The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-28
CONTINUED From Page one,

Il took down my gun to clean it
and It went off," Kline told the cor
oner. He was the first witness called
and he told substantially the same
story he gave Captain Morse and news
papermen last Tuesday afternoon, i'm
mediately after the shooting.
The shot, ne maintained, was acci-
dental. As for his feeling toward
Shaw. 1--WE were the best of pals" he
said. "and all the boys will tell you
no. @
Only in one way did Kline change
his original story. He admitted last
night that "a red-headed girl. Mary.
think they call her" was in the car
on the morning OF the shooting. She
was Smiths girl. he said.
Were any other women there?" the
coroner asked.
mo"
Were any others in the habit OF
going there?"
Yes, there was Mrs. May Cline
Mrs. Cline, the witness said, Is not
related to him. She was not in the
car when the shooting occurred, he
said.
Lots Of Girls There.
Lots OF girls are in the habit Of GO
ing out there, as far as that goes"
Kline added.
Mrs. Cline and the witness had been
friends until a few days before the
shooting. Their acquaintance dated
hack about six weeks or two months.
When the woman lust started going
with Shaw" Kline didn't become jeal-
Gus. he said.
Mrs. Cline Has Family.
Kline said that the woman has u
husband living. "on Il farm or in the
penitentiary. from the way she talked"
A former husband was divorced. he
testified, and two children by the mar
rage are in Alberta, ! think
But women, Kline declared, had
nothing to do with the shooting. No
more had booze. Kline said ne was
drunk Monday night but not Tuesday
morning. The shooting. he testified
happened this way:
I'VE were all singing and joking to-
gether in the car. I picked up my gun
and shot It out the window. 1t was
the first time ever shot in the car
though Shaw and were in the habit
of shooting around camp. Then load
cd the gun and hung it back in the
rack, and we started singing again
After 4 while | picked the gun up to
clean it, and as brought II around
it went off and hit Shaw. caught
him and l said. Speak to me. Shaw,
for Gods sake several times"
Denies "Ffamine" Story.
Kline denied that he told the soldiers
to keep the circumstances secret. He
told the boys something about clean
ing my gun, I font remember just
what"
You are sure you didn't tell them to
keep it secret: abe coroner de-
manded. Ii
sure" said Klne.
With Shaw, the witness said, he had
never had any trouble, though Shaw
once reported hinis fsf some petty de-
linquency.
I'VE were always the best of
friends" Kline declared repeatedly.
He was excused without much grill
ing.
Smith contradicts Kline.
mime Wnole Story was 1tatlN con-
tradicted by Private Smith. who told
the jury that he promised Kline and
the compact with a handclasp to say
that the shooting was an accident.
Il know it was wrong nc said. Il
apologized to Captain Morse for it,"
Smith is only boy and he was al
most hysterical on the stand. He slut
tered badly, became involved and con-
fused in his story. trembled and three
times broke down in tears, so that
Captain Morse had to take him in
Rand.
Pull yourself together" the captain
kept saying. And Smith, suffering and
shaking kept picking up the lost thread
OF his story.
The shooting. Smith said, was not
as Kline had described it. Kline said
TO Shaw as the red headed girl-"Her