Weekly journal-miner., 1917-02-21
ALLEGED SLAYER BOUND OVER
 FOR TRIAL
M'KINNON MUST FACE A JURY IN THE SUPERIOR COURT ON A CHARGE OF MURDERING THE SNIP SON BROTHERS.
(From Sundays Daily.)


 One hour suficed for the compile | ton of the preliminary examination
 of Hugh McKinnon, charged with the murder of John and Nelson Simpson, ranchcrS, in Crook canyon in De- cember, and at the end of the short session before Justice McLane yes terday morning, the defendant was bound over to the Superior court without bail
 Charles A. Coons. of Bonita, near Palace Station, told how he had been employed at the Crook mine on De- ccmber l4th. when John and Nelson Simpson arrived at the office to use the telephone He told how one of the brothers had sat on his horse out side, guarding the two prisoners they had taken, while the other notified the sheriff's office here and asked that man be sent out to get them Each of the Simpsons carried a rifle, he said, but he believed no six-shooters. He described the horses they rode, the bundle of quilts bound on the saddle of one horse and part of the clothing worn by the captives. Look ing McKinnon fair in the face, Coons stated he could not identify him as one of the two prisoners. They wore a week or ten days growth of beard, he said. but the dark beard that part ly covered McKinnon's face could not be accurately tallied with that of either of the Simpson prisoners.
 The worn, cracked pair of red but ton shoes, produced and identified by Constable Fitzgerald as those worn by Mckinnon at the time of his ar rest. Coons claimed were the ones worn by one of the two captives, while in custody of the brothers on December 14th.
 Asked if he wished to question the witness, McKinnon asked:
 Did you say that one of the men had black eycs:"
 Coons answered that he had SO de- scribed them, and was then question: cd by County Attorney Mitchell as to just what he meant by black eyes, Coons said he meant black eyes, not just dark ones.
 Sheriff Joseph F. Young was the next witness. He told how at 4:3O the afternoon of December IA. he had answered the phone in the sheriff's oihce and had spoken with John Simpson. who asked that an officer be sent out to bring in the two men for footing their ranch house and held by himself and brother un- der warrant issued by Justice of the Peace Ben Marks at Crown King.
 He sent Deputy Sheriff Walker to Senator, to meet the Simpsons and take over the prisoners, but Walker had come back, saying that no one had appeared
 Then the sheriff told of learning of the discovery of the body in the road. iis investigation and the discovery of -he other body and the horses. He articles that were found in the pack outfit along with the mur- lcred mems saddle horses, including .n unopened can of tea, through which bullet had been shot.
 He spoke of the two boys showing lim where they had seen two men shortly after the killing. and pf his investigation of the tracks. These. he identified as those accom- 'anying the horse tracks up to the Crook mine office and back. The trail vaS followed up mountain until darkness, and later, back-tracking to- yard Mayer.
 He produced papers, carrying meas lremcntS of the shoe marks and an of the heel Then follow d a description of the tracks-thc me being that of a rubbcd-hcelcd hoe, thc other that of dress" shoe. with certain distinguishing hob-nail marks in the heel.
 Dr. II. T. Southworth, county phv- jcian, went on the stand to describe he nature of the wounds in the odies He was questioned by Nit hell relative to the angle at which he shots must have been fired. and tatcd that in at least one body. the -ounds indicated that the man might ave been on horse, and the shots red by man standing on the round. The wounds on the other Ody were more nearly horizontal ] direction. but might have struck as he man leaned forward attempting D shield himself behind the neck Of iS horse.
 Justice NcLarc then asked Me .innon fl he had anything to say. No. sir. l have nothing to say al lis time answered the defendant.