Weekly journal-miner., 1917-09-26

apparently became quite nervous and showed signs of being under heavy mental strain. Heretofore, all testi- mony which has been submitted has been purely circumstantial, and yes terday's was the first bit of positive evidence yet introduced.
 Mrs. Troutz is Federal prisoner who has been serving time in the Prescott jail for nearly a year. She has been confined in the women's de- partment on the second floor, and during the first few days that Me Kinnon was held in jail, he occupied cell on the same floor, and one which was easily accessible from the cell occupied by the woman. Accord ing to the latter's story yesterday, she had been allowed the freedom of the upper floor of the jail building, being locked in her cell at nights.
 Visited Cell of Defendant.
 Mrs. Troutz said that she became friendly with the defendant a day or so after he was locked up. She did much of her own cooking in her quar- ters. and often shared her meals with McKinnon. Shortly after they be- came acquainted, the defendant told her that he was mixed up in a bad case and that he did not wish to stand trial if any means could be provided for his escape from jail. This con- versation occurred early in the pres ent year, and at about the same time that Spurlock and Davis, the train ,Nla thnt from the building. McKinnon, who apparently knew of the effort of the robbers to get out. told Mrs. Troutz that he hoped to be able to go along with them. When he learned that their effort to escape had resulted in failure, he made arrangements with Mrs. Troutz whereby she was to smuggle several saws into the de- fendant's cell It was at about this time, according to the witness, that McKinnon became very confidential with the woman, feeling that he had won her confidence and believing that she might be the means of aiding him to escape.
 Relates Confession.
 The story of Mckinnon's comics sion as related on the stand by Mrs. Troutz is substantially as follows:
 McKinnon and a pal, the name of the latter not being mentioned, had robbed pool room at Mayer several nights prior to their arrest by the Simpson brothers, and had taken to the rough country nearby in an effort to escape capture. They had robbed number of cabins and tent-houses in the district in order to get some thing to eat and it was in this way that they became involved with the Simpsons, John and Nelson, both of the latter having been deputiZed by the sheriff to run down the perpetra- tors of the petty thicving which was troubling the district.
 Tells of Arrest.
 McKinnon and his partner were arrested a few days after the pool room robbery by the Simpsons and started on the way to Prescott. The officers apparently did not search the men at the time of the arrest. Nc Kinnon said that his pal carried six shooter in his shirt and was awaiting good chance to use it on their captorS.
 Details of Murders.
 ! When the party had reached point on the Slate Creek road, Mckinnon complained that he was tired of car rying the bundle of clothing which he had along with him, and John Simp- son gave him permission to tic the l 4I,o gave McKinnon chance to get be- hind his captor, and during a frac- ton of minute when Simpson was off his guard, McKinnon-this is still | Mrs. Troutz' story of the defendants confession-snatched Simpsons rifle out of the holster in which 1t was being carried, and shot Simpson through the small of the back on the left side At the time he was doing this, the other captive pulled his gun from the folds of his shirt and fired several times at Nelson Simpson, killing him almost instantly.
 Men Go Different Ways.
 Following the killing of the Simp- sons, McKinnon and his pal decided that it would be safer to separate, and accordingly the unknown man took the horse which had been ridden by Nelson Simpson, and also one of the rifles, and rode away to the south. after having buried the revolver with which he had shot his victim.
 Took to the Hills.
 Mckinnon then set out in the di- rcction of Crown King, choosing the very toughest country in the hopes of avoiding any posses which might be searching for him. He had had a hard time. according to the confess sion, in obtaining food without run ming risk of being arrested. His feet were badly blistercd and swollen from climbing through the rocks, and his progress was slow He made a number of slashes in different parts of his shoes in order to case his ach- ing feet, and the cuts were among the prominent marks by which he was later identified The mutilatcd shoes are now in possession of the county attorney and have been offer ed as evidence.
 Morrisy Tells Same Story.