The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-02
JEFFR|ES Tells
Of THE KILLING
Defendant in Murder Case Saws
He Shot in Self
Defense.
ALSO TELLS STORY OF
ESCAPE FROM THE CITY
Other Witnesses Testify as 10
Threats Made by
Churchill.

Tim Churchill. alias Thomas Patten, for
no other reason save that OF protecting
his own lie after he had been assaulted
and caused terrible uain by Churchill,
William JetfrIcs. alias SPEEDY" Jeffries,
told the story OF the shooting which oc-
CURED in The Heidelberg saloon shortly
after midnight on the uaprning of Au-
gust s. 1910. in Judge 4. u. Lewlss
division of the Third dIaivct court We'd
ncsday afternoon.
After number of Witnesses had been
examined for The deferse. the principal
part OF whose testimony conceded in the
main. Lcffrios was placed on the stand Z
in his own behalf, liz will be cross
examined when court conyencs this
morning. Jetfries testified tha, hc had
been In constant fear of mis- life for some
time previous TO the shooting. lie ad-
mitted having trouble with Churchill con-
cerning monoT matter in which Stella
Kelly. alleged 20 have been ChurchIlrs
friend, was involved.
Jcffries denied. however, cyer having
attempted TO divert ler attentions FROM
Churchill N Mulvcy's saloon early Ia the
evening OF the night OF the tragedy, and
that when Churchill entered he left the
bar JcffrieS testified that he vert IN
the Heidelberg saloon on the fatal night
as per engagement wtb woman named
Corrine Gray. who, he testified. he had
arranged 10 marry OF December - OF
last year
Says lie Was Attacked.
.Teffries did rot meet the girl She
having, according 10 hcr own testimony,
gone upstairs 20 wait for him. As hc
walked Into tho saloon. .Jef!ries testl-'
fed that he met Churchill who tmme-
diately threatened to kin him. Jeffries
said that Churchill caught him by the
coat and bumped his head into Jeffries's
face. knocking out tooth Not salts
fed with this. Churchill kicked Jeffries
several times. causing him terrible agony.
as the two backed out oi the saloon door
according TO the testimony OF Jeffries;
Jcffries breaking loose from Churchil
vent UP the street and was forced 10 sit
down several times owing 10 the agony
caused by Churchill s abuse. Seeing sew
eral men leave the Heidelberg saloon
1t would he perfectly safe for him 10 re-
turn and. acting on The presumption
that Churchill had gone. returned 10 The.
saloon As he Ie.entersd RE red, '.e ssl'
with a knife, threatening In vicious IAN
guage to take his life. To protect him
self, ,Teffries said that he drew his gun.
and when Churchill made a iunge at him
he fred.
Tells Of His Escape
Leaving the bar. Jeffries testified that
he met a police officer. whom he told. to
avoid trouble he claimed. that he did not
know who had done the shooting. lie
then made his way down to Second
he was met by another patroln1an. who
permitted the Kelly woman, whom be
had met 10 take him away. The Kelly
woman took him TO the entrance or the
rooming house al 1{5 West Second South
street where he claims she left him
and he made lis way to his room at 10
West Fifth South street. where he had
beeI living.
Jeffrics testified that the Gray girl re-
turned home soon after his arrival and
Informed him that he had killed Church.
after he had failed 10 keep his engage
mant with her This was the first init.
nation, Jeffries said. that he had OF
Churchill's death.
left Immediately in automobile for
Bountiful. from whence. Jeffries said. ne
travelled on a load Of hay TO the Lagoon.
From the Lagoon he boarded r train for
Ogden. and from Ogden he went TO Poca-
tello. he testified. and later to Seattle
where he was caught and returned TO SAIL
Lake City, During the entire trip. he
testified. he was suffering intense agony
caused by the kicks of Churchill.
Woman on the Stsnd.
Corrine Gray testified that she and an
other girl went TO the Heidelberg about /
o'clock on tho morning of the shooting
10 meet Jeffrics When lie did not show
up she said she sent word down TO the
bar to tell him he was wanted upstairs,
When he failed to respond 70 the message
she left the resort and went in search
of Jeffries. She testid that she went 70
several roominS houses on Third Soutn
street and vicinity and failing TO find
him. made her way back 10 the Heidel-
berg. On her return she heard some
men talking about the shooting, and she
said that she looked into the Sa loon and
saw the lifeless body of Churchill, VINO
she was informed had been killed by
Jeftries. She testified that she then at
once made her way 10 her room, where
she found Jeffries.
The remainder OF her story conceded
with that of the defendant.
Testifies to Threats. VI,
Mrs Daisy Gill. proprietress OF the
roomng house at 1l5 West Second SOUTH
Churchill lived, testified concerning tie
character of the dead man. She declared
that he had often threatened in her pres
ence TO. kin Jeftries, and that upon one
occasion he had showed scars about rari-
Gus parts of bis body declaring that he
addition 10 his already large collection OF
scars. She testified that JefEries went
10 her rooming house to see her husband
with whom he was friendly. and that tne
Kelly woman ana Churchill. whose right
name she claimed was Thomas Cosleit
had lived there.
Jack Downing, formerly with a Denver
law firm, now a local photographer. aiso
testified in the afternoon for the defense
The defense is making capital also
OF the uDsavory reputation said TO nave
been borne by Churchill. prior to bis
other hand is endeavoring 10 show that
the witnesses presented by the defense are
themselves OF rather questionable char
acter.