The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-19
contrary to popular expectation. the

Contrary to popular expectation. the
coroner's Jury, which today heard
tho conclusion OF the testimony rela-
tive to tie death of Kitty" Charles
Staples. brought in verdict which
did not in the least exonerate the lat
ter's SLAYER, Clarence Ernst. local
colored man.
The statement of ErnstJ to the eff
feet that he had done the shooting in
self-defense. had apparently been
quite widely accepted and 1t was
freely predicted that his act would be
justified In the eyes OF the coroner's
jury. AS the various witnesses were
examined, however. 1t became evident
that Ernst acted hastily. Not only
was no weapon seen In the hands OF
Staples at the time OF the trouble,
but it was shown that he was not even
advancing in the direction Of Ernst
when the shot was fired.
A knife. the only weapon OF any
kind found upon the person of the
dead man, was introduced In court by
Sergeant Ternes. who had searched
Staples and had found the knife in
one Of his pockets. 1t Is a very thin
knife with a, three-inch blade and one
smaller one. The wooden sides OF the
knife had been removed and the rivets
hammered down in such way as to
permit the secretion Of the knife in
very srflall place. as the lining Of
sleeve OF in a shoe. Knives OF this
description are often found Secreted
In the footwear of criminals.
In giving their verdict, the jurors
stated simply that In their opinion
Staples came to his death by means
of a gunshot wound, inflicted by Clar.
ence Ernst, thus leaving the matter
open for the law to decide whether
the killing shall so upon record as
justif1able.
A warrant, charging Ernst with
this afternoon by the county attor-
ney.
The jurors we're George D. Folk
man, Claude Zinn and Joseph Rufla.
Robert Giles, colored, was the first
witness called. Giles was dealing In
a game of BLACK Jack" in Ernsts pool
and billiard room on Lincoln avenue,
Saturday night, Staples being one of
the players. A dispute arose over the
stakes between Giles and Staples,
resulting in both snatcning for the
money on the table, Giles secured the
money and ran around the room pur-
sued by Staples, finally making his
escape through the barber snop and
down Twenty-f1fth street, where Sta
piles followed him for some distance.
Giles stated that Staples had tried
to kill him In Boise a year ago and
hat ha nI n 10
man After getting away from Sta
pies, Giles returned in the direction
of the pool room but before he had
rounded the corner, he heard the
sound of a shot and concluded that
Staples had either shot someone or
mad himself been shot.
Henry Page, who has known Staples
for several years, Sergeant Ben
Ternes, who searched the wounded
man at the police station. James Har-
viii. who saw the shooting, William l..
Hall who was in the card game and
who saw Ernst go 10 the cigar case
and get his revolver prior TO the
shooting William Mallory. horse
trainer who told OF Staples having a
watch In pawn with Ernst for So, and
William Jackson, waiter on the
Southern Pacific. who went arter Sta
pies to the Assembly saloon and after
ward tried to induce Staples not to
return TO Ernsts place. were called to
the witness stand for iiieir individual
testimony regarding the case.
The whole matter summed up was
that Staples was drunk and Ernst
considered him a bad man. that nc
had notified the officers that Staples
was pickpocket anc would be a dan
gerous man to arrest; that he want
ed Staples to leave his pool room for
fear his presence would result In SER
ious trouble; that wIen Staples re-
turned to the place after CHASING Giles
down the street. he STOOD in front of
his Oool room and, a;ier warning
Staples to go away ne hal shot him
with a 3S-callber gun. afterward claim
ing that because Staples had his
hands clasped in peculiar manner in
front of his body, he thought he was
concealing a knife with which to do
him serious injury.