Weekly journal-miner., 1910-07-20

were examined yesterday and last night at the preliminary examina- tion of Charles Ray, charged with the murder of MT. and Mrs. George Mahard, Justice MeLane adjourned court at 9:3O o'clock last night with out announcing a decision. The ex- animation closed with addresses by Attorney R. P. Talbot for the &C., cused and Assistant District Attor- new P. W. O'Sullivan for the Ter ritory.
 During the night session the court house was crowded almost to its full seating capacity. The defense did not introduce any evidence, prefer ring to rest the case on the allega- tion that none of the evidence point ed to the guilt of the prisoner.
 During the hearing it was shown that Ray had made threats that he would kill two men from California who settled on the ground where the Mahards were murdered. MT. Mahard was one of the men referred to by Ray in his conversation with Edward Braun, who swore to the complaint charging Ray with the crimes, and on which the warrant was based that authorized the ar rest. Witness Braun said that Ray said to him in January, 1909, in front of the Winsor saloon, in this city, that two fellows from Cali fornia had Jumped" part of his placer ground at Gro Fino, knowing that he held a good title to the land, adding further "that the only thing to do with such fellows was to kill them.''
 Further in his testimony, Wit ness Braun said that Ray had spoken to him disparagingly of Mahard since the murders, declaring that "Mahard made the poor woman hold the blow while he drove the burro team" He also told the court that when he first met Ray, seven years ago, that the latter informed him that he had served a term of five years in penitentiary for the killing of man, but did not name the time or place of the shooting.
 An effort was also made by the prosecution to prove through Braun and other witnesses that old coins, envelopes, gun sights and other trinkets found in a cache in Rays house, after his arrest, belonged to Mahard.
 Witness Braun tstifed in part: "I met Ray about seven years ago, and was on friendly terms with him until about two months ago. Two years ago I met him in front of Dougherty's store in Prescott, and he asked me to pay for his dinner. I escorted him to the Grand Saloon, paid for the meal ad then gave him $5. Four months later he came to my camp and stayed all night, leav- ing the following morning. I did not see him again until January, 1909, when we met in front of the Winsor Saloon. He told me two fel- lows from California were interfer- ing with his placer ground and that I knew he had a good title to the ground. I remarked that outside peo pie are always interfering with a poor man, and he said, the only thing to do with them is to kill them
 ''I met him again about May stn of this year, when I called at his place on my way to Prescott. I ar rived at his place in the evening, and he asked me to stay all night. After supper I told him times are very hard now; that I had five tons of good ore on my dump, and was on my way to Prescott to borrow money to pay for its shipment. I added that I would sell my shotgun to raise money for the 4th of July. He opened a black leather purse with silver clasp, and handed me five silver dollars. I saw a number of bills in his purse and he told me that he had done very well last fall; that he had sold 1,40O pounds of beans in Prescott for four cents a pound.
 "Later I said that 1t was shame that the Mahards were murdered, and he answered that Mahard de- served all that he got but he felt sorry for the woman. I asked him if he saw Mexicans around there, and he answered 'No.' A minute later he said Mahard was mo good,' add ing 'he made the poor woman hold the blow while he drove the burro team.' During the night he request ed that I return from Prescott that way, bring the newspapers contain ing accounts of the murder, with me, and also find out what tne peo- pie of Prescott were saying about the murderer.
 Returning home by the way of CrovVn KinU I did mt suSDact Ray