The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-01-18
BUSINESS CHANCE

II -
ned that he grasped the gun and at
tempted to take it from the owner.
trying at the same time to quiet the
two angry men. Bowinkleman stood
a little above his opponent, with his
on the trigger and thumb
on the hammer of the gun. The at
tempt of the witness. Matthews. to
take the gun from Bowinkleman,
caused it to be cooked and dis
charged, the bullet penetrating the
abdomen of Meeboer two inches to
the right of the navel and lodging
in the back. AS the shot was fired
and when he started to fall. Me4boer
grasped the barrel of the rife and
only then did he touch the gun, SO
Matthews testified. This contradicts
statements made previously that the
dead man had grappled with his op-
ponent and in trying to secure the
gun, discharged it.
The Verdict.
Samuel White. another witness.
briefly testified as to measurments at
the scene Of the conflict. and Peter
Meeboer, a brother of the dead man.
told of long standing trouble the
two men had had over horse.
When Justice Hunt instructed the
jury. he told them to merely find q
verdict as to the facts as brought
out in the testimony.
The jury went further and decided
the shooting was done in self de-
Tense, but they failed to mention
where the victim received the
wound. The prisoner was not called
to testify. After viewing the body
home of his parents, the party re-
turned to North Yakima, where they
arrived about four o'clock in the aft
ernoon.
His Friends story.
E. M. Dickson. yho has q home
stead near Barrow Springs, nine
miles from Black Rock, but who had
been living with Bowinkleman, de-
clared that his friend was an "all
around, first class man." that he was
not quarrelsome, and that he had
many friends.
Mr. Dickson said Bowinkleman
had been keeping a hotel. where
practically everybody coming
IHTOuSH tA1l way StOppSo Will Hiih'
for he was quite popular. For some
time he had been trying to get away
and take up a desert claim, but had
been unable to do SO, on that ac-
count According to his friend Dick
son, Bowinkleman, when Meeboer
began to abuse him vilely and cali
him to account for circulating
stories, said take me to the man
who says I told those stories and
will confront him. If anybody says
have been slandering you, they
lie." Bowinkleman told Dickson
that when Meeboer came at him he
tried to get Off his coat to defend
himself, but was unable to d" SO.
Through Meeboer's open coat he
saw the sling of his assailants re-
volver and then decided to get his
gun and defend himself. BowinlSle-
man secured his rifle from the Wagon
and pointed it at his opponent, hold
ing the trigger and hammer with his
forefinger and thumb. Meeboer thef
came to close quarters. grasping the
rifle and trying to wrest 1t from
Bowinkleman, who claimed that thi.
discharged the weapon. This story
Is contradicted by the testimony ol
Matthews.
The fact that Meeboer carried {
revolver was corroborated by Sheriff
Day, who stated that a 38 ca;.br,
gun was found on the body of tn.
dead man, and this seems to Civ,
credence to the theory of self de-
Tense.
|
Origin OF the Trouble.
Mr.. Dickson further said tina
Bowinkleman told him of tn
trouble he had had with Meeboer
Last June Bowinkleman learned tina
Meeboer had taken a horse belong
ing to him from the range and wa
using the animal on his ranch. H,
sent word through his lawyer to Nee
boer, to return the horse and pa!
for its use. Meeboer returned TIL,
horse. Dickson said. but failed t
pay for its use. Ever since ther