The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-07-26

w. T. Wells. on trial for killing Oh
lie Shirley, was on the stand, il will
be remembered, as the Record went
TO press Saturday afternoon. His
story started with the construction of
the Wells building on South Main
street over which the trouble arose
that resulted in the shooting of Shir-
ley on the morning of the ninth of
March last. and in Saturdays paper
was given his testimony as to re-
ceiving warnings from various peo-
pie. the threats TO laborers who came
To work and the many remarks he ov-
erheard himself. said to others and
intended for him to hear. IL will he
remembered that, in his testimony.
shirley and Freeland, the two lead
ers OF the labor union in this affair,
mad, Wells testified. threatened the
bunch of negroes who had come to
work on the building the morning of
the 9Th and had left them. going to
the north Wells then went to the
negroes. he testified. and told them
that whatever was said to them that
day tha' they should not respond 10
ii. He told them to stay there and
that he would see about putting them
TO work later. He told them that their
time was then going on. or that they
were on the payroll. or words to that
effect.
As Wells finished talking to the
negroes he saw Shirley and Freeland
returning from the north and noticed
the pOcket-knife in Shirley's right
hand that he had seen earlier in the
morning. When he saw the knife he
took a step or two in their direction.
with the idea of gaining shelter ibe-
hind the brick column at that end of
the hardware store building. and ii
possible to get TO the stairway Oh the
other side of the brick column, which
was about eight feet away. He stopp-
ed an instant and then went again
toward the column and met the two
men before he got there. He then
carefully indicated the positions of
all men present. using himself, law
yers and court bailiff to take the posi-
tions of the various men. He placed
Shirley and Freeland not over two
feet from himself The third union
man, name unknown, was placed not
over five feet to his back and left
side. Shirley and Freeland in front of
him made almost a circle about him.
Witness Wells then told of Shirley
having the knife open when he saw
the two men coming and of Shirley
putting il in his front trousers pock-
ct. putting both hands in the front
trousers pockets as he did so. He de
scribed the knife as being jack
knife. or mans pocket knife of some
thing over the average size. He was
shown a good sized pocket knife and
told to compare it with Shirley's
knife. He said Shirley's knife was
longer and the blade broader than the
one presented. He said the Shirley
knife blade was what he was judging
the knife from, and declared it, the
blade. to have been four and a half
inches long. He was positive in this
description.
Wells testified that when he saw
Shirley walking with this knife open
in his hand, he glanced up to Shir-
ley's face. Their eyes met, and Shir-
ley's were full of anger, his face
flushed. This. Wells said. was what
caused him to start forward toward
the pillar He said he was scared and
wanted to get to the pillar for safe
ty.
Shirley had both hands in his front
pants pockets. witness said. when he
advanced to within two feet of Wells
Shirley said: Are you going TO work
these niggers?'
'Yes. If / have to-" answered Wells
Said .Freeland, Don't you know the
people here won't allow you to work
thesn?"
And Wells answered. he testified
The people of this town pay no at
4ention 40 my private business 81
long as l pay my bills"
Shirley then said in a loud tone
1--WE won't let you."
Then Shirley took his left hand ou
of his pocket and left his right hant
in the right pocket. said Wells, a.