La Junta tribune., 1911-08-12
Z find the defendant. Rob
ert Harris. guilty Of murder
In the first degree. and fix


@9 the penalty at DEATH" was
the verdict OF the jury yesterday
morning which fixed the fate OF the
negro who on the night Of July %th
shot and killed City Marshal J. b.
Craig and Night Marshal Jacob A.
Ripper of our neighboring city. Rocky
Ford. The case was given to the
jury At 1910 O'Clock Thursday night
at the conclusion of the address Of
District Attorney Davidson. who made
the final argument In the case In
a talk lasting one hour and ten min
utes Bob Harris. the defendant. lis
tened to the reading Of the verdict.
with bowed head and without q
change OF countenance that was per-
ceptible or a single indication OF
loss Of nerve
An hour before. as he was leaving
the jail for the court room, he gave
the first sign OF weakening. He left
the Jail shortly after . O'Clock, hand
cuffed to Lee Madrid. and accompan-
led by Undersheriff Devine. and N
he reached the sidewalk his knees
gave way and he fell flat on his face.
After the reading OF the verdict.
which he listened to while still hand
cuffed to Madrid. he was taken back
to the Jail in an automobile accom-
panied by half a dozen officers. but
walked out OF the court room and
down the stairs without assistance.
His attorney. Lyman Henry. has been
given ten days In which to argue a
. motion for a new trial
The mills OF the judicial gods were
not slow In this case. less than four
days being. taken up wisN " Bob
Harris sst tuusht Asnons Pu.
cbIo. where he was confined in jail
since his capture. last Monday morn
ing on No. COS. by Sheriff Potter
and Deputy Sheriff Rose. He walked
to the court house followed by a
crowd OF a hundred or more. and as
he sat In the court room was the cy-
nosure OF all eyes. In a few minutes
he WAS Joined by his father and
mother. Joseph and Clara Harris. who
were brought up from the county Jail
to be arraigned with their son. All
entered plea OF not guilty to the
arraignment. after which the work OF
selecting a jury was commenced.
A total OF sixty-six Jurors were
summoned. the first panel OF forty.
eight being exhausted the first day.
and an additional panel Of thirty
being made. all Of whom were resi-.
dents OF Fowler. Twelve OF the
Jurors were excused for various rca.
sons. seven of them on account Of
being residents OF Crowley county.
Thirteen were excused on account Of
not believing In capital punishment.
five were excused by the prosecu.
ton and eleven by the defense.
Five hours were consumed In the
selection Of jury and when complct.
cd II was found that eleven Of them
were residents Of Fowler. and one.
william Fiscus. Of La Junta. The
names Of the Jurors are as follows:
J.. W. 'Lawler. VIM. Fiscus. d. l.. Nc.
Philimy. John Farlow. c. G. Gam.
Jas. Dorman. J. W. Msxey. }. q.
Burch. d. l.. Carol. J. N. Mayce. W.
n. I.aShicr, ChAs Mckinley.
The most important witnesses
examined during the trial were
Charles Boyd and I'd Bailey. neigh.
bors Of the Harris family. who heard
much Of the trouble that occurred
previous to the tragedy. and who
summoned the officers by telephone
that subsequently met their death.
The dying statement Of Marshal Kip
per. was the only evidence tell
Ing the story Of the tragedy except
that Of the defendant himself and his
mother and father. Other witnesses
examined were !. W. Burfield. Mrs.
J. u. Craig. II. W. Potter. Mrs. +.
Il. shArpes. Herman strsub. Susan
straub. DIR. X. N. Pollock. Dr. l.. p.
Barbour. II. J. Sprinkler. Dr. r. u.
Wilson. John Ttnsicy. q. N. Coffman.
Mrs. J. A. Ripper. Earl Bennett. Ey.
erett Lane. The two latter were In
the party that effected the capture
Of Hob Harris. on the second day
after the crime was committed.
The dying statement made by J
A. kipper. who brcathcd his last In
g. Jossph's Hospital In Denver. on
July i7th. two weeks after the shoot.
ins. was iatro1uceA u svi1encs an1
10 - 1eJlevs:
J. 4. xiDess. tslAs is1esosd by
Inv ettAeliag SAsslsiaa tAAt tAsrs