The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-04-01
IN SELF. DEFENSE
SLAYER OF MlLuIONAlRE'S SON.
SAYS MCKENZIE DREW
GUN FIRST
PLEA OF COWD0YSTFYENS
WeatherWorn From Years of Strenu-
Gus Plains Life, Pennies and
Deaf, Stevens Faces
Ordeal Of Trial

Selby-W eatherworn and bent with
sixty years OF life in the cattle co n
try, penniless. almost entirely deaf,
with few friends and no relatives to
come 10 his aid Bud Stevens. for
mer cowboy and bartender, is on trial
for his life before Judge J. II. Eot-
tum. charged with the murder of IA
vid f. Mckenzie. knoNn among the
people of the west By the name OF
"DOde" Mckenzie. the son Of NJ rdo
Mckenzie. of Trinidad. Col. a million
aire cattle king Of not only Canada.
the United States. but OF Mexico as
we'll.
The crime with which Stevens is
charged was committed in Phil Du
Fran's saloon at lie BAau. in the fore
noon Of Dec. 1888. where Stevens was
working a. bartender.
DR.. Olson of lie Beau testified aS to
the nature of the wounds. He was fol-
lowed by Walter Mcdonald. jack Will
son. Billy Quinn. and Ambrose Ben
way all Of whom were at the time OF
The shooting in the employ Of tn Ma
tabor Cattle company. one Of MurdO
McKenZie's numerous ranches. The
murdered man was foreman of the
time"
When it came 20 details. thewit-
nesses contradicjed each other on
many points. The defense showed. on
cross-eXamination by these witness -.
that Mckenzie had had some trodble
with Stevens earlier in the mOrn'ng.
and that they all went to Nolan 3
harware store and stOd ont in from
while "Dode" went inside. and on his
temperance they imediatclv started
Over to De Fran's saloon, headed by
"Dode:" The defense was also able
70 show by Jack Wilson that he was
making for the doOr when Stevens
shot. which, undoubtedly. the dete sc
will make use of in showing that
'Dode' took his cowboys over TO Du
Francs place with the intent of max
ing trouble. and Wilson. knowing
what Was going on. got cold feet"
and was making for the door.
The state also called Tom NcGui-
gen and Leo Gregory. who We're eve
Witnesses. The defense. on crOSS-ex-
animation was able by these witness
es to show that not one of the former
Witnesses or themselves were in a 70
aitiOn to be real eve witnesses tO al
ne shooting. Not only from their
position. but from the fact that there
was a decided exodus towards the
doOr after the first shot.
All the witnesses for the state tes-
tifed that Stevens was the ~aggressor,
as he was al the rear of the bar when
node and his men entered. As Nc
Kenzie went forward he said: Il
don't want to have any trouble with
YOU whereupon Stevens. with an
oath. drew a gun from under the bar
and shot three times, Mckenzie get
ting as far as the sidewalk. where he
fell on his face dead.
The state. as a motive for the crime,
endeavOred to prove hat there had
been a feud between the men. dating
back to about five voars & when
"Dode" discharged Stevens from a %
as a cowboy on the Matador ranch;
also that the old man was quarrel
some and. on account Of his deafness,
beloved the cowboys we've taking adj
vantage Of him and making him a
butt of their foxes.
The defense will also try TO show
that Mckenzie went into the saloon
either with the intention of shooting
Stevens or making him "dance.' It
will also try to show that Mckenzie
began to abuse Stevens and pulled ont
4 revolver and pointed it towards
Stevens Tho state rested its case YES
terday afternoon.
Much sympathy is felt for the de-
PENDANT except among the cowboys.
With thom Mckenzie was always a
good fellow. seldom quarrolsome and
hey were in need In fact. he was a
tvpical cowboy of the old school,
which is fast becoming extinct.
Tim Burns, present foreman OF the
Matador Cattle company. IS here as
Sisting the prosecution in every roSsi-
hle way. and is undoubtedly repre-
senting Murdo Mckenzie personally,
who is now in Scotland.
The STATE Is Confident Of a verdict
Of murder in the first degree. while
the defense is equally certain OF an
accnittal, or ar mOs' a light sentence.
The defense has presented seventeen
Witnesses. and has practically all its
testimony in.
Stevens. the defendant. was one OF
me last 70 be Pot on the stand and,
Notwithstanding a grgeling Gro SEX
animation. his story did not vafv.
The old man gave his version in a
quiet unimpasionod way and tod OF
his great liking for Mckenzie and the
friendship that had evis'ed be Wen
them 'or years The shooting. he a'd,
wa done only when he believed il was
necessary to preserve his own life,
aur ~ testified positively TO Mckenzie
drawing his gun FIRST.