The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-03-24
Sheets a Good Witness.

Sheets was the first witness In rebuttal
put on the stand by the district attorney.
He answered every question propounded
to him without the slightest hesitation.
The witness did not deny that upon occa-
sions he gave a prisoner a drink of whis-
ky when he thought that his nervous con-
ditiOn warranted il.
However, | have always followed the
rules" said Detective Sheets, land have
preferred to have the jail physician pre-
scribe whisky for prisoners when in his
judgment it seemed proper TO let the pris-
Oners have liquor for medicinal purposes.
The witness most emphatically denied
that he had ever waved the bloody shirt
of the murdered officer before Drlskell,
while the latter was in Jail. He equally
emphatically denied that he had in
structed the jailer to put Driskell in the
dungeon without food and water. "Dris-
kell, so far as l know" said Sheets, was
taken from the boys ward ana placed in
the more secure cells on the upper floor
of the jail. He was we'll treated and was
given wholesome food
Sheets denied that he had ever given
the defendant whisky or opiates IN the ma
ture of ''yen-she, which Is the ashes OF
gum opium. Attorney Thomas, in the
course of his examination, questioned De
tective Sheets about his knowledge of the
effect that the use of opium or morphine
had upon men. The witness stated that
during his long service as police officer
he had many opportunities 70 study men
and women addicted to the use of opiates.
He said he did not consider DriskeH
drug fiend and said that to him he did. not
look like one.
Barlow Corroborates.
Chief of Police Barlow corroborated the
testimony of Sheets in the matter of the
charges made by Driskell that he had
been given the third degree" while IN
the city JAIL and the confession had been
forced from him as a result of extreme
DriskeIl had made the confession volun-
tarily and that it had been read to him.
line by line. in the presence of not only
police officers, but one outsider, before
he signed the document on the evening
of October 8, 1903, The chief of police de-
MED that he had ever seen or heard OF an
alleged document purpOrting TO be con-
fe3sion and signed by Drisken at the IN
stigatiOn Of Ocksrelder, telloW prisoner
in the city Jail.
1t may be parenthetically stated here
that it was reported upon good authority
outside the court room yesterday that u
was Kennedy's influence which persuaded
Driskell 10 make the confession to the
police Kennedy was known to be one
of the cleverest crooks in the west. For
twelve years he had led a nefarious ca
reer. and it was often mis- boast that dur
ing that time he had never done
days time" in the penitentiary
Kennedy's Master Mind.
The police were convinced that Ken
nedy did not kill Officer Riley, and they
were equally certain that Drisken was
guilty of the crime Kennedy was fear
ful that he would be implicated in the
murder and 1t is said that ii was he who
forced Dsiskell to make a confession
which even exonerated him from lmpllca-
ton in the hold-up OF Frank y. NeDekefs
ir.. at Second East and First South streets
half an hour before Riley was killed.
In the course OF his testimony, Chief
Barlow stated that the food served to
prisoners in the city jail was wholesome
II Consisted of soup, meat, potatoes, cof-
fee and bread and butter. He further
stated that while Driskell was in jail he
subsisted on good steaks and meals pur-
chased at the Vienna cafe, ana that our
ing the week which Driskell shared
cell with Ocksreider, the bill was SZlOo
for their food.
chief of Detectives Sheets said that the
first intimation he had that Drisken was
connected with the murder OF Offioer
Rilev came from Joe Gorden, cOlored
man living in Ogden, and it was state
me,,t made by Gordon over the long dis
lance telephone that leds to the arrest or
Driskell, Kennedy and young Healy IN
ogden, October IL. 1903.
Nicholas eulbransen, day jailer at the
CITY DrisOn corroborated the testimony
of both Chief OF Detectives Sheets ana
Chief of Police Barlow, that only three
drinks of whisky were given Drlsheli
while he was in the city Jail, and that no
drink was given him on October ID, me
dav he made the confession.
siTo my knowledge" said Jaller Gul-
hransen. 'Drisken was never n'lstre ated
In FACT. he was well treated while IN the
CITY iail He was never in the dark cell
or in solitary confinement. lie was Wen
Sheriff Sharp was called to the stand
He Was asked to identify typewritten
ropv of an alleged confession made by
Driskell to he and a newspaper reporter
after DriskeIl had been removed 10
The county jail the latter part of Oc-
taber last. The confession made to the
sheriff was substantially tie same as the
one Driskesl is said 10 have made TO the
noliee. Sheriff Sharp said that the con-
fession was made to him
GIares at Former comrade.
One Of the sensations Of the day came
when William Morgan, who was Driskeli 9
cellmate when the attempted jail break
was made last winter, faced Driskell from
the witness stand. Driskeli giared at
Morgan who, under the guise of wit
ness in rebuttal. had been recalled by the
state
Morgan testified to a statement made by
Driskell early last February when they
were cellmates- When the hacksaWs
smuggled into the Jail by Tracy Dris-
keN, a brother of the defendant, were
found IN their cell torgan testified that