Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-09-12
WIFE OF VICTIM
TELLS OF GRUDGE
Mrs, Ralph Connell on the Witness
Stand Reoounts Bitterness Of
Accused.
MEMORY IS CLEAR ON DETAILS

LAS CRUCES. N. NJ. Sept. IL
Especial Telegram. dressed in
deep mourning, Mrs. Ralph Connell,
who was widowed when Ralph Con-
nell was shot from his horse. June
II, 1914, threw back her mourned
veil this morning In district court and
told In a straightforward way the
happenings which led up to the kill
ing OF her husband, the former
Omaha chicken king Of New Mexico.
Mrs. Connell, after telling of her
marriage to Connell in the Tularosa
Mission church. In 1908 and the birth
OF the two daughters, Florence and
Helen, reviewed her husbands bust
ness activities, including the con-
tract for supplying beef to the Mes
calero Indian reservation in the
sacramento mountains. where he was
riding when he was killed. She also
told of the trouble over the ditch
when Cornell was major domo of the
old Pueblo of Tularosa. She said
Connell had taken leading part in
the water litigation.
Porter came TO Tulsrosa in 1911, buying
the Craven ranch" she testified. That
was near where Ralph was killed, knew
OF the feeling which Porter had against
Ralph almost from the first, for l heard
statements he made against my husband
and also testimony he had given in the
water case at Alamogrodo on July lS 1913.
He went up to my husband at Alamo
| gordo, during the trial and said:
| You are the damned scrub 1 have
, been looking for7'
, He also accused Mr. Connell OF having
been on his premises the previous Sunday.
Ralph protested that he had not been on
the Porter place and was told by Porter
that II he came on II again, It would re-
quire help TO take him (Porter) off of
Ralph.
He was arrested on April TO- 1913, and
was found to have a six shooter and a
shotgun in his possession. He was also
intoxicated at the time and paid fine for
these offenses, was reliably informed.
ITO the presiding Judge, Porter OK
planned that he had n natural and abiding
dislike for my husband, that he did not
like the looks of his face and asked an
attorney II he had ever disliked a man
instinetively.
II was driving with Ralph on the road
when Porter forced us TO drive completed,
off the road. he used strong language, his
fists were clenched and he was very
angry"
Mrs. Connells memory was clear or
every detail of the Connell-Porter con
troversy and she named facts, dates an,
incidents without reference to notes oil
without stopping to refresh her memory
Even the attorneys for the defense ad
mitted that she was a strong witness FOL
the state and saw no way to break dow
her testimony on cross-examination.
jose Duran. Mexican, who claims I
have heard the shot which killed Connell
Is an important witness for the state. IL
was on the stand. He testified at tn
preliminary hearing that he had beer
standing In a field at the Porter ranch
had heard the shot and seen Connell
who was driving 21S head Of cattle, rec
and fall. The exact spot where he stoo,
and whether or not he could have haS
seen the shooting from where he stoos
will play an important part in the trial
Maps, photographs and surveys are beinI
introduced in profusion and the state an,
defense are both examining all OF thes
closely before permitting them to b.
identified.
The present indications are that tn
trial will last until the END of next weel
as only three of the sixty-four witnesse
have been examined.