The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1917-01-02

pistol; neither he nor George was
drinking but Tom had a few drinks
but no one could tell it from his walk
George had not created any distur-
bance.
On cross examination by the attor-
ney for the prosecution, he said he
didn't hear Tom hollow out and
knew he didn't; Tom was talking to
Arthur Gaddis' little children; deni-
ed that Tom was badly misbehaving
when Benedict stood up Mat Nose
hart yelled Everybody get out -
George went out with his mother and
came back in about minute and a
half; John showed his sons out the
door; George put his gun over his
fathers shoulder and said: "Turn
him loose; you needn't hold him."
John said Don't do that" and put
George and Tom and their mother
out; George came back after he had
taken his mother out; Benedict ran
toward George; Bill shot first; he
fired two shots before George did,
John was watching them fire
George was firing over the stove
George fired six shots: John grabbed
Bills pistol; denied that he fired at
him; Tom had no pistol; had no idea
OF Tom starting any trouble.
! George Thornton
! George Thornton, who fired the
shot that killed Benedict was placed
on the stand next. He described the
preliminary events leading up to the
shooting about as his father had de-
scribed them above; he said that
when John Thornton took Tom out
he saw Benedict getting mad; and re-
signed as Santa Claus and went to
his mother; went outside and put on
his overcoat; when he came back in
Benedict was cursing and saying it
had to be cut out; Wilson said to
him; you're doing more cursing
than anyone;" George went out with
his mother and returned for his lit
tie sisters; Benedict shot at him
| twice before he shot; he told about
the gun he used, which belonged to
Sherman Coy, who had sent it to
Sam Rothwell to be fixed; George
got it and went with expectation of
giving it to Coy with no expectation
of trouble; had been on good terms
with Benedict; was expecting to see
Coy at the Christmas tree and give
him the pistol.
Tom Thornton testified that he
had two drinks at 1 o'clock. Five of
them drank out of pint bottle; did
not drink all; he was outside when
the shooting began.
Mike Gaddis
Mike Gaddis testified that Bill
Benedict fired the first shot; when
he turned Benedict loose he didn't
see him sit down; pople were trying
to get out; Benedict fired at Thorn
ton: On cross examination he said he
got shot in the leg; didn't know who
shot him; said George Thornton
could not have shot him in the posi-
ton he was in; Gaddis had no run.
Ambrose Wilson
Ambrose Wilson testified that he
saw Willie Benedict trying to draw
it; his wife and little girl ran to ,.in
and begged him not to do it; witness
went out when he saw trouble he
said Willie was saying "Stand back,
CD you, stand back" witness told
him not to do anything like that;
Benedict was swearing; Gaddis had
Benedict; he had not seen George
Thornton; didn't see Benedict go out
first shot, and saw nothing of shOtt-
ing.
Miss Minelle pruitt
Miss Minelle Pruitt, teacher of the
Harris Greek school, gave some very
interesting testimony; she said that
she was in the room when the shoot
ing began; Benedict had the first pis
tol she saw; she asked him not to
start any trouble, please; and to put
his pistol up; he said: You get away
and everybody get back" she didn't
know where George Thornton was;
had heard no words between them:
George was perfectly sober; John
had been quiet and back in crowd;
she had asked him to keep order;
Tom was behind the curtain about
10 minutes and started no disorder;
Tom came to the window and watch
ed few minutes; and then climbed
in; they had put him out because he
was drinking; she heard commo-
ton in the back of the room; she
was sitting behind the curtains: it
was little while after she saw Bene~
dict with the revolver that the trou-
hle started; she saw George Thorn
ton shooting and could see the flash
from two guns; she went out the
window; she told the children to lie
down on the floor; she saw Mike
Gaddis with, Benedict trying to TAKE
the pistol from him; the first report
was not so very loud.
She rman Coy saia he was not in
the house at the time of the trouble.
Frank Feistretser said he didn't
see the difficulty; saw Benedict come
around to the window and asked him
for his pistol; he gave it to him.
William Lee Pruitt said he saw
Tom Thornton and he was drinking i
Benedict raised up and walked up to-
ward the tree and looked as if he was
mad; when Benedict raised up, wit
ness saw man at door with pistol but |
didn't know who he was.
Dave Kn6epfle testified he didn't |
see Benedict draw pistol, nor did
he see Gaddis with him; saw Bene- |
dict come in and take a seat by the /
stove; he rose up and said something
but witness couldn't hear it; witness
couldn't tell who fired the first shot
he hadn't seen George do anytime !
out of the way; saw John take Tom
out and saw some one at the door |
with a pistol in the air who was
pushed out of the door.
John Browning testified that he
xyoc ;nc;do oil of tho time. ha saw