Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-07-08
PARTICULARS OF SHOOTING
Bill Turner Recovering from Danger
ossR yNos0d

Last Fridays Fowler Tribune had
the following particulars of the
shooting at the High Line work
camp, of which a short report was
given in The Enterprise last week:
The story of the tragedy. as told
by two of the witnesses. Jas. David
son and J. B. Nuchols, is as follows:
There are seven or eight men en-
ployed at the new syphon, and the
work would have been completed
Friday had not the shooting taken
place. Bill Turner is foreman of the
lob and Dick Edwards is commissary.
Edwards wife is the only woman in
the camp, and had been doing the
cooking. The Edwards family oc-
cupied a private tent adjoining the
kitchen wagon. A small tent, Okla.
is located some fifty yards away. and
it is used by the rest of the men as
sleeping quarters, "Wednesday eve
ming after we had quit work on the
shooting with Edwards 81 Winches-
ter rifle Edwards had been drink
ing during the afternoon, but was
not fussy, and when everybody re-
tired for the night, about o:Io. there
was no sign of approaching trouble
At midnight, or a short time after.
someone appeared at the door OF the
sleeping tent of the men, carrying a
lantern. There were voices and loud
talk. All of US were awake in a
moment and heard one of the party
at the tent door calling for Bill Tur-
ner. We were sleeping on an ele-
waited bunk inside the door, and
thinking something was the matter
with the horses, rolled out with the
intention of dressing. We changed
our minds, however. when We found
we were looking into the muzzle OF
4 S,-calibre rifle In the dim light
from the lantern We saw Edwards
holding the gun to his shoulder. and
heard him say:
Where is Bill Turner? He has
ruined my home and disgraced my
children!
Turner arose from his bunk in
the rear of the tent and said:
BE careful. Dick
.'Whereupon Edwards replied:
You are the s-o-a b- !
want and pulled the trigger:
Turner was standing facing the
door and within seven feet OF the
muzzle OF the gun. As quick as the
gun flashed he fell to the bunk.
When Edwards fired the gun and
saw his victim fall to the floor OF
the tent. he turned to his wife who
was standing near by and said. Now.
tell the boys what I shot him for !"
Shortly after the wounded man
was removed to the city. Deputy
Sheriff Scott and Night Chief OF Po-
lice Dunn arrested Edwards and
placed him in the Fowler Jail. The
witnesses and Edwards wife were
brought to town. also. and held.
awaiting the arrival of Sheriff Potter
from La Junta.
AT the Jail Edwards told a repre-
sentative Of The Tribune the follow
ing story:
| ing Turner than have of shooting
you. We have worked together of
and on for 1--WE years and have not
had any trouble. simply took the
gun and went to the tent to run q
bluff on the boys I didn't even
know the gun was loaded. The boys
had been .praeticing shooting with
the rife during the evening, and
| thought the gun was empty.
wouldn', have shot him for anything. >
Edwards appeared cool and undis-
turbed, but seemed to realize wha,
he had done, and every. now and
then would inquire as to how Bill
was getting along.
| Sheriff Potter came up from La
/ Junta and took charge of the pris.
oner. While awaiting the arrival o;