Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-08-11

olIeGL dllQ was dSSISltu ny "
the residence of DIR. Barbour, where my
wounds were treated; that ! recollect
that Marshal Craig was facing Robert
Harris when Harris shot Craig; that the
folks were quarreling in the house when
we went there and the indications were
that they had been drinking; that recall
the firing of but two shots, the one that
struck Marshal Craig in the breast and
the one following which hit me, and that |
after that | became unconscious; that |
also remember Robert Harris rushing out
into the west room of the building and re-
turning with a gun in his hand.
81 make this statement on this fifteenth |
day of July, A. D. l9l /, at the St Joseph |
hospital, in the city of Denver, state of
Colorado, with the knowledge and fear of
impending death.
(Signed) j. A. KIPPER."
The next witness was Jack Tinsley,
who testified to the finding of the gun be-
longing to Harris with three shells which
| had failed to explode, as well as broken
glass, beer bottle and Marshal Craig's
| club.
E. w. Bailey told of seeing the two
marshals in the Harris house. Ripper had
Bob's left hand and Craig had his right
and they were trying to handcuff him. He
saw Bob's mother attack Craig land said
Craig let go Bob's hand and showed the
woman into the dining room, About this
time Craig fell to the floor. Witness saw
Joe Harris come out and heard two shots.
Craig then came out and said he was
shot and fell beside the walk; then he
heard more shots and Ripper came out
| nd caiJ ho chOf md ho halnad Kim
per over to DIR. Barbour's.
Mrs. Craig was placed on the stand
and was asked a few questions as to the
narshars age, etc., and this closed the
case for the prosecution, about 2 o'clock
in the afternoon.
The defense called Coroner Wilson, and
he brought Craig's club, broken in several
places, and this was offered in evidence.
| Herman Straub and wife, and Mrs. w.
S. Sharp. the nearest neighbors, were
called and gave the same testimony as
they had at the coroner's inquest.
Robert Harris and his parents were all
put on the stand. their testimony being
about the same. The old man SAID he was
8 years old, told straight story and
could not be shaken by oross-examina-
ton. The mother said she was So years
old.
Robert Harris said he was 25 years
old, married to Anna Harris about Dec.
1910, at La Junta courthouse: had lived
in Rocky Ford and Ration. and then had
come back to Rocky Ford. where he had
lived for six weeks. doing odd jobs and
cleaning carpets. He testified that his
mother went to Pueblo on the morning
of the Fourth to visit sister there. and
that he and his wife met the 9:4Ztrain in
the evening and escorted her home,
| He also said that on the way home he
and his wife. Anna had scrap; that she
was humming tune and he objected to
it and small srat followed. Reaching
home. his wife went to the front door.
while he and his mother went in at the
side door. His wife sat on the grass and
his father told her she would take cold,
and fnaliy got her inside. All were then
in the the house and everything had quiet
ed down and he was sitting on the settee
or davenport smoking a cigarette when
suddenly the door was burst open and the
two marshsIs came in with drawn re-
volvers and began to club him.
He told them he would give up,but they
continued to club him. His father step |
ped up acd told them it was his house |
and ordered them to leave. Officer Kip |
per hit his mother oyer the head. knock
ing her down, and Chief Craig hit his |
father over the head knocking him down. |
Then his father picked up a revolver
from under a couch and ran into the |
dining room where he, Bob. followed and
took the gun away from his father. but |
the officers followed them into the dining |
room, still clubbing,
Harris said thathe crouched in COR
ner and snapped the revolver several |
times. but the cartridges didn't explode.
Then, the witness continued. he saw
Officer Craig standing over him with a |
revolver pointed at his breast. Harris |
says he seized the weapon and turned it |
toward Craig who was still holding it,
and that the gun was discharged. Of
| ficer Craig let go of the gun with his
right hand but continued holding it with |
his left, and there was another discharge,
which Harris admits might have been
done by him, and that this is the shot
which went through Craig's hip.
Craig left the room and he. Bob Harris
turned around to find Officer Ripper with
drawn revolver. and Harris says he KIP
peri shot him just grazing his. right tenn
pie. He says he had shot Ripper twice.
and claims that he did so in self defense
fearing the loss of his own life. He says
he was or 5 feet from Ripper when he
shot the officer. Says his clothes were
soaked with blood. and that he went
underneath the house and then down to
the ditch and from there to the river
hiding out that day. The next night he
came in and gave himself up. He admits
~ b,J eor,a baar ua~u |