The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-06-26
WAGNER MURDER TRIAL.
Testimony Shows Existence Of III
Feeling Between Wagner and Pratt.

Testimony Shows Existence Of III
Feeling Between Wagner and Pratt.
HAvRE, June 24.-The Peter Wag.
ner murder trial, which has been &C.
cupying the time of the district court
since the morning of the ooh, Is likely |
to go to the jury some time tomorrow.
The state closed its evidence this morn
ing, and the defense has introduced
considerable evidence, including that
OF the defend ant, who told In detail
about his relations with the deceased,
Albert Pratt, and about the difficulty
which resulted Ia the shooting.
Attorney Mcconnell cross-examined
Wagner very closely, evidently en-
deavoring to bring out circumstances
that would show . deliberate design
on WaRner's part to bring on the
quarrel and shoot Pratt. The evil
dence showed bad feeling between the
two men for q number Of years, each
forbiddine the other to cross HE land.
Wagner told of an occurrence in Feb.
ruary, 1911, when Pratt gave chase to
Wagner, as he was crossing Pratt's
land on horseback. Pratt was also
on horseback, and with q stiff, looped
rope in his hand, he followed up
Wagner and beat him ove the head
and shoulders, finally rendering him
so dizzy that be fell from his horse.
Pratt then tried to ride over Wagner,
bat could not make his horse trample
him, and rode of.
Wagner testified that at the came
time be had the came gun in his pocket
with which the shooting was done in
March last, but that he did not at.
tempt to draw it, feeling that he was
. trespasser and did not have the
right to use his gun, and that he did
not have Pratt: arrested for the assaul,
for the same reasons, and because be
thought it would only make Pratt the
more bleigerent.
Paul Fey, the Gold Butte merchant,
Harry Rumm, William Farrell, An
uVCW OVIkCuoO0s 0o0 OVlICIcD VCoVAAON
to threats made by Pratt agatns
Wagner, some of which were com.
municated to Wagner prior to TIL
, fatal shooting.
Wagner said that on the morning o
the killing, he saw Pratt making
detour from the road to his land, ant
' that he at once asked Frank Black
who was in his employ, to go will
him as a witness while be ordered
Pratt to keep in the county road
Pratt paid no attention to his orders
but whipped up his horses to ride owe
Wagner, also striking Wagner owe
the head with his whip, and reaching
to his hip pocket, as Wagner believe'
i for q gun, that he then pulled his GU
and shot Pratt. Wagner said the
. that his horse became unman ageablt
u and that ia attempting to control Il
the gun was discharged again severs
times. Other testimony showed tha
two bullets took effect in the body g
I Pratt, both fatal wounds, and one i
. the bundle of clothing tied back OF th
. buggy seat.
Wagner gave his age as 81, and hi
u birthplace as Russia. He has q vii
and seven children. He had also ha
. four others who are dead. Pratt wa
not married at the time of his death
o but the evidence of Jessie Philippe
0 who lives on q homestead in the Swee
erase country, showed that he wa
engsged to be married to her, an
that be vas on the way to pay her
visit when the encounter occurre
which resulted in his death.
,e The trial jury in the case consists
Andrew Snowden, Joe. Demsrs, L. {
Griffin, Fred NJ. Summers, Geo. .
Dsngston, VIM. Pennington, G. F
Is Crockman, s. o. Severud, S. J.. Co
lier, Albert Henry, G. D. Hutton 90
VIM, e. Wilmer,