The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-04-26
Champion Bronco
Buster Stood Beside Nimmo
When Latter Was Shot
Down by Alleged Strikers.
STATES TESTIMONY
IN SHARP CONFLICT
One of Witnesses in Lawson
Trial swears Nimmo Was
Shot in Back; Other Says He
Was Facing the Enemy.


Trinidad. Colo, Aprll zs.-Thad
sowdcr, former cinimans 10 the title
OF champian hfsnrho bnstor Of the
world aud FOR pears a familiar figure
at Wild wcst competitions through
out the Rocky mountain region. tcs-
titled Tor the state today in the muir
der trial Of John n. Lawson. sowder
participated IN the battle at Indlow
on October 2s, 1918. in which John
Nimmo was Killed. other witnesses
previously had testified that sowdcr
and Nimmo were close together when
the iat,er fell. snot. the prosecution
contends, by striking coal miners.
Sowdcr began his testimony by de-
scriting the opening of the night.
Sowder VAS examined by Norton
Montgomery for the state. He gave
"a detailed recital OF his experiences
IN the night leading up TO the shoot
ing Of NimmO. lie said Nlmmo was
a few feet IN front OF him when he
heard a shot fired from the railroad
cut toward which he and Nlmmo
were advancing. "Nimmo turned
NAfNNNA W W anu NNauH y EHtNh IUF1
have got me. boy " said the witness.
Horace y. Hawkins for the defense
made "a hard fight 10 exclude MINI
mos alleged statement hut was over
ruled by Judge CRANKY Hillyer. The
witness said he supported Nlmm0,
ana, under fire from the railroad cut.
helped him back soiR distance to-
ward the steel bridge held by the
deputies. Finally. he said. Nimmo
fell and expired. After he saw MIN
mo die Sowder said he went to the
%fection house, used az headquarters
by the deputies.
Under cross examination by Haw-
kins the witness said ho was em-
ployod as a guard In southern Colo
RADIO IN the strike Of 1900. There
was a squabble OF counsel when
Hawking tried To ask the witness
whether he WA a fugitive from JUS
tice. Judge Hnllycr ruled thai the
question was improper. Hawkins Of
fered 10 produce proof and the court
said authorities would be looked up
during the luncheon recess.
AZ the opening of the dny'u session
Charles Tafoya, a witness for the
prosecution, who on saturday told OF
participating In the battle Of October
70, 1918, when John Nimmo was
killed. resumed the stand for CROSS
examination. lie testified that he ana
his brother Ralph, also "a state wit
ness, were AT prcHens employed by
the Colorado Fuel and Iron company.
He said That before being commits
stoned az deputy sheriff. on October
%, 1913, he was a member Of a Trim
dad company % militia.
Horace n. Hawkins. for the de-
Tense, led rafoya through "A detailed
description ~ tho shooting OF MIN
mo. The witness said he himself was
on a steel railroad bridge and that
Nimmo had started toward a railroad
cut a short distance northeast from
which "a party Of strikers had been
firing toward the bridge. Nimmo. ne
said was standing still facing the
strikers when he a hit ana tell. lie
saw Nimmo Try to rise ana make his
way hack thirty or thirty-five feet,
when he fell again.
ON saturday W. r. badger. an
other state witness. teatiflcd that
Nimmo had his back to the strikers
when he was shot.