Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-27
EXAMINATION OF
RYAN IS BEGUN
CHARGED WITH MURDER OF
MINING MAN
WITNESSES DESCRIBE SHOOTING
IN HOTEL LOBBY
Testified That Organizing Secretary
of Western Federation Was Sober
When He Fired Bullets
Fatal to Two Men

terday was occupied, Police Justice
Frederickson continued until this att
ernoon the preliminary examination OF
Albert Ryan, organizing secretary OF
the Western Federation Of Miners, on
charge of murder.
Ryan is accused of the murder or II.
E. Snyder, q mining man, who was
struck by a stray bullet from the au-
tomato revolver of Ryan when the
latter was shooting at Otto Miller, q
porter at the United States hotel, In
the lobby of the hotel the night OF
July 16. AS the result of the fuslliade
from Ryan's pistol Snyder was killed
Instantly. Otto Miller was wounded ia
tally and Miguel Lopez, a Mexican Ia
borer, was wounded painfully.
Although Ryan is responsible Tor tIle
death of two men, his preliminary ex-
animation yesterday was for the muir
der Of Synder. an innocent bystander'
The accused is represented by Attor-
ney Fred w. Morrison, and the latter
| In his REORGANIZATION of the wit
nesses questioned the witnesses as TO
whether Ryan was drinking on the
| night the shooting occurred. Inc re-
Div invariably was that the accused
was not under the influence of liquor
Victim a Mining Man
Among the number of witnesses sum-
moned by the prosecution were Coro-
ner Hartwell, who testified to the fact
that an inquest was held and identi-
fed the pistol which had been given
him by the patrolman who arrested
| Ryan, and A. l.. Snyder, nephew OF one
! of the men killed. The latter staten
| his uncle was a mining man who for
merly lived at Goldfield.
Frank r. Place, night clerk at the
hotel, was one of the most important
witnesses for the prosecution. He
stated that Ryan walked to the desk
about GAS o'clock the night OF July 10,
took off his coat and laid 1t on the
| counter.
At saw the butt of a gun sticking
from his pocket" said the witness.
1.-THE place was crowded with persons
who had assembled to witness the
electrical parade, and some one asked
Ryan what he was going to do. There
will be something doing" Ryan replied.
Ryan then walked toward the rear
| of the lobby and reached for his pistol.
Then l came from behind the counter
| to see what was going on and saw him
walk close to Otto Miller, the porter,
who was sitting down reading a paper.
Describes Shooting
"Ryan. with the weapon in his hand,
approached within few feet of Miller,
and the latter dropped his paper and
! SLOWLY rose to his feet and appeared TO
lean back a trife. Ryan then raised
the pistol and began to back away. :.
81 then ran to the front door to cal
an officer and heard several shots
fired. 1 did not see any person struck
but saw Miller and Snyder lying on the
floor. Snyder was dead and Miller was
groaning."
on REORGANIZATION Place stated
he did not hear any words pass be-
tween Miller and Ryan, that there hac
~ Lab Of hn
the previous night and Ryan, who was
standing nearby, had been urging or
the combatants. The witness theT
stated Miller appeared on the scene
and later he saw Ryan standing by
the desk wiping the blood from his
face.
Attorney Morrison for the defense
who made an attempt to have Il
stricken out as being immaterial Dep
uty District Attorney Arthur latch
however, insisted that 1t was materia
and after some argument the motion
to have that part of the testimony
stricken out was denied by Justice
Frederickson.
Ryan Struck In Face
This is the disturbance that is al
legged to have resulted in the killing
of Miller and Snyder and the wound
ing of Lopez. Ryan is said to have
interfered with Miller when the lattel
sought to separate the combatants an(
was struck in the face, presumably b.
Miller.
Another witness to the shooting wa
Frank Staplin, a miner of Goldheld
an intimate friend of Snyder, the maj
who was killed.
} "Snyder and I went into the hote
at about 6;45 o'clock" said Staplin
, n road
! paper We were sitting together ant
the first I knew of any trouble wa
; when I heard shot. / jumped III
ard another shot rang out and I heart
Snyder give low groan, slip from hi
seat and fall to the floor Then l saw
Ryan with q pistol In his hand ant
heard two or three more shots fire.
in rapid succession. then went Z
Snyder, turned him over and found n
was dead
A subdued ripple of laughter raj
around the court room during the ties
timony of w. H. Mckee, a bookkeepe
for the Grant Brothers Construction
company. a guest at the United State
hotel, when he stated he heard tn
shots. saw Miller fall and started t.
go to him when Ryan yelled "stan'
back"
IT saw the gun in his hand and ga
down again." said the witness.
, Thought Shots Firecrackers
Mckee stated the shots were fire.
rapidly and he heard some one say
Don't shoot any more; you haV
killed him"
, The witness stated he thought tn
first two shots were firecrackers an
= did not pay any attention to the at
fair until the next shot, when he say
Ryan shooting and after the next tw
t shots saw Miller fall to the floor.
Others who testified were r. N
) Moore of East Auburn, Cal. Darre
| ]. Rankin and Patrolman w. L. Rich
, ards, who made the arrest. He identi
/ fed the pistol and told of the circum
, stances in connection with the arres
of Ryan.
At the conclusion of the testimony c
the witnesses Attorney Morrison state
: that there was no evidence to sho'
3 that Snyder died of gunshot wound
. the transcript of the testimony of wit
t nesses at the inquest having been ex
0 cluded. Deputy District Attorne
Keetch said he could prove death b
gunshot wound by the physician VIII
4 performed the autopsy and the hear
; ing was continued until today in OF
r der to summon DR.. George w. Camp
bell and have him testify.
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