The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-10-26

| SS'Si o. RloSCo do q pNl ICis
Ross was born in Louisiana, Mo, in
the year 1884. His marriage occurred
at that place also. He is survived by
| his wife and four children, Louis.
Lucy, William and Walter Ross.
A sister, Mrs Helen Cyrus, lives
here. There Is also another surviving
sister, and a step-mo:her, Mrs. An
ma Boss Of Louisiana. She is ocm-
! ing here to make arrangements for
! the funeral.
The Coroner's Inquest.
| The coroner's jury composed OF b.
! Q. Miner, Ed Huston and Walter
Spalding, heard the evidence in the
case this morning. Coroner Walt H..
Clements conducted the inquest, and
J. NJ. C. Hamilton, assistant county
attorney, represented the county. The
inquest was held in the office OF
James Burrows, assistant coroner,
before a large audience.
County Attorney Hamilton told
James Ayres that unless he wanted
to, he was not compelled to make
any statement before the corone--'s
jury. Mr.. Ayres, however, stated
that he wished to voluntarily make a
statement. He was sworn and gave
his testimony. He said he was 19
years old and lives at AIS South
Twelfth street. He said yesterday
afternoon he was on the Hilton road
and started to cut through some
land into the bottoms. He met Ross
who told him he didn't allow hunting
on his land. 81 told him l was just
cutting through" Ayers said, "and he
made no objection
Shot at Rabbit.
The witness testified that he cross
ed several fields and saw a rabbit.
He fired and while waiting for the
hound to round the rabbit up, again
reloaded his gun. He said the darkey
| came towards him and was cursing
him. He said he told Ross he thought
he was off his land, and Ross struck
him over the eye and knocked him
down. He struck him with his gun,
a second time, the gun falling out or
his hand as he fell the first time. The
negro had the gun over his right
shoulder, holding it by the barrel as
| il to hit him again, he said, as near
as he could tell, as blood was stream
| ing down his face and he was dazed.
| He heard the gun 80 off and saw the
negro stagger and spit blood. he
said he saw him take several steps
and fall on his face.
He rushed up to the Ross house
| and told Ross wife that her husband
shot himself She said she was SICK
and couldn't help, and for him to 90
the best he could. He went to
Spalding's house next and they hitch
ed up team of mules and took him
to the nearest telephone, where he
called the police After telephoning,
he washed the blood off his face and
then went down to the store to wait
for the officers to come. he SAID
when he brought Officer Wilson and
DR.. Dorsey back to the place where
Ross law, he saw that the gun was
open and the shells out.
Doctor Testifies.
DR.. F. B. Dorsey, Jr., testified tnat
he was called from the police station
20 go to the Des Moines river to at
| tend man who was shot. he de-
scribed the location OF the place
where Ross was found, also told What
Ayres told him on the way. When ne
| reached Ross he said he was lying
face down, one arm flexed beneath
his chest. The was dead but the body
still warm. He thought he mlght
have been dead a half hour. ne
found a wound on the mans rignt
arm at the elbow and bullet hole
| In his breast. The course OF the sho.
was inward and inward. The wound
an his elbow, he thought, was caused
from the fact that the gun when dis.
charged, was in the negro's arm and
that the shot shaved off part OF the
flesb Of the arm and entered his
breast. -, !.
AS to Ayres' wounds, he said ne
found a cut over his eye and bruises
| and marks on his right arm ana
shoulder. These, he thought, were
caused by blows from the gun stock.
| William Wilson, police officer. testl-
fled that Ayres called him over the
nhone and asked him to send DOCTOR
down and that he would meet them at
! tho Des Moines river bridge. he
testified that he called DR.. Dorsey
ond they went down to the place
mentioned. He told Of finding ROSS
and of Ayres' conversation VITA him'
The stories told DR.. Dorsey and Vi
ficer Wilson by Ayres tailed in every
i detail They were pracucaliE Tue
same as told to the coroners jury
this morning.
Had Bad Temper.
! Edward Woolley was the last WIZ
moss He said the dead man WORKED {,
for him for time. He said Ross hao
q had temper when aroused ne
wac strong fellow, Mr.. Wooiiey
said. and when he was not arouseu
he was a good worker. When ARGUS
cd his temper got the best OF MIN.
i Mrs. r. F. Bigham and dausntel