIMPSON soon
TO KNOW FATE
.CoLoRED SLAYER OF CHAs.
CLARKE TOLD HIS VERSION OF
SHOOTING ToDAY-DENIEs He
FIRED FATAL sHoTs-cLAIMs
UNFAIR TREATMENT.

Without Strengthening his case in
the least or offering one statement to
show that the crime OF which he lie
accused was not one of the most cold
blooded deeds in the criminal history
of the county, Edward w. Simpson, on
trial for the murder of Charles Clarke.
this morning told his story on the wit
ness stand. Surly and ugly, swapping
replies at questions put by his attor-
ney, claiming that he had not been
given fair show, and apparently sour
ed on the world in general, for two
hours and half he held the boards
and it was not until IL o'clock that
the state finished the cross -examina-
tion of the man, on whom the clutches
of the law appear to be Tightening,
with the clouds darkening as the end
of the trial draws near.
In giving his history, Simpson claim
ed that he had served in the Ninth
and Tenth cavalry, in Cuba and the
Philippines, leaving the service with
an honorable discharge.
Purchase of the Gun.
Simpson claimed that he purchased
the gun for use in a robbery which ne
planned with Miller, known as Gray.
He stated that as soon as he was re-
leased from the county Jail, April IL.
late in the afternoon, that he endeav-
ored to get an automatic gun which
he had pawned, but was urable to
redeem it. He then went to two other
places, but for some reason the wea-
pons were not to his liking.
At one place he says that Miller was
with him and when he picked out a
cheap gun Gray warned him against
buying it, stating that a party put
their lives in Simpsons hand that
evening.
The defendant testified that he told
the police that something was going tc
be pulled off that night. He told how
he heard that several parties were go
ing to give him his "needings" for
turning states evidence against Dean.
Was Going to Leave.
Great stress was laid on the theory
that he was going to leave the city
the evening OF April 2, "on the first
train east" He recalled several times
that he told people down on Front
street that he was in great hurry tc
leave the city. At Epstein's place.
where he finally purchased the revol.
yer with which he killed Clarke. he
stated that he was going to leave on
the 9:40 train.
On his first visit to the Eureka res
taurant, Simpson claims that he was
attacked by Clarke. After being or
dered from the place, he was knock
ed down and kicked several times by
the proprietor of the house wnere he
was spending mis- money.
Shooting Unprovoked.
That the shooting was entirely un-
provoked was brought UP unquestion-
ably by the defendant and doubtless
established to the entire satisfaction
of the jury. Simpson stated that he
entered the place and that Clarke
creid "Get out of here you black --------
," at the same time stopping
down as IL reaching for something
behind the counter. While Clarke
was in this stopping position, before
he had a chance to raise UP, simpson
let fire and emptied the gun. The de-
fendant stated that he did not know
what Clarke was reaching for at the
time.
AS to the shots which three wit
nesses testified as to hearing positive
ly, coming from the back room, and
which Estella Miller, the states star
witness testified as to seeing, Simp-
son wore that he did not fire them.
Barred from Coroner's Inquest.
Simpson claimed that he had not
been given a fair show-being held
In jail while the coroner's inquest was
held. Unaware that the inquest was
held for the sole purpose of fixing the
cause OF Clarke's death, he labored
under the impression that he should
have been there to hear what was
going on.
He objected strongly because the
sheriff took his old clothes away from
him, when arrested and gave MIN new
ones. He does not think that he was
given fair show in not being allow
ed to have friends call every after
noon at the jail.
Witnesses for Defense.
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