Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-08-11
BOB HARRIS TRIAL

wound.
Mayor Coffm'an, testified that
j. b. Craig was day marshal at
Rocky Ford and ]. A. Ripper was
the night marshal July 4, 1911;
said that Rocky Ford is city
of the second class with popula-
ton of $500.
Charles Boyd, n neighbor of the
Harris family, and a most i'm
portant witness, was then called.
He testified that the night of July
he had heard big noise in the
Harris house, and very loud talk
ing about 10 o'clock, and dis
tinguished angry words: that he
had mounted his wheel and ridden
into town and informed the mar
shal Of the disturbance, and had
then followed the two marshals
ON his wheel, and had ridden close
to the Harris yard where he had
witnessed the shooting. Accord
ing to his testimony five shots
were fired; four while he stood in
the yard and one as he was leaving.
Boyd said that Craig was shot
while near the door and after be-
ing shot. had clung to the door
casing for a few minutes, finally
staggering into the street and
falling to the sidewalk dead.
Boyd also said that one of the
marshals had hit Joe Harris, the
father, over the head with a gun,
and that the latter laid in the
yard. Further he said the mar
shals had big dog with them and
that the Harris family owned a
much smaller dog; in the scuffl ing
Craig and Joe Harris fell over the
big dog. Though unable to see
very far into the room, he said
Craig was near the door and Bob
Harris was crouched near cot in
the front room, and after one of
the shots he saw Ripper lying on
the floor inside the room. All of
the body he could see was the
feet.
III. J, Sprinkler, the undertaken,
then gave his testomony to the
effect that about IL o'clock the
night of July 4 he had been sum-
moned to the Harris house and
had found Craig's body with two
bullet wounds and powder marks
on the breast. indicating the shots
had been fired at close range.
Said the mans clothing was soak
ed with blood aud that he had de-
stroyed all of it except the coat,
which he had returned to Mrs.
Craig. He said Craig's left eye
was blackened and that his temple
was cut and bruised as though by
glass.
The first witness called Wednes-
day morning was Sheriff III. w.
Potter. He identified the dying
statement of Officer j. A. Ripper,
IN ade at st. Joseph's hospital.
Denver, and claimed he wrote it at
Kipper's dictation.
Mrs. j. A. Ripper, widow of the
dead man, was brought to thestand
to identify the signature, and DIR.
Barbour had previously identified
the statement made when Ripper
was about to die.
The prosecuting attorney then
offered the statement rs evidence.
The defense objected, but the OBJ
lection was overruled. The state
ment is as follows:
81. J. A. Ripper. being informed by my
attending physician that there is no hope
of my recovery and !. myself. expecting
to die, do make this declaration, IN the
sincere and firm conviction that will not
recover. but will die. do declare that
about l o o'clock on the evening of July 4,
A. D. 1911, Marshal Craig and myself
were notified that there was disturbance
at the home of one Joseph Harris. sol
South Thirteenth street in the city OF
Rocky Ford. Otero county. Colorado; that
Marshal Craig and myself went to the
residence of the aforesaid Harris and that
Marshal Craig knocked; that we opened
the door and went into the front room of
the said residence. where were present
Joseph Harris and his wife, Clara; Robert
Harris and his wife Anna. the said Rob-
ert Harris being the son of the said JOS
eph Harris.
That Marshal Craig called upon Robert
Harris to throw up his hands; that Robert